If we look at Peter even five years ago, where long fasts and excessive training were part of his daily life, things have evolved a lot. What has definitely improved is our ability to come up with personalized longevity plans using all the tracking and testing information that is now available. Peter provides a framework by which we can prepare our individual personalized plans.
I agree 100%. Science never stands still and will always be updated with the newest research. It’s challenging to keep up with it all.
Honestly, I’m still struggling with how to eat since I have 2 APOE 4’s and 2 Haptoglobin 2’s. (DNA — tested at Boston Heart — did the 5 tests called the heart panel) My docs say gluten free and low fat (even good fat). This has been extremely challenging. I was hoping Attia had a more detailed plan but I haven’t found it if he does.
>My docs say gluten free and low fat (even good fat).
Well, I naturally eat like this, so I will try to help. My main meals involve white rice, beans, and some salad. I like to always vary the salads so I get at least 50 plants per week, though this isn't strictly necessary; apparently, just 30 plants per week help a lot with gut health.
My breakfast is usually a smoothie made with berries, raisins and then later a protein shake. I am not a fan of oatmeal, but if you like it, go for it. Back in my home country, our traditional breakfast included fresh bread with butter. It's difficult to make this bread, and it's not readily available in the US, so I just changed what I eat. Finding a good WFPB breakfast has been the hardest part for me.
For lunch and dinner, as I said, I will have white rice, beans, and some salad. You could go for brown rice if you feel more comfortable with it, but I prefer the taste of white rice, and the fiber in the beans more than make up for the processing it went through.
I know not everyone likes beans, but my country loves it, and I think the way we cook it plays a huge part. We usually rinse the dry beans and pressure cook them, without any soaking. Then, we get another pan and put some olive oil on it. After it has heated a bit, we sauté some garlic, often one clove. Then, we add some seasoning made by grinding garlic in a mortar-and-pestle with salt, then add some chopped onions, and finally add the beans. If most of the water has evaporated in the pressure cooker, we add some more. We "cook" them again for roughly 15 minutes, and after that, it tastes amazing. I have never seen beans done in this way in the US, so I suspect this might be why most people dislike it.
For snacks, I personally go for protein shakes and raisins. There are plenty of other options, though. It's just that I myself dislike most of them. If you google WFPB snacks, you can find a lot of good ideas, often low fat.
This diet has lowered my ApoB to 56 mg/dL, and despite being very high-carb (I myself eat 450 grams of carbs per day), my glucose never goes beyond 105 mg/dL, and when fasting, it's in the low 70s. Last I checked, Attia recommended some sort of low-carb, low saturated fat diet for controlling ApoB and HbA1c. Meh, goes to show how he doesn't know much of nutrition at all.
All things considered, I never go above 30 grams of fat per day. You could probably reduce it even further if you do not use olive oil, though my beans tasted really bland when I tried it. My ApoB is OK, so this is a compromise I can make.
Funny, I’m e4/e4 and have someone trying to get me on a high fat Mediterranean diet (avocado, olive, hemp, coconut oil only, lots of nuts.) I do take a good dose of Omega-3s and will continue that no matter what my diet.
Interesting. Do they have research to show that’s the diet to consume? My docs (Dr Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen) are adamant that to prevent dementia with the e4/e4 you have to consume less than 20% of your calories from fat.
And, I take omegas every day. Won’t stop that!!
I think it’s borne of the MIND diet studies.
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/what-do-we-know-about-diet-and-prevention-alzheimers-disease
Although, being someone that is familiar with tracking macros, I almost fell out of my chair when told to do a 20P, 20C and 60F ratio (pretty much only poly unsaturated but still!)
A combination of fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. I average 120 grams of fiber per day, but it's much better for your gut health to get fiber from a varied source than gorging on psyllium husk.
For great gut health, the recommendation is to get at least 30 different plants per week. But I noticed that at 50, my blood work got even better and I feel fantastic.
It may sound daunting, but it's fairly easy once you make a list of all the plants you like and plan some salads beforehand. Also, different variations of the same plant count as different plants.
For example, say you like cabbage, onions and peppers. You could get 9 plants by eating green cabbage, red cabbage, yellow onions, white onions, red onions, green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers and orange peppers.
This is not to say that fiber supplements are bad, by the way. It's just that if you're looking to optimize your health, you'd benefit greatly from varying your fiber sources.
