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Well folks, it happens to the best of us… Hard to believe, but I turned 60 on August 24 and, I must say, it is a little hard to relate to that number. I am sure many of us are feeling younger and healthier as we age, and the image of being old at 60 just doesn’t compute anymore.
I also realize that many have been struggling with their health along the way and so, since it is my birthday, I want to share some of my favorite personal health strategies that I feel have made me healthy, kept me healthy and promise to keep me healthy as I enter the second half of my life.
While I am incredibly grateful to feel so healthy at 60, I wouldn’t say I have the strongest genetics for health. For example, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure at age 27, and this summer, my 2-week average blood pressure was 104/60, which I am so thrilled about – all on no medications of course. I battled heartburn in college, and after doing many overly aggressive cleanses in my early twenties, I screwed up my digestion. Today, I am so happy to report that I have never digested better. I started getting prostate-related low back pain in my early thirties, and today, both my low back and prostate are better than ever – and as you will read below, my blood sugar has been a challenge. It is my hope that some of my favorite health strategies may help you, as they have helped me ward off my weak links. All of this so we can all be healthier at 60!
Note: Before I begin, I feel the most important tip I can share is to be happy, find the joy in everyday life and play regularly. Don’t stress over money – I am sure everyone reading this will die with some leftover money in the bank. And most importantly, remember that no one can take away your happiness – we manage to do that all by ourselves.
#1. Don’t Sweep Stuff Under the Rug
Fortunately, I found my passion in the field of health and have been able to defuse my genetic weak links or predispositions, described above, before they fully expressed themselves. So don’t sweep stuff under the rug. If you have a minor concern, address it as early as possible in the most natural way possible. With over 700 free self-help articles and videos up on my website, hopefully you can find some natural solutions early in the game. I feel so blessed to be able to apply this healthcare wisdom today in my own life – years before such strategies find their way into your MD’s office, if ever.
#2. Keep Moving
Humans do not have the genetics to be sedentary, so exercise and yoga are major tenants in my daily life. There have been some interesting articles suggesting that it is more dangerous to exercise intensely when you are young and only moderately as an adult, compared to enjoying moderate exercise throughout your entire life. If you build big muscles in your twenties, as I did as a triathlete, ski racer and college tennis player, and then stop exercising as intensely, it becomes more difficult for the body to pump blood into and waste out of those big dense muscles as you age.
So now, I exercise every day. This includes 10 minutes on an elliptical machine and 10 minutes on the treadmill, followed by weight training and stretching. I incorporate my 12-minute Workout for the cardio portions of my workout, and do family yoga 3 times a week. Two of my daughters are yoga teachers, so we have family yoga nights after work.
We also live on 4 acres in rural Boulder County, and I am the groundskeeper, along with any one of our 6 kids who I catch being bored. I actually believe tinkering, weeding, trimming and gardening in the yard is my healthiest activity of the day, because it more closely matches our genetics for movement and health.
#3. Eating Less
There is good science that suggests that the average American eats more than they need, and that overeating is linked to weight gain, obesity and a whole host of chronic and degenerative health concerns. (1) I believe the biggest side effect or side benefit of me rebooting my digestion over the years with the Colorado Cleanse and herbal support has been that I simply do not need as much food as I once did. While I always say start with 3 meals a day with no snacks, over time, I found that I really only needed 2 meals a day. So currently, I start my day with a cup of herbal tea with a teaspoon of coconut oil for breakfast. Then, I will have my largest meal in the afternoon between 12 and 2, depending on the day, followed by a light supper as early in the day as possible.
In a perfect world, I would rather eat a breakfast and a lunch and skip dinner, but with a big family and young kids still in the house, we feel that a sit-down dinner with the whole family is very important. I think the family bonding time over dinner far outweighs the benefits of a no-supper lifestyle. That said, if I want to shed a few pounds, I just start skipping supper for a week or so. You can learn more on my weight balancing plan in my free Ayurvedic Weight Balancing eBook.
#4. Eating Clean
We have all grown up in a world where avoiding processed foods has been next too impossible. Today, we have healthier options and way more science and logic that makes eating clean very doable. Jack LaLanne used to say, “If it has a wrapper, don’t eat it.” To be precise, when looking at a label, if it has any oils that have been cooked or baked, ingredients that seem foreign to you or added sugar, consider it a processed food. For example, if you choose to eat bread, the ingredients should look something like: wheat, salt, water, starter. Read much more on this in my new book, Eat Wheat. Regarding oils, cooking with repeatedly heated vegetable oils has been linked to blood pressure, cholesterol and circulation health concerns. (2) >>> Read more on this in my article, “Don’t Use These Oils.”
