Eating a diet of eggs, turmeric, beets, shiitake mushrooms and cruciferous veggies can lower your biological age and reduce the risk of disease, according to Dr. Kara Fitzgerald of the Institute for Functional Medicine in Connecticut.
A clinical pilot trial conducted by Fitzgerald boasted a three year bio age reduction in just eight weeks among participants who followed the diet plan and made basic lifestyle changes like getting a good nights sleep, exercising regularly, meditating and reducing stress.
An intensive version of the diet plan, designed for those who need a radical intervention, prescribes the following:
7 cups of green, cruciferous and colorful vegetables a day
Two 3-4 ounce servings of clean animal protein a day
5 - 10 eggs a week
Three 3-ounce servings of liver per week
No bean and legume or dairy foods
No grains
5 tablespoons healthy fats per day
A half cup of nuts per day
1 - 2 medium beets per day
Half your body weight in ounces of water, herbal tea or seltzer per day
No more than 2 cups of coffee
No alcohol
In addition, the plan calls for 12 hours of intermittent fasting between the final meal of the day and the first meal of the next day. Target macronutrient ratios for the diet are 45-50% fat, 30-35% carbs and15-20% protein.
“Our study and the Younger You Intensive is an eight-week program,“ Dr. Fitzgerald pointed out. “This is because, while epigenetic changes can occur after just one meal, in order for them to be lasting, you’ve got to stick with a DNA methylation-supportive plan for at least eight weeks. In fact, we measured our study participants’ biological age at four weeks and while things looked to be headed in the right direction, there weren’t yet significant changes. You’ve got to stick with it.”