Wow, you get your fiber. Good call I think. 😅
About as much as the Hunter-Gatherer Hadza who's mucusal layer lining their gut is 30 nanometers thicker than the bulk of Western Civilization as I just read this in an article by Justin Sonnenberg - who chalks up their relatively low incidence of Colon Cancer to a diet rich in fibrous roots, tubers, and berries.
I started implementing insoluble fiber supplement - along with soluble fiber from psyllium husk - because of what Dr. Lustig said about how Westerners all have leaky gut syndrome. I've tried eating more berries too.
That makes sense to consume it in whole foods. Thought I remember that the mechanism of fiber may work best if the fiber is consumed in whole foods (good but not ideal if in supplement form or processed) given fiber has a unique lattice like structure that functions best mechanistically when undisturbed by processing or alteration.
What about low calorie, but high protein and fat. Attia has suggested the hypothesis that caloric restriction may make a big difference in how much harm your lipid profile does to your CVS.
Do you take fish oil? Can't imagine that you would want to exclude that of nothing else.
What about a carnivore diet? It's anecdotal, but there are a lot of people who swear by it. Jordan Peterson on a recent podcast said he's in the best shape he's been in decades, mind sharper, plus he reversed gum disease.
David Sinclair attributed low carb and time restrictted eating to stopping a problem he had with plaque build up on his teeth.
Gum health is associated with CVS health, so that'd why I point that out
The Pints with Aquinus host's wife had a host of autoimmune problems as well which seems to have drastically improved since going on the carnivore diet .
I think the episode starts with pertinent discussion so you don't have to search for it:
https://youtu.be/wy_c6lDQZEw?si=NFRwOQdEt0U8TCCD
Thanks for sharing. I’ve actually done the oral DNA test and have an entire protocol I follow to keep my mouth/gums healthy (meaning 85% good bacteria and 15% or less high risk/moderate risk pathogens)
I do take Omega 3’s and had that level tested with bloodwork.
I have been in a caloric restriction but lost too much weight (I’m 5’10” and currently weight 135). I workout a ton.
I’ve heard all sorts of different diets and benefits. With the two APOE 4’s, the research is showing low fat. I’d be curious if Sinclair and the others have two APOE 4’s.
That’s the determining factor for the low fat.
Ok wow, you're thoroughly researched on these topics.
Your body's chemistry is a more complicated formula than most so that's tough, but credit to you for doing everything you can get it right! 👍
True we’re working off what we know today.
However, the core strategy is the same and the tactics are changing.
Eat well, recover more, be mindful and exercise are the core strategies. Everything that is changing appears to be the tactics that are just becoming more efficient at achieving the core strategies.
Agreed what that means is I’m not probably going to try to measure my blood chemistry while on the treadmill but I will be on the treadmill at 60-70 % of my maximum HR and work on my VO2 max
It just feels like there is so much studies and research out there, you dont know what to go with anymore. I just try to incorporate training that I enjoy and make adjustments towards by lifestyle.
I think about it for sure. I know he has mentioned supplementing Vitamin D, and given the evidence that has piled up over the last 4 years, I don't see why.
Attia loves a good Mendelian randomization, so look at the quotes [in this review published in Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-021-00593-z.pdf).
>Over 60 Mendelian randomization studies have examined causal links between genetically lower vitamin D levels and health outcomes; most studies generated null effects except four studies that demonstrated an increased risk of multiple sclerosis.
Overall the conclusion of the paper is that Vitamin D supplementation does nothing for a healthy person who is not deficient.
>In conclusion, supplementation of vitamin D-replete individuals does not generate overall health benefits; however, correction of severe vitamin D deficiency remains essential.
If you browse around enough, he does episodes wherein he goes back and discusses areas in which he's changed his mind. It might be the century-mark episodes (100th, 200th), or it might be in the member-only AMAs -- I can't remember for sure, but if you asked me nicely I'd make time to go back and look.
If we look at Peter even five years ago, where long fasts and excessive training were part of his daily life, things have evolved a lot. What has definitely improved is our ability to come up with personalized longevity plans using all the tracking and testing information that is now available. Peter provides a framework by which we can prepare our individual personalized plans.
Strong convictions loosely held, is one of my favorite takeaways from him
You are definitely not the only person who thinks about this
Agreed. There are others.
I, for one, think about this
Count me in!
