Living a long, healthy life 'doesn't have to be that complicated,' longevity doctor says: These are his daily habits
Since 2022, Dr. Avinish Reddy has been studying longevity and teaching his patients how to structure their daily lives to stay in the best possible health. He also worked with world-renowned physician and researcher of longevity medicine Dr. Peter Attia for a little over a year before setting out on his own.
In July 2024, Reddy launched his medical practice, Elevated Medical, where he focuses on "making sure my patients feel supported and tracking everything that I feel needs to be tracked daily," he tells CNBC Make It.
Reddy thinks about his practice in four buckets:
As a longevity doctor, Reddy makes it a point to incorporate the habits he suggests to patients into his own life — here's how.CNBC Make It: What are some of the practices you do to keep your own body healthy?
I like to break down exercise into two simple buckets: 50% strength training, 50% cardiovascular training. For me, that's three days lifting weights in the gym, three days of cardiovascular training on a bike or a treadmill or whatever I want.
I have this separate goal with cardiovascular training of increasing my VO2 Max, because studies show that it directly correlates with longevity and living a longer and better life.
So, the three days of cardiovascular training, two of them are generally low-intensity, something from 45 minutes to an hour. And the third one, this is the one that increases your VO2 Max, is like three minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise on, three minutes off. I try to do four or five cycles of that.
What are some things you do for your brain and for your mental health?
Brain health is definitely something that I prioritize a lot because I just feel like it's so scary to think about dementia and not being able to think the way that we think.
There's a couple supplements I'd recommend, omega-3 supplementation, as well as B vitamins like B12, B9 and B6.
The thing that's very overlooked, which I'll always say, is exercise. Regular exercise reduces the risk of dementia. And then there's specific activities that lower your risk for Parkinson's and dementia as well, including racket sports like table tennis and pickleball. Because they use hand-eye coordination. I play ping pong, pickleball and tennis.
I have a two year old son, so I don't have that much time. But down the road, I'm planning on learning to play an instrument, or learning a language. I think that definitely uses a different part of the brain, so definitely helps reduce your risk of dementia as well.
What's your social fitness like, and how do you keep up with it?
As a longevity doctor, patients are always trying to optimize every aspect, whether it's work, exercise, diet or sleep. And I think social connection ends up falling to the bottom of the list.
There's this Harvard study that's been going on for years, where they followed all these men over generations, and the ones that proved that they were the happiest and lived the longest had the strongest connections. I always think about that.
In general, for me, it's making sure that I talk to my parents like every day. I don't live next to my parents anymore. I also keep in contact with my college roommates and friends.
I think it's important to keep in contact with friends from college. But on top of that like joining a basketball league, some sort of community that keeps you active as well builds social connection.
I see patients that are older and if they get hurt, their first reason for wanting to get back exercising is because they're like, "I want to go back and see my golf friends" or "I want to go join my pickleball league again, to see my friends." It just makes you realize that exercise doesn't have to be that complicated, and longevity doesn't have to be that complicated.
What's your daily diet like, and what are some of the foods you eat for longevity specifically?
In the past few years, I think people have been very focused on protein. And I think protein is definitely important, but for me it's pretty easy to get enough protein. So personally my focus is on getting vegetables.
That's trying to make sure I eat a salad for lunch and throwing extra vegetables on my plate for dinner. Because that's probably where I'm lacking.
People always focus on their strengths, like, "Oh, I lift this much weight. I'm going to lift more." But when you think about health, to focus on the things that you're worse at, or the things that you don't focus on, that's where you're going to see the biggest bang for your buck.
With nutrition, it's just realizing where you're weak and trying to build that out. So for me, it's making sure I get enough vegetables. And I use a continuous glucose monitor once every year for a couple of weeks, just so that I can just see if there are any foods that are causing my blood sugar to spike and things.
This is just a fun question. What are you currently reading?
People are always surprised when I say this, but the book that I love is a book called "Die With Zero" by Bill Perkins. I've read it more than once.
It's really like the books about optimizing your life and making the most of your time and experiences and memories. It's probably surprising for a longevity doctor to be thinking, "Oh, you want to make the most memories." But I think for me, it's not about trying to live the longest life.
Of course, I want to live long, but I think it's important that we create memories and have great experiences. And that's why I try not to be too obsessive about any one thing.
If you're trying to live perfectly, you're not going to be able to have all the experiences that you want. So I think the goal is to balance both and just be very consistent with sleep, exercise, diet and stuff when you're at home.
