David Andrew Sinclair is an Australian biologist, a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School. He is known for his research on aging with a focus on epigenetics. He has done a lot of research on how to reverse the aging process and extend people’s lives well into their 100’s.
He believes that 80% of your health and old age is up to you and how you live, also that simple changes can add 14 years to your life. Follow along for some of his key points to live a longer, healthier life in Dr. David Sinclair: Top 5 Lessons We Can Learn from Him!
1. Don’t Smoke
This seems like an obvious point but it is extremely important. Cigarettes are filled with chemicals that we put into our lungs. These chemicals have a significant effect on our body chemistry, which affects our health.
Smoking not only tobacco products but also vaping and other e-cigarettes damages the cellular DNA in our body which will accelerate the aging process and raise our chances of contracting disease significantly.
2. How Much and What Type of Food You Eat
Most of our health comes down to what we eat. The type of food we eat is extremely important but so is the amount of food and how often we eat it. Dr. Sinclair states that intermediate fasting is very good for extending your life.
He says that skipping a meal a day is okay, even if you are an athlete and recommends you stop eating when you are about 60% full. We are all conditioned to clean our plates and race to finish our food so we can eat before everyone else.
That is actually an unhealthy habit and eating less often is healthier. Intermediate fasting takes away inflammation which activates your longevity genes. Now, the type of food you eat is also very important.
Dr. Sinclair recommends a plant-based diet with healthy amounts of fats – for example avocados and olive oil. The fatty acids in both of these foods contain something called polyphenols or “stressed foods.” These stressed foods aso activate those longevity genes. Most stressed foods are colorful, so, you should stay away from that white iceberg lettuce and lean more toward those leafy greens or orange and red fruits.
3. Exercise is Key
Exercise is a very important way to stay healthy and slow aging. Losing your breath every once in a while is key. High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT workouts are the best way to do this.
While you are in a HIIT workout the body becomes hypoxic, which means “lacking oxygen.” While you are lacking oxygen or are ‘out of breath’, your blood is flowing, which nourishes the body and turns on those longevity genes. Being in survival mode is crucial to fighting aging.
4. Spend Time Away from Technology
The new way of the world and the metaverse is actually doing us more harm than good. You need to get outside, get fresh air and have social interaction with other humans. Being tied up to a screen or virtual reality is stopping us all from doing that. A few hours or so a day online is okay, but that’s it.
Also the constant blue light is affecting our sleep and disrupting us from having a good one. Good sleep is extremely important, the body needs to restore itself overnight. The more and more sleep you skip, the closer and closer you are pushing yourself to old age. Taking a nap every once in a while is also beneficial and it’s amazing what it can do for you in the long run.
5. Surround Yourself with Friends
Everyone needs a partner in life. The more alone you are the older you will feel and become. That partner can be a friend, a significant other or even a pet. Surrounding yourself with people or animals you love will keep you young. Go out, meet people and make connections.
At the end of the day, David Sinclair wants to leave three thoughts with us. If his research is gone and no one knows anything else about him, this is what he wants you to keep in mind;
- Have an impact on this world, do something spectacular with your life and don’t settle for mediocrity.
- Do something that scares you every day, that’s how you live, especially when you’re young, taking risks and failing often.
- Finally tell your parents how much you love and appreciate them every chance you get. One day they will no longer be here and you will no longer be able to tell them that.
David Sinclair is a brilliant biologist and researcher with lots of knowledge on how to live healthily and slow the aging process. To learn more about him and his work, check out his book: “Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don’t Have To” from Amazon or at your local bookstore. If you’re interested in one simple breathing technique that could change your life then definitely check out the compelling, short-read (56-page) book “Breath Magic” also on Amazon!
Which of Dr. Sinclair’s tips from the list above resonate with you the most? Let us know in the comments below and on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
