If you’re like most people, you’ve probably considered it—maybe even searched for it. What if I told you that the key to slowing down the aging process, keeping your body and mind sharp, and living the longest, healthiest life possible could all come down to one thing: what’s on your plate?
That’s exactly what we uncover in this latest episode of the Eat to Live podcast. I’m joined by my daughter, Jenna. Together, we take a journey into the heart of what makes us age faster, or slower, depending on our choices.
We kick things off with a simple, yet powerful statement: "You get to control the rate at which you age." It's a bold claim, right? And yet, science supports it. You see, what you eat doesn’t just fill you up—it affects every aspect of your health, right down to your cells. But there’s more to this story.
Watch
Listen
In this episode, we dive into the critical foundation of a long, healthy life: nutrient density. What does that mean? Well, it’s not just about eating less, or restricting calories (don't worry, you won’t feel deprived). It’s about making every bite count—choosing foods that are packed with life-giving nutrients that fuel your body, protect your brain, and fortify your heart.
There’s a special phrase I teach to my patients—it’s the five words that could very well change the way you think about food forever: Moderate caloric restriction with micronutrient excellence. Don’t let the technical words scare you. It’s simply the art and science of eating just enough to fuel your body without overdoing it, while making sure everything you eat is bursting with the nutrients your body craves.
But here’s the catch: we live in a world that makes it way too easy to overeat, especially with low-quality, processed foods that speed up aging. In our episode, we talk about how the foods most people eat today are doing the opposite of keeping us young—they're causing our bodies to break down faster, creating a "caloric rush" that floods the body with excess energy and damages our cells.
So, what’s the solution? It’s simpler than you think, and I can’t wait to share it with you.
As Jenna and I talk about in the episode, we aren’t just focusing on restricting calories. We’re talking about powering up your meals with foods that not only slow aging but also make you feel incredible. These foods help stabilize your metabolism, protect you from diseases like cancer and heart disease, and keep your mind sharp as you age.
One of the most exciting things we touch on is the concept of telomeres—the little protective caps at the ends of your DNA strands. As you age, they shorten, but did you know that the right nutrients can actually help repair and lengthen them? That’s right—you can slow, and in some cases, reverse, the aging process at a cellular level. Imagine that: the potential to age more slowly, simply by choosing the right foods!
But I don’t want to give everything away here. There’s so much more to discover—like how certain foods can "turn off" cancer-promoting genes, why keeping your metabolism slower might be the key to living longer, and what specific foods you should be eating every day to fuel your body with the best possible nutrients.
If you’re intrigued by the idea that the key to longevity could be sitting right in front of you at your next meal, then you’re going to want to tune in. Whether you’re just starting on your health journey or have been following a Nutritarian lifestyle for years, this episode will leave you with practical, science-backed strategies to make every bite count.
Join me and Jenna on the Eat to Live podcast as we share the secrets to controlling how you age. Together, we’ll dive into the surprising connection between nutrition, longevity, and overall wellness, and you’ll walk away knowing exactly what you can do—starting today—to live a longer, healthier, more vibrant life.
Tune in, take notes, and get ready to unlock the power of nutrition to slow down aging, prevent disease, and feel your best for decades to come.
References
References
Chitnis MM, Yuen JS, Protheroe AS, et al. The type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor pathway.Clin Cancer Res 2008,14:6364-6370.
Werner H, Bruchim I. The insulin-like growth factor-I receptor as an oncogene.Arch Physiol Biochem 2009, 115:58-71.
Davies M, Gupta S, Goldspink G, Winslet M. The insulin-like growth factor system and colorectal cancer: clinical and experimental evidence.Int J Colorectal Dis 2006, 21:201-208.
Sandhu MS, Dunger DB, Giovannucci EL. Insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF binding proteins, their biologic interactions, and colorectal cancer.J Natl Cancer Inst 2002, 94:972-980.
