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Core Tenets of Longevity modified with Nathan Esquenazi 

Core Tenets of Healthspan/Longevity

  • Nutrition - What you eat and supplements to take

    • Eat whole foods and plant based. Avoid processed foods as much as possible. 

    • Eat mostly non-starch veggies/greens,and  legumes, 

    • Healthy fats -olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds.

    • Omega 3 fatty acids ( flax, walnut , chia , hemp seeds)

    • A Brazil nut a day 

    • Intermittently fast - Eat one or two meals within an 8 hour window; don't snack, or can fast for 5 days in a row once a month < 900 cal/day 

    • Eliminate processed meat or sugars, grains or starches

    • Enjoy whole low-GI fruits: Cherries, blueberries/strawberries, apples, pears, kiwi, plum

    • Avoid high-glycemic and refined carbohydrates (processed grains like rice and bread, refined flour, cereals, pasta, sugar, sweet drinks, fruit juice, baked potatoes, French fries, pretzels) and eliminate sweets/pastries/sugar.

    • Avoid eating potatoes (baked, boiled, mashed, fried)

    • Avoid consuming dairy products and especially A1 cow milk

    • Avoid “vegetable oils”. Processed oils with polyunsaturated fat are generally bad for you (corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil) 

    • Avoid excess coconut fat/ oil , and palm oil , ( MCT oil is a good fat)

    • Limit saturated fat from animal products like meat to 8-18oz per week. Or eat no meat at all. Eat pastured free range  eggs no more then 2-3 times a week , or not at all 

    • Don’t under or over-consume protein (moderate) - 0.75  per kg of body weight is enough (160 lb =70 kg ——> 50  gm non heme preferred)

    • Salt: Aim for consumption of less than 2000mg per day

    • Consume 2500-5000 IUs of Vitamin D3 daily

  • Lifestyle - How you live and your daily habits

    • Don't smoke, limit alcohol (< 1-2/day 

    • Brush and floss daily

    • Get direct sun 2-3 times a week for 10-15 mins

    • Sleep 7-8 hours a night, get deep sleep, avoid screens before bed

    • Prioritize walking around as much as you can each day (10k steps = 5 miles =500 cal/day )

    • Spend time in nature every week around trees, ocean, lake, grass, sand 

  • Physical Wellness - How you build strength and use your body

    • Work out 15-30 mins most days of the week, or walk 20 mins each day(10k steps/day)

    • Get your heart rate pumping and sweat going a few times a week

    • Jog or run intensely for short bursts, then walk, and repeat (HIIT)

    • Challenge your muscles; freeweights and push-ups or planks ( 3 days a week or alternate body areas )

    • Limit amount of time spent sitting, stand during breaks, work at standing desk

    • Tai Chi , Xi Gong ,daily

    • Stretch or yoga 

  • Belonging - How you build meaningful relationships and connection

    • Spend time with people you enjoy being around, maintain social connection

    • Find ways to feel a part of a community or belonging to a group (religion , clubs , volunteer, meetups 

  • Creativity and Cognition - How you challenge and engage your mind

    • Do meditation(mindfulness)  every day with slow deep breathing, focus your attention and observe

    • Try new things, stay curious. Writing, poetry, drawing, painting, or playing instruments

    • Never stop learning new skills and knowledge

    • Lose yourself in flow state with creative activities you love

    • Be introspective and self aware, reflect on your life periodically

  • Purpose - How you find meaning and contribute back to the world

    • Work on purposeful/meaningful projects

    • Contribute to the greater good of society (find a purpose beyond ego)

    • Read philosophical and spiritual texts

SUMMARY MNEMONIC -6 pillars

Get “DRESSeD” everyday

Diet

Relationships 

Exercise - fitness

Sleep

Stress avoidance

Drug avoidance - reduction ( smoking , drinking ,addictions) 

 

——————————

Top Supplements for vegans

Vit B12 2500mcg 2 x week

Vit D3 2000 IU day

Omega 3 DHA - algae based omega 3 

Iodine in iodized salt or seaweed 

 

———————-

 

 In The path to longevity

There appear to be 3 types of intermittent fasting we can do simultaneously 

 

A) time  restricted eating 

- 16:8 

1)Best 8 am - 2 pm eat window

Fast 2 pm to 8 am with veg soup at bedtime

2) practical easier : 12 noon to 6 pm eat window , fasting 6 pm to 12 noon 

B) 5:2 days per week of WFPB

2 days of WFPB strict keto

NO grains, fruits , starchy veggies or legumes ?

