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Dr. Michael Roizen is a longevity expert and uses science to shape his lifestyle.
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He revealed which foods he has included in his diet that are associated with a longer lifespan.
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These include dark chocolate, salmon, olive oil and avocados.
A doctor who claims he has become 20 years younger told us what foods he eats every week to increase his life expectancy.
Dr. Michael Roizen, the Cleveland Clinic’s chief medical officer of health who has written books on longevity, is 78 but told Business Insider his “biological age” is 57.6. (It’s important to note that there is no consensus on what constitutes biological age or how it is measured.)
He said that while genes play a role in life expectancy, “the most important thing people need to understand is that they have control over how long and how well they live.”
“You control your genes,” he said, referring to epigenetics, the study of how lifestyle factors can influence whether genes are turned on or off.
“Your decisions matter,” he added.
For example, a 2023 study published in the journal Nature found that people who switched to a healthy, life-extending diet over the long term were more likely to live more than a decade longer. The researchers said this was likely because participants ate more whole grains, nuts and fruit and consumed fewer sugary drinks and processed meats.
Roizen said that even the smallest additions to a person’s diet can have a positive impact on their health. He shared with us the seven foods he eats every week.
olive oil
Roizen drinks a tablespoon of olive oil every day, he said. A 2022 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer and a 29% lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease. Additionally, replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise and dairy fats with olive oil appeared to reduce the risk of death by as much as 34%.
The authors suggest that this could be due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of olive oil or because people who consumed more olive oil also tended to be more active, smoke less and eat more fruits and vegetables.
Salmon and trout
According to a 2022 study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, eating fish once or twice a week was associated with a lower risk of death. A 2018 study by researchers at Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China and the U.S. National Cancer Institute found similar results, finding that participants who ate at least 8 ounces of fish per week, according to the 2015–20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, had a 10% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer or Alzheimer’s disease.
Current dietary guidelines in the United States recommend eating fish such as salmon and trout because they are rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids – which are important for heart health, energy and cell structure – and low in methylmercury, a toxic heavy metal found in fish.
Dark chocolate
With dark chocolate, it’s not hard to eat “a little bit every day,” as Roizen recommended.
As BI previously reported, eating dark chocolate is associated with lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and a reduced risk of heart disease.
Dr. Florence Comite, an endocrinologist and precision medicine specialist, had previously explained to BI that she considers her daily piece of dark chocolate a dietary supplement because of the antioxidants it contains.
Mushrooms
How Comite with dark chocolate looks like Roizen Mushrooms as a supplement and eat them at least five times a week.
“One of my favorite lunches is the MLT,” he said. “Instead of a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato), we have mushrooms, lettuce and tomatoes, which is totally healthy and tastes great.”
Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, which researchers at Pennsylvania State University called the “lifetime vitamin” due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A 2020 study by researchers at Lund University in Sweden linked ergothioneine to a lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiometabolic disease for the same reasons.
Avocado
A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found links between eating two servings of avocado per week and a lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Avocados contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which may help prevent cardiovascular disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.
Cauliflower
Roizen makes a “cauliflower creamer” by mixing the vegetable with olive oil and using it as a spread.
In a 2021 review published in Frontiers in Pharmacology, researchers wrote that cruciferous vegetables, including cauliflower, are associated with a lower risk of cancer as well as the prevention and treatment of other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and musculoskeletal disorders.
Correction: August 15, 2024 – An earlier version of this story misstated the year a study was published. The study on avocados in the Journal of the American Heart Association was published in 2022, not 2023.
Read the original article on Business Insider