Kaaks R. Nutrition, insulin, IGF-1 metabolism and cancer risk: a summary of epidemiological evidence.Novartis Found Symp 2004, 262:247-260; discussion 260-268.
Lamberts SW, van den Beld AW, van der Lely AJ. The endocrinology of aging.Science 1997, 278:419-424.
Doi T, Shimada H, Makizako H, et al. Association of insulin-like growth factor-1 with mild cognitive impairment and slow gait speed.Neurobiol Aging 2015, 36:942-947.
Calvo D, Gunstad J, Miller LA, et al. Higher serum insulin-like growth factor-1 is associated with better cognitive performance in persons with mild cognitive impairment.Psychogeriatrics 2013, 13:170-174.
Thissen JP, Ketelslegers JM, Underwood LE. Nutritional regulation of the insulin-like growth factors.Endocr Rev 1994,15:80-101.
Clemmons DR, Seek MM, Underwood LE. Supplemental essential amino acids augment the somatomedin-C/insulin-like growth factor I response to refeeding after fasting.Metabolism 1985, 34:391-395.
Runchey SS, Pollak MN, Valsta LM, et al. Glycemic load effect on fasting and post-prandial serum glucose, insulin, IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in a randomized, controlled feeding study.Eur J Clin Nutr 2012, 66:1146-1152.
Brand-Miller JC, Liu V, Petocz P, Baxter RC. The glycemic index of foods influences postprandial insulin-like growth factor-binding protein responses in lean young subjects.Am J Clin Nutr 2005, 82:350-354.
Biddinger SB, Ludwig DS. The insulin-like growth factor axis: a potential link between glycemic index and cancer.Am J Clin Nutr 2005, 82:277-278.
Burgers AM, Biermasz NR, Schoones JW, et al. Meta-analysis and dose-response metaregression: circulating insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and mortality.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011, 96:2912-2920.
Ranke MB, Osterziel KJ, Schweizer R, et al. Reference levels of insulin-like growth factor I in the serum of healthy adults: comparison of four immunoassays.Clin Chem Lab Med 2003, 41:1329-1334.
Bidlingmaier M, Friedrich N, Emeny RT, et al. Reference intervals for insulin-like growth factor-1 (igf-i) from birth to senescence: results from a multicenter study using a new automated chemiluminescence IGF-I immunoassay conforming to recent international recommendations.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2014, 99:1712-1721.
Brabant G, von zur Muhlen A, Wuster C, et al. Serum insulin-like growth factor I reference values for an automated chemiluminescence immunoassay system: results from a multicenter study.Horm Res 2003, 60:53-60.
Crowe FL, Key TJ, Allen NE, et al. The association between diet and serum concentrations of IGF-I, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3 in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009,18:1333-1340.
Fontana L, Klein S, Holloszy JO. Long-term low-protein, low-calorie diet and endurance exercise modulate metabolic factors associated with cancer risk.Am J Clin Nutr 2006, 84:1456-1462.
Fontana L, Weiss EP, Villareal DT, et al. Long-term effects of calorie or protein restriction on serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentration in humans.Aging Cell 2008, 7:681-687.
Friedrich N, Haring R, Nauck M, et al. Mortality and serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein 3 concentrations.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009, 94:1732-1739.
Carlzon D, Svensson J, Petzold M, et al. Both low and high serum IGF-1 levels associate with increased risk of cardiovascular events in elderly men.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2014, 99:E2308-2316.
Svensson J, Carlzon D, Petzold M, et al. Both low and high serum IGF-I levels associate with cancer mortality in older men.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2012, 97:4623-4630. .
van Bunderen CC, van Nieuwpoort IC, van Schoor NM, et al. The Association of Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I with Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer in the Elderly: A Population-Based Study.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010.
Arai Y, Takayama M, Gondo Y, et al. Adipose endocrine function, insulin-like growth factor-1 axis, and exceptional survival beyond 100 years of age.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2008, 63:1209-1218.