5 days of WFPB 

C) 5 days / 30 in a row ( 2:5 of B)

WFPB strict keto on the last 5 days of the month

 

mTOR, IGF-1, and activating Autophagy (Cellular Repair)

Lower mTOR activation and then Autophagy ramps up - this is a key nutrient pathway “switch”. Longevity at its core is about downregulating some pathways and upregulating others. 

 

Eating high levels of animal protein and refined/high-glycemic carbs means the mTOR pathway is chronically activated and elevated. (This keeps us forever stuck in “growth”, raising IGF-1 and inhibiting autophagy). In addition, chronic diseases are directly associated with reductions in our DNA methylation which accelerates negative ailments as we get older. 

 

  • Raise Glucagon and lower Insulin - High-fiber, high-fat, low-carb diet with baseline protein

    • Glucose level steady and under 85 mg/dL as much as possible

    • Strongly emphasize and focus on eating low-GI carbohydrates

    • Welcome plant fats and fibrous low-glycemic vegetables

    • Restrict protein to a baseline level (0.75g per kg of body weight); limit animal protein

    • Eliminate refined carbs, starches, and sugars; avoid all high-glycemic carbs

    • Do not consume dairy products, especially cow milk; avoid whey and casein proteins

    • Increase consumption of legumes as well as Tofu

    • Intermittent periods of calorie restriction

  • Maintain increased DNA methylation - Reduces DNA damage as you age

    • Heavily restrict high-glycemic foods and lower blood sugar and insulin

    • Consume turmeric, green tea, and rosemary

    • Take Omega-3s, magnesium, and vitamin D supplements

  • Activate the AMPK pathway in your body (antiaging pathway)

    • Metformin and Berberine both activate AMPK

    • High-intensity interval training

    • Dietary fiber from vegetables, legumes, and whole low-glycemic fruits

  • Boost NAD+ in your cells

    • Take NR/NMN supplements (500mg-1g/day)

  • Reduce the IGF-1 Levels in the blood - Lower IGF-1 leads to an extended healthspan

    • Restrict the consumption of animal proteins, especially red or charred meats

    • Completely eliminate consumption of processed/deli meats

    • Restrict consumption of dairy, especially milk; avoid isolated whey proteins

    • Maintain a high ratio of monounsaturated fat to saturated fat

    • Restrict protein, and especially animal protein, to baseline recommended levels (0.75g per kg of bodyweight)

Autophagy Activating Strategies

Strategies for activating autophagy and deactivating mTOR:

 

  • Intermittently fast - Restrict calories to an 8-hour window each day

    • 16 hours of fasting and autophagy begins to ramp up

    • Skip one meal each day as often as possible

    • Eat the bulk of daily food intake in the afternoon

    • Once a quarter, do a 2-3 day fast or “fast mimicking” diet (Longo). 2 day fast (or fast mimicking) is when autophagy really starts to go full throttle

  • Restrict daily calorie intake - Less calories activates autophagy

    • Consume less than 2000 calories daily, 1800 calories seems to be a sweet spot

    • Periods of “fasting mimicking” with < 1000 calories a day) over 4-5 days

    • Choose three days a week that are “low protein” days (< 25 grams)

  • Prioritize eating good fats - whole food unprocessed monounsaturated and polyunsaturated

    • High intake of EVOO, avocado oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, and fish

    • The best nuts to eat are macadamia (highest levels of Omega-3, MUFA)

    • Reduce intake of saturated fats to MUFAs - limit cheese, butter, dairy, and meat

    • Completely eliminate all trans-fats (partially hydrogenated)

    • Avoid intake of vegetable oils high in Omega-6s (corn, soybean, safflower)

    • Ensure sufficient Omega-3 (DHA/EPA) intake, including via supplementation. Need at least 200-300mg/day. (Broccoli, greens, fish, grass-fed meat, eggs, hempseed, flaxseed, chia seeds, avocado oil, vegan Omega-3 algae oil)

  • Take certain supplements

    • Take Vitamin D3 and K2

    • 100-400 IU of vitamin E per day

    • Take Glucosamine

  • Build and challenge muscles - Resistance training

    • Minimum of 15 mins of muscle strength training 3-5 days

  • Push your heart rate up - Aerobic exercise

    • Minimum of 15 mins most days or every day of the week (walk or jog)

    • Get your heart rate up to 50% above the resting baseline

Vital Health Markers

Most important health markers to track to understand longevity:

  • Waist circumference - under 35in for males, under 30in for females 

  • Blood pressure - Below 120/80 mmHg

  • Ratio: Total cholesterol divided by HDL (good is under 4), > 6 is troubling

  • Triglycerides < 150 mg/dL (< 1.7 mmol/L)

