The Concierge Doc Podcast with Dr. Jason Littleton, M.D.
The Concierge Doc Podcast is hosted by Dr Jason Littleton, M.D., where he features medical content to make smart lifestyle choices for optimal health, wellness, energy, youthfulness, longevity, balance, and happiness.
The Concierge Doc Podcast with Dr. Jason Littleton, M.D.
Unlock Ageless Vitality with Dr. Ian K. Smith's 'Eat Your Age'
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Disclaimer:
Access to the Information and materials contained in this podcast is at your own risk. The information contained is presented for the purpose of educating the consumer on a variety of wellness and health care topics (the “Information”). Nothing contained is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment. The Information contained is compiled from a variety of sources. The Information should not be considered complete and not exhaustive and should not be in place of a visit or consultation with your own primary care doctor.
Access to the information and materials contained in this podcast is at your own risk. The information contained is presented for the purpose of educating the consumer on a variety of wellness and healthcare topics. The information nothing contained is intended to be instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment. The information contained is compiled from a variety of sources. The information should not be considered complete and exhaustive and should not be in place of a visit or consultation with your own primary care doctor. Welcome to the Concierge Doc Podcast. Now we have a really big show. I have one of my friends and super colleagues on Dr Ian K Smith and I got to go through this bio because he's so impressive. I mean, I've known about him for years, years and even as I've read his bio over again, I'm just like blown away. So I got to go through this. Okay, so is the number one New York Times bestselling offer of the Medflex diet Shred. The revolutionary diet, super Shred, the big results. Diet Fast Burn. Blast, the Sugar Out. The Clean 20, and 20 other books, including the award-winning series of Ash Kane mystery novels with millions of copies in print.
Speaker 1:The creator and founder of the National Health Initiatives, including the Makeover Mile, he was a longtime medical contributor to the Rachel Ray Show and host of the National Syndicated Emmy award-winning the Doctors. Everyone's seen that show. We all know about that. A graduate of Harvard College, columbia University and the University of Chicago Freitzker School of Medicine, he has served on the boards of the American Council of Exercise, the New York Mission Society, the Prevent Cancer Foundation, the New York Council for the Humanities and the Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity. And this man just wrote a brand new book Eat your Age and Eat your Age Official Recipe Book. Welcome to the show, dr Ian. Thank you for being on.
Speaker 2:Jason, thanks for having me. I'm glad to be with you.
Speaker 1:And you are so impressive. I've been a big fan for so many years. Your books have helped so many people. I have several of your books in my library and it's been a big blessing to my practice, and I'm really, really excited about your new book that just came out Eat your Age. So many people are going to be helped by this. So many people that I see in clinical practice need this book. It's so vital and I'm just glad to have you on today because I get the opportunity to ask you questions about your awesome book, Eat your Age. Again, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2:Thank you. You know I'm very honored to be here. I don't read my bio very often unless someone asks me to send it and I have to update it, but I just try to look forward. But occasionally it's good to look back and kind of cover the landscape. So I appreciate you honoring the journey I've come, but hopefully I have a much longer journey to take.
Speaker 2:But Eat your Age I just wanted to say Eat your Age is a book that basically says that as we age and a lot of this you already know. So it's nice talking to a fellow physician, by the way, that's real fun but as we age our body changes, not just physically but physiologically, and starting in our 30s, and as we're changing we need to meet the body's new demands. Your demands in your 30s are not the same as those in your 50s and 60s. Plus how you feel, your body with food changes, how you move changes All these things change as we age and I think a big mistake that a lot of people make is that as they age they don't make adaptations in how they eat and how they move.
Speaker 2:So this book says basically we're going to go decade by decade, starting in your 30s all the way to 60s plus, and we're going to spell out what are your top 10 power nutrients for your decade. What are the best exercises for you? What medical tests should you be taking? What medical numbers do you need to know? What are some fitness tests that you should take to see where you stack up and where you need improvement? So all these different things, and then, at the end of each decade, there's a 30-day meal plan that's customized for that decade to incorporate all the power nutrients that have been listed that you should be concentrating on, and so that's the premise of Eat your Age.
