Is it possible to eat your way back to your 20s? Dr Mark Hyman, a family physician from the US and functional medicine expert, believes so. Taking to Instagram on April 3, the 66-year-old doctor told followers that his daily diet allows him to ‘feel 40 years younger’. Also read | 62-year-old grandmother shares her secret to staying fit: ‘Exercise won’t make you look younger than you are but…’
The ‘reverse-ageing’ diet
Dr Hyman’s approach focuses on phytonutrients, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory spices to maintain peak physical and cognitive function. He shared, “What you eat is like code. It signals your body to turn on health genes or disease ones. So here’s what I sent my body yesterday.”
Here is a breakdown of what a day on Dr Hyman’s plate looks like:
⦿ Breakfast (Before 9 am): A veggie scramble paired with his signature green smoothie. This combination is designed to flood the system with polyphenols early in the day.
⦿ Lunch: A ‘big steak salad’. Dr Hyman highlighted using healthy fats (like those in olive oil or avocado) to help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins from the greens.
⦿ Snack: Grain-free rosemary zucchini bread. He highlighted rosemary for its memory-boosting properties and olive oil for cardiovascular health.
⦿ Dinner: One-pan turmeric chicken with quinoa. This meal relies on the ‘anti-inflammatory power couple’ of turmeric and ginger, alongside beta carotene and high-quality protein.
⦿ Dessert: Dark chocolate. To manage blood sugar, he insisted on eating it only after a meal rich in fibre, protein, and fat to ensure slow sugar absorption.
‘The healthiest smoothie in the world’
The cornerstone of Dr Hyman’s morning routine is a savoury green smoothie that shuns the high-fructose fruits typically found in breakfast shakes. Dr Hyman wrote on his blog, “This is probably the healthiest smoothie in the whole world. After giving up sugar for long periods, I find I don’t need sweet shakes in the morning. Instead, I crave nutrient-dense foods that fill me up and keep me going for hours. This smoothie, from my new book Eat Fat, Get Thin, is the best way to start your morning. Add a few berries if you’d like it to be sweeter.”
Here’s how to make Dr Hyman’s green breakfast smoothie:
Ingredients
1 lemon, quartered (washed and unpeeled)
1 whole avocado, peeled and pitted
2 stalks of celery
2 cups spinach
½ bunch parsley
½ bunch cilantro
1 organic cucumber (washed and unpeeled)
1 teaspoon organic extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
water as needed
Method
Place all ingredients in a blender.
Blend together until smooth, adding water, as needed for desired consistency.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