  • Hba1C < 5.4 is ideal

  • Omega-6 to Omega-3 consumption ratio of < 2:1 or 1:1

  • Fasting insulin is 4-5

  • Fasting Glucose level of < 85-95 mg/dl

  • CRP (C-reactive protein) below 0.7 mg/L

  • CAC score of as close to 0 as possible (best predictor of heart disease)

  • Homocysteine - 5 to 15 mcmol/L, < 20 mcmol/L (DNA methylation marker)

Longevity Supplements

Look specifically for supplements that either: 1) boost NAD+ production, 2) kill senescent cells (Senolytics), 3) reduce inflammation (CRP/IGF-1 levels), 4) activate AMPK pathway, or 5) help suppress mTOR activation. 

 

Top supplements for longevity:

 

  1. Vitamin D3 / K2 combo (4000-10,000 IU/day of D3)

  2. NMN or NR (NAD+ Boosters) -  Early signs are good - More research needed

  3. Omega-3 (DHA/EPA) - If not eating Fish, take Algae version for vegan

  4. Collagen Powder and Hyaluronic Acid

  5. Senolytics (Apigenin, Fisetin, or Quercetin) - Mixed - Much more research is needed

  6. L-serine and N-acetyl-l-cysteine - Early - More research needed

  7. Magnesium Glycinate or Magnesium Taurate - If any signs of low magnesium

Additional Supplements (For Consideration)

  • Probiotics (40 billion CFUs per day)

  • Choline (500mg / day of choline bitartrate if vegan)

  • Vitamin B-12 Methylcobalamin (Vegan)

  • EGCG (Green Tea Extract)

  • AKG (Alpha ketoglutarate)

  • Glucosamine

  • Astragalus

  • Ashwahganda

  • Circumin

  • Vitamin B3

  • Pterostilbene

  • Metformin

  • Rapamycin

Restful Sleep Tips

  • Don’t eat within 3 hours before bed

  • Go to bed and get up around the same times each day

  • Avoid screens and electronics an hour before bed

  • Use blue blocking glasses an hour before bed

  • Drink tea or do something relaxing like read a book as part of the sleep ritual

  • Keep your bedroom clutter free

  • Invest in a comfortable bed and sheets

  • Dim lighting (or red lighting if Hue) before bed

The Longevity Mindset

Play and have fun often, use your imagination, and do things that bring you energy

 

  • Smile and laugh often; don’t take life too seriously

  • Focus desire on that which is most important and beneficial to our lives

  • Practice intentional gratitude daily

  • Simplify your life - aim for streamlining rather than adding complexity

  • Declutter your life - Say no to things you don’t really need( minimalistic living)

  • Seek financial independence to retire early (FIRE)

  • Have things planned to look forward to - anticipation

  • Embrace aging and build a sincere belief that life can and will get better

  • Work to enjoy what you do in life - find work that you enjoy and brings energy

  • Consume less social media

  • Find time to be creating, imagining, improvising - playing

  • Steer away from being angry or stewing in frustration and hate, but don’t repress emotion

 

Understanding your Bio-Age

  • Telomere length have a 0.4 correlation with your actual bio and DNA age

  • Best way to understand bio-age is via measuring DNA methylation (0.96 correlation)

  • DNA methylation reflects your epigenetic clock - gold standard of measuring true age

  • This is also known as the “Horvath clock”

  • Get a DNA clock check here: https://www.mydnage.com/

  • Cheaper, inaccurate options using questionnaire for assessing are: BASA, MSQ

Maintain Proper DNA Methylation

Consume foods that contain nutrients that create the methyl groups used in methylation. Intake the ingredients of DNA methylation. (Folate, and vitamin B12, betaine, and choline, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and B-vitamins, methionine, cysteine, and taurine; and Omega-3 DHA)

 

Consume foods that provide the molecules which regulate DNA methylation. Makes sure the methyl groups are used in the right places and amounts. (Turmeric, green tea, cruciferous veggies, and soy; flavonoids like circumin, rosemary, oregano, quercetin, lycopene, sulphoraphane; Vitamins D3 and C)

 

Core tenet of proper methylation is low-sugar and low-glycemic - keep blood sugar and insulin stable and low. Avoid grains, gluten, and dairy. The most deadly combo is high sugar, refined carbs, and high animal fats combined. 