Speaker 1:Oh my God. See, that's what everyone wants and what everyone needs. People want to know what they can do to take responsibility over their health, even without their doctor, and it's so important I advocate this all the time that, look, you want to partner with your doctor as far as your health plans, but you also want to take a responsibility about your health. You want to educate yourself. What can you do? Diet wise, what can you do?
Speaker 1:Exercise and I tell you what your book has it all. I mean I highly recommend your book and I mean your book is something that I'm going to go by so that I can take. Look, I'm getting ready to turn 50 and I love skiing and as I'm, you know, going through your book, I'm like, okay, I need to, I need to utilize all these methods for my next decade. Okay, listen, I've told my audience that I want to ski until I'm 90. That seems like an unrealistic goal to some people, but, look, I've seen people out there in their 80s and even 90s skiing and I know that the principles in your book can help me to get there.
Speaker 2:Well, that's not unrealistic. I have a friend, a good friend of mine, elaine, whose dad they lived up in Maine and he skied into his nineties for sure, and he wasn't in your kind of shape, but he was in good shape and so it's definitely doable. Listen, people have to understand that, if you're lucky, growing old is inevitable, but feeling old is not Wow, and so I want people to realize that just because you are having more years chronologically tacked onto the calendar, it doesn't mean that biologically you can't be young. I'm 55 years old. I feel like I'm not kidding. I feel like I'm 25. I run almost as fast, I can still dunk a basketball, I can lift more weights than I did when I was 25. But I'm a naturalist. I really care about what I eat, how I take care of my body. I start I stopped eating so much red meat. I've made my own tweaks as I've gotten older and they've really helped me More lean protein, more workouts using more resistance training, lifting weights which a lot of people, as they age, don't do enough of, by the way, and I think that is a real secret, if you want to call anti-aging is maintaining or building muscle mass.
Speaker 2:We always talk about cardio and everyone wants to get on a treadmill or walk, you know, around the neighborhood of the park, which is fine, good for your cardiovascular system, your heart and your lungs. But we really need more muscle mass, and too many people's age they just think that it's OK to be weaker and that's not OK. Actually, as you know Right, more muscle mass means a higher metabolism. That's important. It means protecting your joints People as we age, we have joint issues. But it also means having enough strength so that we don't have falls.
Speaker 2:A lot of people who fall. They're falling for two major reasons One, because proprioception, which is our ability to understand where our limbs are relative to other objects, that naturally diminishes as we age. But also when you have an imbalance in your muscle strength and you start not lifting your leg up enough to get on the curb. Part of that has to do with muscle imbalance, and so one of my big takeaways for this book, particularly for the 50s and 60s, is the idea that you need to do some real resistance training at least twice a week for 15 to 20 minutes. Three times a week would be nice.
Speaker 1:Now that's excellent, because one of the biggest things that I see in practice are hip fractures from people who lose a sense of balance and they fall and they break either their hip, which is very, very common, or some other part of their body, and that's a big risk factor high risk of falls as people age in their 60s, 70s. What can you say to the balance of cardiovascular exercise and weight training as people age? How do people blend that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a great question. People ask me that a lot. Obviously, you know, if you had a hundred different trainers, you can get a hundred different answers. So I'm not saying that my answer is the only answer. But as I work with people you know who are trying to, you know, transform their bodies or trying to get back in shape, this is what I have found.
Speaker 2:I have found that if you can do cardiovascular three times a week for 15 to 20 minutes the books, the textbooks say 30 minutes. Listen, 15 to 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, that is moderate, at least moderate intensity is important. Two sessions a week of a resistance training, 15 to 20 minutes. If you could do that in a week over the span of seven days as a minimum, as a threshold, you're going to do pretty darn good. Can you do more? Absolutely? And if you want to do more, fine, I'm just giving you what I think are the minimums that people should be doing and then in Eat your Age in the book.
