Q: You’ve talked about the benefits of calorie restriction and of intermittent fasting. Can you explain how I can use intermittent fasting to eat less — and get more of the nutrients I need? — Lee J., Englewood, New Jersey
A: Establishing an eating pattern that delivers the protein and nutrients you need for a healthier, younger ActualAge is all about getting in sync with how your body most beneficially processes calories. I follow an intermittent fasting routine that naturally keeps my calorie intake at a healthy level and avoids loading my body with calories late in the day, when they are harder to use up and can fuel the accumulation of inflammation-causing body fat.
The basic principles are:
1. Eat during an eight-hour window from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., if you prefer).
2. Have your biggest meal midday and make sure it delivers healthy proteins and fats from fish such as salmon and sea trout. Skinless poultry, beans and whole grains also provide a range of nutrients and protein.
3. Aim for seven-plus servings daily of fruits and vegetables. You also want 3 to 6 ounces of 100% whole grains.
4. For dinner, opt for a salad with dark leafy greens, arugula, tomatoes, fennel, olives — any vegetable you love. And enjoy EVOO-balsamic vinegar dressing.
5. Take a multivitamin-mineral daily (half in the morning, half in the evening) and consider a protein powder at dinner if your doctor says OK.
6. For five days every few months, I limit my daily intake to 750 calories and follow the Fasting Mimicking Diet described by Valter Longo and detailed in “The Great Age Reboot.” This is part of the Longevity Diet that helps slow the aging process — and is part of the reason that, as a 77-year-old, my biological age is 57.6.
7. Plus, ditch red or red processed meats, highly processed foods or added sugars or syrups.
For help, check out my “What to Eat When Cookbook.”
Q: What do you think about taking GLP-1s for more benefits than weight loss and diabetes management? — Melanie C., San Francisco
A: GLP-1s like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound are well-established weight loss and/or diabetes medications. But there are strong indications they also offer health benefits even for folks who don’t want to lose weight. Whatever your reason for taking them, you must combine them with resistance training, so you don’t experience muscle loss. Up to 40% of the weight people lose with GLP-1s is muscle mass, not fat! “No resistance training, no GLP-1” should be your mantra.
Extended benefits. The added benefits associated with these medications include significantly reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, heart valve disease, dementia, and slowing the progression of chronic kidney and lung diseases. They’ve also been seen to have a positive effect on osteoarthritis and help manage age-related health issues. And they seem to support folks who want to stop smoking or drinking alcohol. There are also anecdotal reports that they can ease symptoms associated with menopause and andropause (low testosterone).
Possible risks. While GLP-1 drugs are generally well-tolerated, you may experience side effects such as nausea, gastrointestinal discomfort, constipation or diarrhea. Kaiser Permanente says around 82% of folks have some GI distress. Luckily, for most folks, the side effects can be managed and go away pretty quickly. However, anyone experiencing severe GI pain should let their doctor know pronto.
It’s also risky to acquire these medications online (around 47% are obtained without a doctor’s visit). The Food and Drug Administration says that some online compounding pharmacies don’t really exist and offer products that contain too much or none of the active ingredients. Contact your doc to discuss GLP-1’s risks and benefits, your overall health and medications, and your goals. Then, decide if off-label use of an approved drug is right for you.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, “The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow,” and find out more at longevityplaybook.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at [email protected].
King Features Syndicate