Ian K. Smith, an author and ex-talk show host who worked under Barack Obama, shares ways to live better longer. Avoiding loneliness is key
When Dr Ian K. Smith is not writing books about healthy living, or penning novels, you might find him walking around his favourite city, Paris.
He loves the French capital because, among its many charms, he says it is one of the easiest places in the world to meet one's daily step count.
"Walking is a way of life in Paris," Smith says. "But even if you live in a rural area where things are spread apart and you have to drive, making a concerted effort to go for a walk or a hike in your local park is essential."
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His new book, Eat Your Age, provides a toolkit for defying the effects of ageing by implementing simple fitness, diet, and lifestyle changes every decade.
The thesis of the book is pretty simple: exercise and a focus on mental health and purpose in life are as critical as eating properly. He provides a step-by-step diet guide to keeping healthy in one's thirties, forties, fifties and beyond to increase longevity and stave off illnesses.
One of the most important steps to staying young, he says, is to engage in resistance training, like weightlifting.
"It is as important as cardio as people age, but not enough [people] are doing it," he says.
A landmark study conducted in Australia found that high-intensity workouts consisting of sprints can stave off dementia.
When it comes to eating, Smith's approach is simple: vegan or vegetarian diets are great for some, but for most people, a diet consisting of 70 per cent plants and 30 per cent "whatever you want is realistic, and would benefit most people".
Doctors and dietitians say reducing meat and dairy in one's diet, even gradually, can bring myriad health benefits and help drop weight and keep it off.
Smith served two terms on the United States President's Council for Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition - an advisory committee aiming to promote healthy eating and physical activity among people - under former president Barack Obama.
He has written 15 books and is a former co-host of the Emmy award-winning syndicated daytime talk show The Doctors, and is the former medical correspondent for American news network NBC.
Excess consumption of high-sodium foods can lead to several health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, Smith notes. Too much salt can also erode a person's youthful appearance, he says, because sodium causes the body to retain water and cause puffiness under the eyes.
Researchers say excess consumption of sugary, salty, and other processed foods can lead to vascular damage in the brain. And that, in turn, can cause strokes and dementia.
Smith urges patients to think of food as medicine itself, rather than just fuel. To that end, his book provides several 30-day meal plans for eaters of various taste proclivities.
The cherry on top of his list of health-improving tips is to stay socially active.
"The process of ageing is an isolating experience for many reasons," Smith says. "The fact that as you age you aren't functioning like you have in the past becomes a problem. Instead of building social circles, you lose social circles. That isolation can be linked to all kinds of mental health illness and cognitive decline."
Loneliness is associated with actual harm to human health: increased risk of stroke, memory loss and cardiovascular disease.
One study asserts that the health impact of loneliness is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Find purpose
Eat more plants, less meat
Find your community
Increase vitamin C intake
Gorge on antioxidants
Fill up on fermented foods
Cut back on salt
Exercise your heart
Limit alcohol
Sleep long and deeply
Visit your dentist
Exercise your brain
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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2025-01-29T10:04:06Z