A longevity doctor has revealed that, according to him, the morning routine made him 20 years old.
Dr. Mark Hyman is now 63 years old – but his biological age (the age of his cells) is the same as a 43-year-old.
Dr. Hyman believes that aging need not be an inevitable deterioration of the human body, but rather a “treatable condition.”
He heralded exercise as the “most powerful” anti-aging drug, exercising three hours a day.
While he doesn’t expect everyone to have that flexibility in their schedule, he’s shared his morning routine that almost anyone can follow:
Pictured above is the morning routine followed by Dr Mark Hyman, a longevity expert trying to live to 180 years old
Revealing his routine to the Insiderhe said he always makes sure to wake up at 6am every day.
He then meditates for 20 minutes before having coffee with his wife and taking some time to write for his website.
Next, the doctor does 30 minutes of strength training, using both his body weight and lifting weights to maintain his muscles.
He then has a steam shower — which uses a steam generator to surround the body with water vapor instead of a traditional shower — and takes a three-minute cold dip in 40 Fahrenheit (or four degrees Celsius) water.
Then Dr. Hyman eats his 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 slow cognitive decline. Chia seeds contain fatty acids that can boost heart health, zucchini is filling while being low in calories to prevent weight gain, while protein powder helps support muscle growth and maintenance.
“The most important things are exercise and a diet with healthy fats and plant foods,” he said.
“No amount of supplements can replace that.”
When asked which part of the plan was most important, he said, “Resistance training has really changed my body and my health.
‘People don’t realize that those problems occur with things that we can change, that are reversible. It is a treatable condition, as opposed to an inevitable deterioration.’
Muscle mass drops by about three to eight percent every decade after a person passes their thirties, and drops by 10 to 15 percent every decade in the fifties.
Bones also become weaker, making falls more severe.
This has led many experts to urge older people to do strength training to increase bone and muscle strength and halt the decline. Various studies, including a paper from last yearsuggest that older people who lift weights have a lower risk of early death.
Meditation may also help slow aging by reducing stress and levels of stress hormones such as cortisol in the body, which can damage cells.
A paper in 2020 that followed Buddhist monks for 18 years found that meditation slowed brain aging by as much as eight years in those who did it daily compared to those who didn’t.
Another 2021 meta-analysis suggested that regular meditation slowed signs of aging in cells.
There are also signs that cold showers may help slow down aging by reducing inflammation in the body and thereby reducing cell damage as well.
A steam shower can also help fight the signs of aging, experts say, by moisturizing the skin and helping one look more youthful. Good
Dr. Hyman is also a “pegan,” meaning he’s both a paleo dieter and a vegan. Every day he focuses on having mainly plant-based whole food.
Studies have shown that while meat-free diets keep inflammation down, adherents may be missing out on important nutrients and minerals found in meat.
This is why vegans often need to take supplements like iron to make sure their diet is nutritious enough.
In terms of supplements, he takes creatine to support muscle and brain health. He also takes the fatty acid C15:0 to improve his sleep and reduce stress.
In his book “Young Forever,” published in February, Dr. Hyman says he aspires to live to be 180 years old.
He writes, “I intend to live to be 120, maybe even 180, in good health, enjoying every day the wonderful gift of this life.”
In 2004, he was recruited as a doctor for Bill Clinton following the former president’s quadruple bypass surgery.
He befriended the Clintons and was reported by the New York Times to still be part of their inner circle.