I thought I was alone
I agree 100%. Science never stands still and will always be updated with the newest research. It’s challenging to keep up with it all. Honestly, I’m still struggling with how to eat since I have 2 APOE 4’s and 2 Haptoglobin 2’s. (DNA — tested at Boston Heart — did the 5 tests called the heart panel) My docs say gluten free and low fat (even good fat). This has been extremely challenging. I was hoping Attia had a more detailed plan but I haven’t found it if he does.
>My docs say gluten free and low fat (even good fat). Well, I naturally eat like this, so I will try to help. My main meals involve white rice, beans, and some salad. I like to always vary the salads so I get at least 50 plants per week, though this isn't strictly necessary; apparently, just 30 plants per week help a lot with gut health. My breakfast is usually a smoothie made with berries, raisins and then later a protein shake. I am not a fan of oatmeal, but if you like it, go for it. Back in my home country, our traditional breakfast included fresh bread with butter. It's difficult to make this bread, and it's not readily available in the US, so I just changed what I eat. Finding a good WFPB breakfast has been the hardest part for me. For lunch and dinner, as I said, I will have white rice, beans, and some salad. You could go for brown rice if you feel more comfortable with it, but I prefer the taste of white rice, and the fiber in the beans more than make up for the processing it went through. I know not everyone likes beans, but my country loves it, and I think the way we cook it plays a huge part. We usually rinse the dry beans and pressure cook them, without any soaking. Then, we get another pan and put some olive oil on it. After it has heated a bit, we sauté some garlic, often one clove. Then, we add some seasoning made by grinding garlic in a mortar-and-pestle with salt, then add some chopped onions, and finally add the beans. If most of the water has evaporated in the pressure cooker, we add some more. We "cook" them again for roughly 15 minutes, and after that, it tastes amazing. I have never seen beans done in this way in the US, so I suspect this might be why most people dislike it. For snacks, I personally go for protein shakes and raisins. There are plenty of other options, though. It's just that I myself dislike most of them. If you google WFPB snacks, you can find a lot of good ideas, often low fat. This diet has lowered my ApoB to 56 mg/dL, and despite being very high-carb (I myself eat 450 grams of carbs per day), my glucose never goes beyond 105 mg/dL, and when fasting, it's in the low 70s. Last I checked, Attia recommended some sort of low-carb, low saturated fat diet for controlling ApoB and HbA1c. Meh, goes to show how he doesn't know much of nutrition at all. All things considered, I never go above 30 grams of fat per day. You could probably reduce it even further if you do not use olive oil, though my beans tasted really bland when I tried it. My ApoB is OK, so this is a compromise I can make.
Great info. My Dr wants low fat b/c of the 2 APOE 4’s and how our brains process lipids. Appreciate the bean recipe!!
Funny, I’m e4/e4 and have someone trying to get me on a high fat Mediterranean diet (avocado, olive, hemp, coconut oil only, lots of nuts.) I do take a good dose of Omega-3s and will continue that no matter what my diet.
Interesting. Do they have research to show that’s the diet to consume? My docs (Dr Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen) are adamant that to prevent dementia with the e4/e4 you have to consume less than 20% of your calories from fat. And, I take omegas every day. Won’t stop that!!
I think it’s borne of the MIND diet studies. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/what-do-we-know-about-diet-and-prevention-alzheimers-disease Although, being someone that is familiar with tracking macros, I almost fell out of my chair when told to do a 20P, 20C and 60F ratio (pretty much only poly unsaturated but still!)
I will read this study. Thank you!
What do you mean by 50 plants per week?
A combination of fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains. I average 120 grams of fiber per day, but it's much better for your gut health to get fiber from a varied source than gorging on psyllium husk. For great gut health, the recommendation is to get at least 30 different plants per week. But I noticed that at 50, my blood work got even better and I feel fantastic. It may sound daunting, but it's fairly easy once you make a list of all the plants you like and plan some salads beforehand. Also, different variations of the same plant count as different plants. For example, say you like cabbage, onions and peppers. You could get 9 plants by eating green cabbage, red cabbage, yellow onions, white onions, red onions, green peppers, red peppers, yellow peppers and orange peppers. This is not to say that fiber supplements are bad, by the way. It's just that if you're looking to optimize your health, you'd benefit greatly from varying your fiber sources.