 

Foods to prioritize for proper DNA methylation

 

  • Heavily emphasize whole food plants in your diet that are low-glycemic (non-starchy) and low-sugar fruits

  • High-fiber and low-glycemic. The mainstay is vegetables: Dark leafy, cruciferous, and colorful

  • Emphasize monounsaturated plant fats, and Omega-3 fats

  • Emphasize things like: Chickpeas, legumes, beets, seeds, spinach, quinoa, egg yolks, lentils, green tea, turmeric, rosemary, apples, onions, berries, broccoli, olive oil

  • Consume MCT oil daily

  • Good adaptogens to eat: Cruciferous Veggies, Blueberries, Cocoa powder, Coffee, Garlic, Lemon, Lime, Oregano, Peppermint, Mushrooms, Soy, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Turmeric

  • Eliminate grains or processed grains/wheat/flour products. Eliminate flours, breads, pastas, pastries, and muffins

  • Eliminate simple sugars and dairy products

  • Eliminate vegetable seed oils such as canola, or soybean oil

  • Calories from healthy fats: Nuts, seeds, avocados, and high quality oils

  • Incorporate fermented foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled veggies

  • For plant protein, consume legumes, lentils, protein powder, tempeh, or tofu. Baseline protein is 0.66-0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight. If > 60, 1 g of protein per kg of body weight. 40-50 g of plant protein daily. 

  • Limited amount of baseline protein; limited animal proteins. If eating animal protein, consume only organic grass-fed meats. Limit to a maximum of 6 ounces per day (or less). Consume up to 5-10 pastured eggs a week. 

  • Completely eliminate all processed meats. Eliminate all charred (burned) foods.

 

Lifestyle choices that fosters healthy DNA methylation (and reduce DNA damage as you age). 

 

  • Intermittent fast for 12+ hours every day, only eat between 6-12 hours a day. Go to bed with a mostly empty stomach. Stop eating three or more hours before bed. 

  • Sleep 7-8 hours a night. Get better sleep

    • Make your room darker (minimize lights and devices)

    • Keep your bedroom and bed and pillow cool

    • Go to bed on an empty stomach (stop eating three hours before bed)

    • Use apps like fl.ux and wear blue light blocking glasses

    • Get checked for sleep apnea

    • Stop having caffeine after 12pm

    • Turn on white or pink noise sleep sounds

  • Lifting weights regularly

  • Moderate and frequent movement and standing throughout the day

  • Work at a standing desk

  • Walk or other moderate exercise 30 mins each day for 5 days a week

  • Good exercise can include: walking, jogging, hiking, dancing, yard work, swimming

  • Practice daily attention-focusing meditation for 10 or 20 mins a day

  • Listen to peaceful or enjoyable music for 15 mins a day

  • Avoid environmental toxins

    • Eat organic as much as possible

    • Avoid plastic food containers and water bottles

    • Avoid nonstick cookware like pans; avoid aluminum cookware

    • Do not char or brown your food with super high heat

    • Use glass stuff as much as possible

    • Use natural cleaning products

    • Avoid topical products with parabens, formaldehydes

    • Setup HEPA air purifiers

    • Use water filters to clean sink water

BASA Assessments (Questions to Assess Longevity/Healthspan)

Nutrition

  • Amount of vegetables consumed (Ideal = 4-6+ servings a dat)

  • Amount of nuts and seeds consumed (Ideal = 2-3+ times a week)

  • Amount of fermented and prebiotic foods (Ideal = 3-5+ times a week)

  • Amount of herbs, spices such as rosemary, turmeric, garlic, green tea, circumin (Ideal = 5+ times a week)

  • Glasses of water consumed (Ideal = 4+ a day)

  • Longest window you go without a meal (aim for 12+ hours)

  • Frequency of eating “mindfully” (Aim for doing so often)

  • Amount of wine or alcohol consumed (Ideal = < 5 drinks a week)

  • Amount of fried, or charred foods (Ideal = < 1 time/month)

  • Amount of refined flour or refined sugar: breads, sweets, fruit juice, soda, pastries (Ideal = < 1 time/month)

Lifestyle

  • Frequency of engaging in “play” activities (Ideal = 3+ times a week)

  • Frequency of engaging in moderate or high intensity exercise (Ideal = 3+ times a week)

  • Frequency of making your muscles work hard (Ideal = 3+ times a week)

  • Hours spent siting each day (Ideal = < 5 hours a day)

  • Hours you sleep on average (Ideal = 7-9 hours a night)

  • Rate your quality of sleep (Ideal = Good quality)

  • Overall toxin exposure such as gas, plastic, cleaning chemicals (Ideal = Low)