Speaker 2:What I do is I try to explain to people what the various exercises are per decade, because, listen, someone in their 30s can do a more complicated compound exercise compared to someone in their 60s or late 50s and it's okay. It doesn't mean you stop exercising. It just means you start exercising differently. So in the book, stop exercising just means you stop. You start exercising differently. So in the book there are QR codes for each decade and I have done myself all of the videos, all the exercises. So you hit the QR code with your phone and you can work out with me and I will show you. This is how you do a squat, this is how you do a reverse lunge, and I think that when people have that kind of visual model they can follow, then it makes a big difference.
Speaker 1:That's major. That's major and not just that you know you're in the kitchen with people, because I understand you have the Eat your Age recipe book.
Speaker 2:Yeah, listen, food-dairy. There's gluten-free vegetarian, you name it, and you know I have it. There are meat recipes, but I wanted people to realize that eating healthy does not need to be boring, and so I call it my TASH system tasty, affordable, simple, healthy. So all the recipes are about 30 minutes or less. It's about $4 per serving because people, you know, have to be on a budget sometimes, but it's really good food. It's tasty food, and why food is tasty? Based on how you cook it and how you season it, and people don't season their food well, which is why they think that healthy food is bland and boring. Well, you have to cook it and season it.
Speaker 2:And so in the book there are just tremendous recipes, One of my favorites on page 73, which is the black bean and sweet potato taco. So things like that, right You're getting your protein, you're getting your fiber, but it's also extremely tasty, very easy to make and very affordable.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow. All right, I got to go to page 73 tonight. That's major. You know, one of the questions I always ask everyone on this show is how do you move, eat, drink, sleep? That's my meds protocol. And look, you're a health expert and you're in excellent shape and obviously you follow your own advice. You know. I know my listeners would love to know what's your number one exercise, what's your number one food you like to eat and, again, how do you hydrate? And how do you tell us a little bit about your sleep? So, with number one M, how do you move? What's?
Speaker 2:your number one exercise. So I do a lot of resistance training, a lot. I work out with weights at least five times a week. Sometimes I do two sessions in a day, but I alternate the type of sessions I do. So resistance training, weightlifting, is my type of exercise I do, and I work out by doing body parts, you know, because I want to increase my muscle mass and maintain my muscle mass. So that's my favorite type of movement is lifting weights. I do cardio too, which is fine, but you asked my favorite, I would say resistance training.
Speaker 2:And, by the way, the last, the last eight months, I have been very focused on myself and I did what I call the two C's challenge and consistent. And I did what I call the two C's challenge and consistent. So you have to challenge yourself in order to build muscle and you need to be consistent to build it. You don't need to be in the gym for two hours a day to do it. You need to be consistent in what you're doing and focused in what you're doing. So my goal believe it or not, I know a lot of people are trying to lose weight and I have written a lot of weight loss books my goal was. Could I be? Could I put on at least 10 pounds of muscle weight?
Speaker 1:There you go, mind overweight Um my goal was can I put over?
Speaker 2:could I put on 10 pounds of muscle weight? Um, not fat, muscle weight, very hard to do. Um, without also, you know, putting on fat, and it took me a while, but I did it. Um, and I, finally, you know, do without, also, you know, putting on fat, and it took me a while, but I did it. And I, finally, you know, my muscles are bigger, my strength is better, I feel better. So, anyway, that's the end.
Speaker 1:And tell us so the E part is you know eating organically.
Speaker 2:What's your number one snack food that you like to snack on in between meals? What would you share with us? So you know, organic is fine. You don't have to eat organic. Organic can be a little more expensive because of the way it's farmed and because of the business model of organic food, which is another conversation.
Speaker 2:But there are some foods that should be organic. Right, if you're eating the skin of something, you know you want to have organic. If you're eating meat like poultry, you'd like to have it organic, or at least antibiotic free, which is important. A hormone free is important. So so, for me, when I talk about snacking, I talk about snacking as strategic snacking, that is, that snacks are bridges between meals.
Speaker 2:As strategic snacking, that is that snacks are bridges between meals and sometimes, or a lot of times, people consume snacks like it's another meal. What do I mean by that? I mean, let's say, for example, you eat 600 calories in a meal. People will take a snack and eat 450 calories in a snack. Well, that's another meal. The high calories should be for the meals. The snacks are the bridges between the meals. They should be about 200 calories or less. So for me, I try to get in protein and try to get in fiber. So for me, anything hummus, some raw vegetables, is delicious. That's, I would say, one of my, my favorite snacks. Also, I love cucumbers, so I love a cucumber tomato salad with a nice vinaigrette. I'm good to go.