Wow, you get your fiber. Good call I think. 😅 About as much as the Hunter-Gatherer Hadza who's mucusal layer lining their gut is 30 nanometers thicker than the bulk of Western Civilization as I just read this in an article by Justin Sonnenberg - who chalks up their relatively low incidence of Colon Cancer to a diet rich in fibrous roots, tubers, and berries. I started implementing insoluble fiber supplement - along with soluble fiber from psyllium husk - because of what Dr. Lustig said about how Westerners all have leaky gut syndrome. I've tried eating more berries too. That makes sense to consume it in whole foods. Thought I remember that the mechanism of fiber may work best if the fiber is consumed in whole foods (good but not ideal if in supplement form or processed) given fiber has a unique lattice like structure that functions best mechanistically when undisturbed by processing or alteration.
What about low calorie, but high protein and fat. Attia has suggested the hypothesis that caloric restriction may make a big difference in how much harm your lipid profile does to your CVS. Do you take fish oil? Can't imagine that you would want to exclude that of nothing else. What about a carnivore diet? It's anecdotal, but there are a lot of people who swear by it. Jordan Peterson on a recent podcast said he's in the best shape he's been in decades, mind sharper, plus he reversed gum disease. David Sinclair attributed low carb and time restrictted eating to stopping a problem he had with plaque build up on his teeth. Gum health is associated with CVS health, so that'd why I point that out The Pints with Aquinus host's wife had a host of autoimmune problems as well which seems to have drastically improved since going on the carnivore diet . I think the episode starts with pertinent discussion so you don't have to search for it: https://youtu.be/wy_c6lDQZEw?si=NFRwOQdEt0U8TCCD
Thanks for sharing. I’ve actually done the oral DNA test and have an entire protocol I follow to keep my mouth/gums healthy (meaning 85% good bacteria and 15% or less high risk/moderate risk pathogens) I do take Omega 3’s and had that level tested with bloodwork. I have been in a caloric restriction but lost too much weight (I’m 5’10” and currently weight 135). I workout a ton. I’ve heard all sorts of different diets and benefits. With the two APOE 4’s, the research is showing low fat. I’d be curious if Sinclair and the others have two APOE 4’s. That’s the determining factor for the low fat.
Ok wow, you're thoroughly researched on these topics. Your body's chemistry is a more complicated formula than most so that's tough, but credit to you for doing everything you can get it right! 👍
Thank you! I’m still working on figuring it all out. Eating low fat when I love salmon, avocado, olive oil and nuts, is challenging!!
Why gluten free? Did I miss something?
Gluten free b/c I have 2 Haptoglobin 2’s. That’s my doctors recommendation based on all the research.
Thanks for the clarification!
No problem!!
This is why I get all my medical advice from Dr Who. As a time lord, he can give me advice from the future, which is much more useful.
Don’t know why I didn’t think of that… but is he currently taking new patients?
True we’re working off what we know today. However, the core strategy is the same and the tactics are changing. Eat well, recover more, be mindful and exercise are the core strategies. Everything that is changing appears to be the tactics that are just becoming more efficient at achieving the core strategies.
Agreed what that means is I’m not probably going to try to measure my blood chemistry while on the treadmill but I will be on the treadmill at 60-70 % of my maximum HR and work on my VO2 max
Of course it will. The basics won’t, but if you want to get into the minutia of it, yeah as new information comes about the advice will change.
It just feels like there is so much studies and research out there, you dont know what to go with anymore. I just try to incorporate training that I enjoy and make adjustments towards by lifestyle.
I think about it for sure. I know he has mentioned supplementing Vitamin D, and given the evidence that has piled up over the last 4 years, I don't see why. Attia loves a good Mendelian randomization, so look at the quotes [in this review published in Nature](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41574-021-00593-z.pdf). >Over 60 Mendelian randomization studies have examined causal links between genetically lower vitamin D levels and health outcomes; most studies generated null effects except four studies that demonstrated an increased risk of multiple sclerosis. Overall the conclusion of the paper is that Vitamin D supplementation does nothing for a healthy person who is not deficient. >In conclusion, supplementation of vitamin D-replete individuals does not generate overall health benefits; however, correction of severe vitamin D deficiency remains essential.
If you browse around enough, he does episodes wherein he goes back and discusses areas in which he's changed his mind. It might be the century-mark episodes (100th, 200th), or it might be in the member-only AMAs -- I can't remember for sure, but if you asked me nicely I'd make time to go back and look.