  • Do you smoke or breathe in second hand smoke (Ideal = None)

  • Were you ever a smoker? (Ideal = Never or > 10 years ago)

  • How much time do you spend in nature? (Ideal = 3-5+ times a week)

Mental Wellness

  • Frequency of high stress (Ideal = Monthly or rarely)

  • Do you meditate or do breathing exercises? (Ideal = Yes, near daily)

  • How would you rate your happiness? (Ideal is to feel generally happy)

  • How many strong relationships do you have? (Ideal is to have a fair amount)

  • Is your job fulfilling? (Ideal is to enjoy or love it mostly)

  • How involved in the community are you? (Ideal = Moderately or actively involved)

  • How often are you engaging in creative activities? (Ideal = Daily)

  • How often do you learn new skills that stretch your brain? (Ideal = Yes)

  • Do you have a sense of purpose in life? (Ideal = Often or always)

Bio Markers

  • Waistline (Men = < 32-36, Women < 28-34)

  • BMI (Ideal = 20-30)

  • Diastolic Blood Pressure (Ideal = < 75-80)

 

Blood Markers:

  • Fasting Glucose Test (Optimal = 70-84 mg/dL)

  • Albumin (Optimal = 4-5.4 g/dL)

  • ALT (Optimal = 10-30 U/L)

  • AST (Optimal = 10-25 U/L)

  • HS-CRP (Optimal = < 1 mg/L)

  • HBA1c (Optimal = < 5%)

  • Cholesterol (Optimal = 180-200 mg/dL)

  • LDL = < 100 mg/dL

  • HDL = > 55 mg/dL

  • Triglycerides = < 100 mg/DL

  • DHEA-S = Men: 350-500 ug/dL, Women = 275-400 ug/dL

 

Eat Lots Of These…

  • Cruciferous veggies and dark leafy greens

  • Nuts and seeds like almonds, cashews, chia

  • Avocados, avocado oil, MCT oil, olive oil

  • Almond, cashew and coconut milks

  • Tempeh and Tofu

  • Whole Fruits

  • Vinegar

  • Erythritol, Inulin, Monk fruit, Allulose, Stevia

  • Coconut water, coffee, green tea, herbal tea, seltzer, all unsweetened waters

And Avoid As Much of these…

  • Corn, fries, potato chips, processed snacks, white potatoes

  • Peanuts, vegetable oils like soybean oil

  • Any meat from animals raised with grain-fed, antibiotics or hormones, charred meat/fish, fried meats. 

  • Avoid all processed meats

  • Avoid all dairy including milk, cheese and butter

  • Fruit juice, dried fruits, fruit snacks, fruit jellies, or jams

  • All sauces that contain sugar, all dressing that contains vegetable seed oils

  • Avoid all coconut sugar, artificial sweeteners, cane juice, corn syrup, honey, maple sugar, molasses, and all forms of sugar

  • Avoid all fruit juice, soft drinks, and all sodas

  • Limit alcohol








 

References

This summary is based on an amalgamation of the following books:

 

 

Ageless book 

Been reading Ageless next. Author PhD gathers all the latest science on hallmarks of aging. There’s 10 root causes:

 

- DNA Damage and Reduced DNA Methylation. DNA Repair starts to fail. Epigenetic degradation occurs. 

- Reduced Autophagy activity and glycation oxidizing protein which leads to damaged protein build up like amyloids and adducts

- Weaked immune system combined with reduced Autophagy again. Senescent cells accumulate and are not cleaned out. Creates chronic inflammation. 

- Damaged malfunctioning mitochondria due to failures of enough autophagy. Linked to glycation and chronic inflammation. 

- Cell signaling failures and exhaustion. Trouble with cells communicating due to chronic inflammation. Measured by hs-CRP. Linked also to high insulin levels and glycation and senescence

- Chronic inflammation in the gut micro biome caused by lining being destroyed. This is due to changes in the gut based on what we eat (especially high sugar foods) and too many antibiotics or other toxins 


 

Linked to these are: Shortened telomeres (tell cell to stop dividing or die)

 

All are at their root related to glycation, oxidation, too little Autophagy, and chronic inflammation in the body

 

———

Three important signals of longevity are hs-CRP (chronic inflammation marker, under 1 optimal), hbA1c (blood sugar marker, under 5 is optimal), and fasting insulin (lower = better, under 4 optimal)

 

——-

Autophagy simply can’t run properly with high chronic fasting insulin or high A1c - it starts malfunctioning. Chronic inflammation and high blood sugar overwhelms it at the same time. This is at the root of most of the reasons we age and die

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