A longevity doctor has revealed the morning routine he claims has helped him look 20 years younger.
Dr. Mark Hyman is now 63 years old — but his biological age (the age of his cells) is the same as that of a 43-year-old.
Dr. Hyman believes that aging does not have to be an inevitable decline of the human body, but rather a ‘treatable condition’.
He declared exercise to be the ‘most powerful’ anti-aging drug, working out for three hours a day.
While she doesn’t expect everyone to have that flexibility in their schedules, she shares her morning routine that almost anyone can follow:
Pictured above is the morning routine followed by Dr. Mark Hyman, a longevity expert who is trying to live to 180.
Revealing her routine to Insider, she said that she always makes sure to wake up at 6am every day.
He then settles down for 20 minutes of meditation, before drinking coffee with his wife and taking some time to write on his website.
Next, the doctor does 30 minutes of strength training using both his body weight and weight lifting to help maintain his muscles.
Then he has a steam shower — which uses a steam generator to surround the body with steam instead of a traditional shower — and takes a three-minute cold plunge in 40 Fahrenheit (or four Celsius) water.
Next, Dr. Hyman had her first meal of the day, a ‘health aging shake’ filled with blueberries, whey protein powder, zucchini and chia seeds.
Blueberries are a well-known ‘superfood’, packed with antioxidants that can reduce inflammation, improve blood pressure and even delay cognitive decline. Chia seeds contain fatty acids that can boost heart health, zucchini is packed with calories and helps avoid weight gain while protein powder helps with muscle growth and maintenance.
“The most important thing is exercise and a diet of healthy fats and plant-based foods,” she says.
‘No amount of supplements can replace them.’
Asked which part of the plan was most important, she said: ‘Resistance training has really changed my body and my health.
‘People don’t realize that these problems happen with things we can change, which are counterproductive. It is a treatable condition, as opposed to an inevitable decline.’
Muscle mass declines by about three to eight percent per decade once someone hits age 30, and by 10 to 15 percent per decade in the 50s.
Bones also weaken, making the fall more severe.
As a result, many experts urge older people to take up strength training to increase bone and muscle strength and prevent falls. Several studies, including a paper from last year, suggest that older people who lift weights have a lower risk of early death.
Meditation may be able to help slow aging by reducing stress and the body’s levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which can damage cells.
A 2020 paper that tracked Buddhist monks for 18 years found that those who meditated daily slowed brain aging by up to eight years compared to those who didn’t.
Another 2021 meta-analysis suggested that regular meditation slows the signs of aging in cells.
There is also evidence that cold showers can help slow aging by reducing inflammation in the body and therefore reducing cell damage.
A steam shower can also help fight the signs of aging, experts say, by hydrating the skin and helping someone look more youthful. well
Dr. Hyman is also a ‘pagan’, which means he follows the Paleo diet as well as a vegetarian. Every day, she focuses on eating mostly plant-based whole foods.
While studies have shown that meatless diets keep inflammation down, adherents may be missing out on key nutrients and minerals found in meat.
This is why vegetarians often need to take supplements such as iron to ensure that their diet is sufficiently nutritious.
In terms of supplementation, he takes creatine to support muscle and brain health. He takes fatty acids C15:0 to help improve his sleep and reduce stress.
In his book, ‘Young Forever’, published in February, Dr Hyman said he aimed to live to 180.
He wrote: ‘I plan to live 120, maybe even 180 years in good health, savoring the miraculous gift of this life every day.’
In 2004, he was hired as Bill Clinton’s doctor following the former president’s quadruple bypass surgery.
He befriended the Clintons and, in 2014, was reported by the New York Times as still part of their inner circle.