Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

Episode Summary

Previously on The Whole Health Cure, we learned “How Not to Die” – in this episode, Dr. Michael Greger returns to teach us “How Not to Age.”

Dr. Greger is a highly acclaimed author, speaker, and founding member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. His latest book, “How Not to Age,” delves into the science of aging and what we can do to optimize our long-term trajectories.

“The good news is, it turns out we have tremendous power over our health, destiny, and longevity.”

Throughout our conversation, Dr. Greger provides prescriptive measures to improve our longevity, all with fast-paced humor and accessible language. He first discusses the pathways contributing to aging, such as oxidative stress, the AMPK pathway, and cellular senescence, as well as the foods, behaviors, and exercises we can use to improve their outcomes. Later, he expands on commercial products that likely do not contribute to aging, such as certain supplements.

“If you take a pill containing fruits and vegetables, all you’re eating is ten times that of fruits and vegetables… so eat fruits and vegetables!”

Listen to the full episode to learn about Dr. Greger’s advice, which foods promote each pathway, and the “Anti-Aging Eight.”

Here are the details of our conversation:

[00:02:34] Citing and writing the “How Not to” series

[00:03:00] The hallmark aging pathways

[00:04:14] The AMPK pathway

[00:05:19] Cellular senescence

[00:07:00] Autophagy

[00:08:47] The Anti-Aging Eight

[00:09:37] Additional lifestyle factors

[00:10:06] Vitamins and the risk of mortality

[00:13:09] Thoughts on antioxidant supplements

[00:13:47] “Superpills” from fruits and vegetables

[00:16:15] Metformin for diabetes patients vs. nondiabetes patients

[00:17:41] NAD+ boosters?

[00:19:45] Exercise: how much, how often, and why it’s so important

[00:22:10] Protein and the dangers of overconsumption

Episode Notes

A founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Michael Greger, M.D., is a physician and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition. His science-based nonprofit, NutritionFacts.org, offers a free online portal hosting more than 2,000 videos and articles on myriad health topics. Dr. Greger is a sought-after lecturer and has presented at the Conference on World Affairs and the World Bank, testified before Congress, and was invited as an expert witness in Oprah Winfrey’s defense in the infamous “meat defamation” trial. A graduate of Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Greger is also an acclaimed author. How Not to Die, The How Not to Die Cookbook, and How Not to Diet became instant New York Times Best Sellers. More than a million copies of How Not to Die have been sold. All proceeds Dr. Greger receives from the sales of his books and speaking honoraria are donated directly to charity.

Links:

Learn more about Dr. Greger’s work at NutritionFacts.org

Order Dr. Greger’s latest book, “How Not to Age,” at nutritionfacts.org/book/how-not-to-age/