AmericaDr Michael Roizen, 78, says he has reversed his biological age by 20 years by adopting the Mediterranean diet.
Roizen is an anesthesiologist and director of wellness at the Cleveland Clinic. He shares that his “biological age” is about 57.6.
Your biological age is how fast you physically age, while your chronological age is the number of years you live. Your physical age is always increasing, but your biological age can be reduced through certain medical measures or healthy habits. For example, some people have a chronological age of 50, but their biological age is 45.
Here are the dietary principles that Roizen follows to reverse aging.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, legumes, low-fat protein and dairy; it limits red meat, processed foods and alcohol.
This diet has been US News & World Report The Mediterranean diet has been named the healthiest diet for seven years in a row. Research has also shown that the Mediterranean diet is beneficial for heart health, weight loss, and reduced cognitive decline.
Salmon and trout, rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, are Rozien’s main sources of animal protein.
Eat a big meal at noon
Roizen eats his biggest meal of the day at lunch and eats very little for dinner, usually just a salad. He can’t sleep well after a big meal and will feel “much worse the next day,” he said.
Eating most of your calories at lunch may help prevent and treat obesity, regardless of diet quality, a study from the University of Alagoas in Brazil suggests. Eating this way may be more in line with the body’s natural rhythms, the team says.
Restrict calories 5 days a month
Roizen also followed the longevity diet, developed by Valter Longo, a professor of gerontology and director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California. On this diet, Roizen restricted calories five days a month for seven years.
A study published this year by Longo’s team at USC found that participants on the diet were biologically 2.5 years younger on average after three months. The participants consumed about 1,100 calories on the first day of the diet and then consumed about 700 calories on days two through five.
David Clancy, who studies the biology of ageing at Lancaster University in the UK, says that for people aged 40 to 60, following the diet twice a year can add three to four years to their healthy life, and possibly more, in people with high BMIs, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. But Clancy admits that the diet is “extreme” and that working people may find it difficult to stick to.
Eat within an 8 hour window
Roizen fasts intermittently, eating between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. every day. He says that while the data on the effects of intermittent fasting on longevity is less reliable than the data on calorie restriction, he still likes the way it feels.
“After those 16 hours, I felt great and energized. I slept much better and seemed to have more energy too,” he said.