3 weeks Ago By Ian Craig,Ravi Meah
At the remarkable age of 101, Dr John Scharffenberg is globetrotting to divulge his formula for a lengthy and vigorous life. Born in December 1923, this centenarian not only drives himself but also manages a YouTube channel with a following of 135,000 subscribers. Despite being a nutritionist, the Californian dismisses genetics as the reason for his long life, noting that his mother passed away in her 60s due to Alzheimer's disease, and his father succumbed to a heart attack at 76.
He has also surpassed the lifespans of his two brothers. Residing in North Fork within the Sierra Nevada foothills alongside his son, Dr Scharffenberg, an adjunct professor at Loma Linda University's school of public health, has been actively lecturing around the globe. In the past year, he has spoken in Madagascar and Europe, and he's slated to present in Las Vegas later this year.
His insights are also shared on his YouTube channel, Viva Longevity! Dr Scharffenberg offers seven key pieces of advice for a prolonged and healthy existence, reports Surrey Live . 1. Exercise more Exercise tops his list.
He credits his longevity to being significantly more active than his siblings. "The time of life you get it is what's important - middle age, from 40 to 70," he emphasized. "That's when you need it, because that's the time when people usually relax, have more money, buy more food, sit around more, eat more [.
..] and that's the wrong way to go.
" Dr. Scharffenberg credited his active lifestyle during middle age to maintaining a large piece of land in California 's San Joaquin Valley, where he personally undertook the task of clearing it for roads and a house, and tending to an extensive two-acre garden featuring 3,000 strawberry plants, 80 fruit trees, and grapevines. "I did it all by myself, so I exercised a lot," he remarked.
"I worked hard. Even though I'm a nutritionist, exercise is even more important than nutrition." He advocates for gardening and walking as ideal exercises, especially for seniors.
Citing a study , Dr Scharffenberg noted that the death rate among those who walk more than two miles daily is half that of non-walkers. 2. Don't smoke Dr Scharffenberg proudly claims never to have smoked, echoing CDC warnings on how smoking ravages nearly every organ in the body, elevating risks of cancer and ailments such as Type 2 diabetes .
3. Don't drink alcohol Having never imbibed alcohol himself, Dr Scharffenberg challenged the notion that small amounts may be beneficial. Contrary to old beliefs in the merits of moderate wine consumption, he references recent research indicating that any level of alcohol intake boosts cancer risk.
4. Maintain a healthy weight Dr Scharffenberg is a proponent of intermittent fasting, opting to eat breakfast and lunch but skipping dinner, not eating again until 6.30 am the next day.
He highlights that being overweight can lead to serious health issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more. Research has indicated that intermittent fasting can be an effective method for weight loss. 5.
Eat less meat In line with his Seventh-Day Adventist Church beliefs, Dr Scharffenberg adheres to a plant-based diet that includes dairy and eggs. Having abstained from meat since the age of 20, he lists mangos, persimmons, macadamias, other nuts and seeds, and potatoes among his preferred foods. 6.
Cut sugar To reduce calorie intake, Dr Scharffenberg recommends modifying recipes to eliminate sugar. One of his favorite dishes is waffles made from oats, a recipe his wife concocted. He enjoys them topped with berries or cashew cream and bananas instead of traditional sugary syrups.
He advocates for fruit as a healthier source of sugar, given their abundance of essential nutrients. 7. Eat less saturated fat Dr Scharffenberg asserted that the ideal diet is vegetarian, sharing this message in his lectures: "The optimum diet is the vegetarian diet.
I pray that all of you will live the right lifestyle.".
