In this episode of Next Level Health, Dr. Melinda Ring sits down with Dr. Michael Roizen, a trailblazer in lifestyle medicine, bestselling author, and the first-ever Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic. They talk about how lifestyle choices impact your "real age," six key health markers that determine your longevity and disease risk and how walking 10,000 steps per day, strength training, and jumping are essential to a healthy lifespan. They also discuss how Cleveland Clinic's employee wellness program has saved the organization tens of millions of dollars over the years and how it could be implemented at the national level.
https://youtu.be/LS2eCOklYXY
[00:02:26] Understanding Real Age vs. Chronological Age
Dr. Roizen recently celebrated his 79th birthday, but his real age is closer to age 57. He explains the concept of real age, which reflects the biological age of somebody based on their health choices, such as consistently choosing to eat salmon versus red meat. He shares how lifestyle factors impact longevity at an epigenetic level.
[00:06:34] Revolutionizing Workplace Wellness at Cleveland Clinic
As the first Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Roizen implemented the groundbreaking Healthy Choice Program, a voluntary initiative to improve employee health. The program reduced healthcare costs by millions of dollars annually for the institution and employees were incentivized to take part through payments made directly to them for meeting the goals of the program.
[00:15:23] The Six Normals for Optimal Health
A cornerstone of the Healthy Choices Program is for each participant to reach "six normals." These are key health metrics that predict long-term wellness, including optimal blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, blood sugar and no nicotine. He discusses how medications and lifestyle changes can be used to reach these targets.
[00:23:07] Exercise & Movement: What Science Supports
The discussion dives into the importance of taking 10,000 steps per day, participating in resistance training, and jumping for maintaining bone density and overall health. Dr. Roizen also touches on myths around Zone 2 training and why strength training is critical for aging well.
[00:35:52] The Most Overlooked Risk: Preventing Falls
Finally, he shares a key insight about falls being a leading cause of death in older adults. He emphasizes balance training, practicing standing on one leg, and learning how to fall safely to prevent life-threatening injuries.
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