Johnsen SP, Hundborg HH, Sorensen HT, et al. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I, -II, and IGF binding protein-3 and risk of ischemic stroke.J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005, 90:5937-5941.
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Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, seven-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing, who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe his longevity-promoting, nutrient dense, plant-rich eating style.
For over 30 years, Dr. Fuhrman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, and through his books and PBS television specials, he continues to bring this life-saving message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
Podcast: Eat to Live for Anti-Aging and Longevity
October 09, 2024 by Joel Fuhrman, MD
What’s the secret to living a long, vibrant life?
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably considered it—maybe even searched for it. What if I told you that the key to slowing down the aging process, keeping your body and mind sharp, and living the longest, healthiest life possible could all come down to one thing: what’s on your plate?
That’s exactly what we uncover in this latest episode of the Eat to Live podcast. I’m joined by my daughter, Jenna. Together, we take a journey into the heart of what makes us age faster, or slower, depending on our choices.
We kick things off with a simple, yet powerful statement: "You get to control the rate at which you age." It's a bold claim, right? And yet, science supports it. You see, what you eat doesn’t just fill you up—it affects every aspect of your health, right down to your cells. But there’s more to this story.
Watch
Listen
In this episode, we dive into the critical foundation of a long, healthy life: nutrient density. What does that mean? Well, it’s not just about eating less, or restricting calories (don't worry, you won’t feel deprived). It’s about making every bite count—choosing foods that are packed with life-giving nutrients that fuel your body, protect your brain, and fortify your heart.
There’s a special phrase I teach to my patients—it’s the five words that could very well change the way you think about food forever: Moderate caloric restriction with micronutrient excellence. Don’t let the technical words scare you. It’s simply the art and science of eating just enough to fuel your body without overdoing it, while making sure everything you eat is bursting with the nutrients your body craves.
But here’s the catch: we live in a world that makes it way too easy to overeat, especially with low-quality, processed foods that speed up aging. In our episode, we talk about how the foods most people eat today are doing the opposite of keeping us young—they're causing our bodies to break down faster, creating a "caloric rush" that floods the body with excess energy and damages our cells.
So, what’s the solution? It’s simpler than you think, and I can’t wait to share it with you.
As Jenna and I talk about in the episode, we aren’t just focusing on restricting calories. We’re talking about powering up your meals with foods that not only slow aging but also make you feel incredible. These foods help stabilize your metabolism, protect you from diseases like cancer and heart disease, and keep your mind sharp as you age.
One of the most exciting things we touch on is the concept of telomeres—the little protective caps at the ends of your DNA strands. As you age, they shorten, but did you know that the right nutrients can actually help repair and lengthen them? That’s right—you can slow, and in some cases, reverse, the aging process at a cellular level. Imagine that: the potential to age more slowly, simply by choosing the right foods!
But I don’t want to give everything away here. There’s so much more to discover—like how certain foods can "turn off" cancer-promoting genes, why keeping your metabolism slower might be the key to living longer, and what specific foods you should be eating every day to fuel your body with the best possible nutrients.
If you’re intrigued by the idea that the key to longevity could be sitting right in front of you at your next meal, then you’re going to want to tune in. Whether you’re just starting on your health journey or have been following a Nutritarian lifestyle for years, this episode will leave you with practical, science-backed strategies to make every bite count.
Join me and Jenna on the Eat to Live podcast as we share the secrets to controlling how you age. Together, we’ll dive into the surprising connection between nutrition, longevity, and overall wellness, and you’ll walk away knowing exactly what you can do—starting today—to live a longer, healthier, more vibrant life.
Tune in, take notes, and get ready to unlock the power of nutrition to slow down aging, prevent disease, and feel your best for decades to come.
References
Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, seven-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing, who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe his longevity-promoting, nutrient dense, plant-rich eating style.
For over 30 years, Dr. Fuhrman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, and through his books and PBS television specials, he continues to bring this life-saving message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.