But my 'real age' is 39. Roizen has set out to quantify what, until now, have been confusing, contradictory, and anecdotal suggestions from experts about what's healthy and what's not. People who control their blood pressure, for example, not only live longer than those who don't but also have lower rates of disability in the later stages of their lives. Sex is a good age reducer too, as long as it's practiced safely. The average sexually active American has sex about once a week.
Nutrition also plays a central role in aging.
It's no news, of course, that you're far better off eating fruits and vegetables than fats and sugars. Nor is fat all bad. If you undertake only a single new step to regain your youth, build new muscle. The result of weight training is not just an increase in strength and mobility, but also a speedier metabolism, a conversion of fat into muscle, and lower blood-sugar levels. Perhaps most encouraging, all of these effects can be attained with as little as 30 minutes a week of weight training.