To sum up, here's what Reddy does every day for a long, healthy and happy life:
,
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Small but 'life-changing' policy helps Parkinson's patients who need emergency care at Guelph's hospital
When people go to the emergency department, they're not allowed to take their own medications while they wait, which Theresa Daly says can be a huge problem for people with Parkinson's. A long-time nurse and social worker who actively works in Parkinson's disease support groups, Daly says she's thrilled the hospital in Guelph, Ont., has recently made a tweak to a long-standing practice to make it easier for Parkinson's patients to take their medications on time. "It's life-changing," Daly said. "Life-giving and life-saving and certainly quality of life saving." Hospitals have a policy that any medication given while a person is in the hospital must be through the pharmacy or a physicians order. Hospitals will monitor every patient's medication to avoid mixing, doubling up, choking or even overdosing. But emergency departments can be very busy and this can lead to people not getting medications on time. One of the more common medications for Parkinson's is Levodopa, used to control some of the physical deterioration symptoms. Daly says when a dose is missed, it can lead to people not feeling "normal" again for days, weeks or even months afterwards. The new policy at Guelph General Hospital says, an emergency department nurse is able to give permission to those with Parkinson's to take the medication they brought from home. Daly volunteers with the southwestern Ontario branch of Parkinson Canada and her brother also has the disease. She says she's very familiar with the toll the conditions take on both a sufferer and their loved ones. "To see them move into suffering because they haven't had their medication on time affects two people. The person with Parkinson's and the one who loves them. So it's a big deal," Daly said. Parkinson's disease is a neurological and degenerative condition. It has no cure and can get worse over time. The most commonly known issues from PD include slowness of movement, rigidity, tremors and instability. There are other symptoms associated with the condition including insomnia, anxiety, depression, bladder issues, faintness, leg swelling, heavy sweating, double vision and a multitude of other challenges. Ian Smith has Parkinson's and in the past few months, he's had to go to Guelph General Hospital three times. "[Parkinson's patients] all have different problems, some more than others ... and generally, hospitals don't like you bringing your own pills in," he said. While Smith doesn't always feel drastic effects if he misses a pill, he's familiar with how demanding the medication schedule can be. He takes three pills a day with specific food and timing restrictions. "My little Parkinson pill isn't high on the priority list because nobody has told them that it should be," Smith said. By allowing Parkinson's patients to monitor their medication, he said it's less stress for both them and, he assumes, the medical professionals. Andrea de Jong is the director of the emergency department Guelph General Hospital hospital. She said it's become a successful best practice to give emergency room nurses the power and knowledge to administer medications without having to get an order from a physician. She said there are still restrictions on who is able to administer Parkinson's medication that's brought in from home, but nurses are very familiar with these guidelines. "This ideally helps them go back home quicker and overall have a better experience here," she said. Daly said that Guelph General Hospital was very quick to approve this directive with their emergency department teams and medical advisory committee and said it's in line with much of the work Parkinson Canada aims to do within hospitals. A patient's knowledge of their own rights and their ability to advocate is a separate hurdle, she said. "There's a double prong education piece to this... people with Parkinson's have to know that it was okay, and emerge has to know that they have Parkinson's and that it's important they get their pills on time," Daly said. Parkinson Canada spokesperson Emma Gostovic told CBC News that the organization wasn't aware of any other hospitals in the country with a similar directive for Parkinson's patients and their medications. Most hospitals are still aware this is a concern and are conscious of medication timing, she said. Gostovic called Guelph General Hospital's model one they'd like to "explore and share with others throughout the clinical community."
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
A-ha's Morten Harket reveals he has Parkinson's disease
Morten Harket, frontman of celebrated Norwegian synth-pop band A-Ha, has revealed that he has Parkinson's disease. The news was shared by the band in a statement on their website which read: 'This isn't the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is – Morten has Parkinson's disease.' The pop icon, aged 65, shared further details of the diagnosis in the post, and explained why he has sharing the news after previously keeping details on his health 'strictly private'. 'I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis. With time I've taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works',' he wrote. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me. I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline.' Harket said he underwent neurological procedures to have electrodes implanted inside his brain last year and that this had reduced the symptoms. He continued: 'It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.' Regarding whether Harket can still perform and sing, he wrote: 'I don't really know. I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign. I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control. The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.' Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world, behind Alzheimer's. It causes deterioration in the brain's nervous system, leading to tremors and other symptoms that can become progressively worse over time. Common symptoms include involuntary shaking, slower-than-usual movement, and stiffness in the muscles. The disease can be treated with surgery and medication, but there is no cure. It is not known what exactly leads to people developing the condition. Other famous faces who have had Parkinson's diagnoses include Back To The Future actor Michael J. Fox, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.
New York Post
5 hours ago
- New York Post
A-Ha singer Morten Harket may not sing again after Parkinson's diagnosis
A-ha singer Morten Harket has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and may not be able to sing again. The 'Take on Me' superstar shared in an interview on the Norwegian synth pop band's website that treatment for symptoms of the condition have affected his voice and 'creative future.' The 65-year-old singer said he has been undergoing deep brain stimulation treatment for the past year after two procedures to implant electrodes into the left and then right side of his brain. 4 Morten Harket in the music video for the A-Ha song 'Take On Me.' The electrical impulses fired into his brain have reduced the impact of some of the disease's physical symptoms but have affected his soaring vocal power and ability to sing. 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign,' he told the band's biographer Jan Omdahl. 'I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control. 'The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. 'But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.' 4 Harket from A-ha performs on stage at the Bergenfest festival on June 15, 2022 in Bergen, Norway. Redferns Harket said he had kept the diagnosis private until now so he could focus on the 'delicate balancing act' of managing his symptoms with medication and advanced neurological treatment. He said he had 'no problems accepting the diagnosis' and took his 94-year-old father's advice to 'use whatever works' as he navigates living with the degenerative disorder. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me,' Harket said. 'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline. It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. 4 A-ha perform at Idyll Festival at Isegran on June 17, 2022 in Fredrikstad, Norway. Corbis via Getty Images 4 (L-R) Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Pal Waaktaar-Savoy. picture alliance via Getty Images 'There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.' Harket and bandmates Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy last toured Australia in 2020 and performed what may be their final concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2022. The musician said he had been working on new songs in recent years but was unsure 'if I'll be able to finish them for release.' But the philosophical singer told fans not to worry about him. 'Don't worry about me. Find out who you want to be – a process that can be new each and every day. Be good servants of nature, the very basis of our existence, and care for the environment while it is still possible to do so,' he said. 'Spend your energy and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.'