Speaker 1:Love that, love that. Those are some awesome tips. I'm going to partake in that as well. Now, when we get to the D part, or drink for hydrate, how do you hydrate? How do you keep, how do you keep your body moisturized, hydrated and then, just you know, electrolyte balanced.
Speaker 2:So I've become better. At hydration I was not always very good. I do not like the taste of flame water. I just don't like it. I'm on record for saying it, even though water is essential for us. The body is 70% water. Most people need, on average, between six to 10 cups of water and, by the way, the purpose of hydration is to replace water loss.
Speaker 2:So, when we talk about how much water you should be drinking, the real context is how much water are you typically losing in the day? You got to replace that, and so that's why I gave a range of six to 10 cups, depending on what you're losing. But for me, water with some infused fruit whether it's lemons, whether it's oranges, any kind of fruit and water is good for me, and then I can drink a lot of it. I just have to have a little little kick to it, a little taste to it.
Speaker 1:So I have a big.
Speaker 2:I have a big filter in my refrigerator and I take it and you know I get a whole bunch of water and I put some lemon, fresh squeezed lemon juice in there and I'm good to go.
Speaker 1:I love it. Yeah, no, I'm the same way. That's, that's some. Those are some awesome tips that I think will help people hydrate better. That's major. Now, when it comes to the last part, sleep. How many hours do you sleep a night? How many?
Speaker 2:what do you get in? What's necessary for you? What's your number? I'm going to be honest with you.
Speaker 2:Medical school and residency really changed my sleep patterns, and you know, right, we sleep on very little sleep and your body gets acclimated to it. Um, so for me, a restful night of sleep is six hours. Wow, that's just how my body functions, and that may not be the same for everyone. So people say to me how much sleep do you need? Well, two of the things you need to look at is this how much sleep you need is whether or not, when you get up, are you well rested, meaning that you aren't tired.
Speaker 2:You're. You have good mental acuity and you are not dragging in the middle of the day If you're doing those things and you're not sleeping enough. So it's more. The number is based on how you are performing after sleep, but for me it's about six hours, but my body's on the clock Like. I get up at the same time every morning without an alarm clock, which is part of the, you know, residency training. So I get up, you know 430 in the morning, get to the gym by five, 530 at the latest, and that's how my day starts almost every day.
Speaker 1:Wow, I mean, these are some awesome tips movie, drink, sleep and that's going to help a lot of people. It's already helping me. I can't wait to have people hear you know your testimony on that. And you know, look, I I'm just so appreciative that you come on the the concert stock podcast. Um, where can people find you and where can they buy the book or the books? Everywhere. I see it. Everywhere I go in the airport, I see the book I mean, that's an easy thing.
Speaker 2:But everywhere amazon, barnes and noble talk, target, walmart, um, eat your age and also the official recipe book you can get at amazoncom and barnesandnoblecom. My Instagram is at Dr Ian Smith. Spell the doctor out, i-a-n Smith. I do a ton of free content on my Instagram page little workout routines, some recipes. Also, I have a virtual bootcamp that I do for free. So if you pick up a copy of Eat your Age and you want help getting through it, I have a virtual boot camp. That's free. My services are free. I just help people get through it. They can send me an email to eatyourage at gmailcom. Wow.
Speaker 1:Look, pick up his book, Do it today. Everyone needs this book. If you're alive, you're aging, you need this book. All right, there's a stigma attached to age. You need to know how to eat healthy. You need to know how to exercise healthy. This is so major. Listen, dr Ian, thank you for coming on. I really appreciate you and I just thank you for all the tips that you gave. I can't wait for people to digest your book and make the changes that they need at the start of 2025. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:I appreciate you and what you do and we need younger guys like you to take the old guys like me and let us go off and you guys keep doing and keep carrying the torch for better health for everybody.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love it. I love it, let's go, all right.