#5. Eating Seasonally
When you begin to understand how our digestion works, much of it’s success depends on the microbial “changing of the guard.” In other words, the microbes in the soil dramatically shift with each season, and the foods we eat in-season deliver those seasonal microbes into our digestive tract, where they offer critical health benefits for that season. (3) This makes eating organic foods very important, as the lion’s share of microbes on conventional foods has been killed off by pesticides.
I make a concerted effort to eat more berries and greens in the spring, more fruits and veggies in the summer, and more dense foods like beets, sweet potatoes, nuts, seeds and animal proteins in the winter. I like the advice of the centenarian culture, who eat only 10% of their diet as meat and naturally eat more fat and protein in the winter.
In addition to my book, The 3-Season Diet, I publish a free monthly seasonal eating guide to make it easier for us to eat more seasonal foods throughout the entire year. It is called The 3-Season Diet Challenge – sign up here!
#6. Managing Sugar
I have always had a sweet tooth and it is still hard for me to completely avoid sugar. So to help my pesky sweet tooth, I take my own blood sugar almost every morning to help keep me on track. If I eat poorly, my blood sugar tends to creep up, and if I follow the no added sugar rule and eat light and less starch at night, my blood sugar does really well. It is my own little bio-feedback device. By keeping an eye on my blood sugar, I stay motivated to eat well, avoid sugar and to not snack. Getting your blood sugar regulated can be tricky, so for details on how to do this, please read my free blood sugar eBook, Blood Sugar Secrets for Health and Longevity.
#7. Making Rest a Priority
It is very easy for me to get a second wind around 10PM and dig into my computer about some health topic, and then before I know it, it is after midnight. One of the things that I can say I am happy about being 60, is that it really does come with a little wisdom. Now, I make a point of getting to bed before 10PM and getting up as close to or before the sunrise as possible. Getting 7-8 hours of sleep is a scientific requirement, but when you get the sleep is just as important. Going to bed late and sleeping in can disturb your circadian clocks and, over time, cause weight gain, less physical activity and other health concerns. (4)
#8. Family Time
While having six children wasn’t actually planned by my wife and I, it has been far and away the biggest blessing in our lives. With two still in college and the last of the bunch now 13 and 16, I think there is a psychological imprint within me that says something like, “You can’t get old, your job as a father is still far from done.” With a big family, the choice of either family or career was never difficult. My wife and I were outnumbered 3 to 1, and being there as a hands-on dad with my 24/7 wife was a no-brainer. Being all together or even partly together as a family, or plucking one out of the mix for one-on-one outings are still my very favorite things to do.
#9. Pulling Back the Bow
If you have read any of my books, articles or videos, you may have noticed an underlying theme that weaves them all together. Using the archery analogy, when you pull back the bow, the arrow must be held perfectly still. Any slight movement of the arrow creates a massive change in the direction the arrow flies. In the same way, the human mind evolved over millions of years entrained with the stillness and silence of nature. Functioning from that stillness with the bow pulled all the way back was the norm. Today, we are pushing into new evolutionary terrain without that deep connection to nature and that silence. We work longer, stress out more, and accomplish way more in a day than our ancestors did. To mitigate the stress of our new higher capacity, re-training the brain to be still is a critical requirement for health and longevity today. I truly believe that meditation has trained my mind to be able to handle stress more or less like water off a duck’s back. I regularly find time to meditate, take a hike in the forest, or just find peace during a busy day. The goal of meditation is to take that calm with you into a busy and hectic day.
I have written many articles on meditation, and have even written a meditation course called the Transformational Awareness Technique (TAT). Check it out and learn the first two meditations for free.
#10. All My Ayurvedic Stuff
I might be a little over the top in this category, because I do take many Ayurvedic herbs each day. These days, I focus mostly on supporting the health of my intestinal skin and the function of my lymphatic system. Before this regime, I spent years focusing on my upper digestion, stomach, liver and gallbladder –and these regimes change seasonally. So, here is what I currently take:
Note: The herbs I take are the whole organic plant, leaf or root, dried and ground and capsules made of vegetable fiber. They are not extracts or concentrates, they are all whole foods that have been traditionally eaten for thousands of years as foods. I know that my diet is not diverse enough to get all the diverse microbes that we require for optimal health, so I supplement with the most natural, microbial-rich, diverse foods sources I know of – 100% organic, raw, whole herbs that are targeted to my weak links or for seasonal microbial support.
My Current Plan
- Amalaki – To support the health of the intestinal skin: 1 capsule 2x/day after food.
- Brahmi Brain – To support brain health, brain lymphatic drainage and intestinal skin: 1 capsule 2x/day after food.
- Neem – An herbal probiotic that knocks out bad microbes, supports beneficial microbes and healthy intestinal skin: 1 capsule 2x/day after food.
- Turmeric Plus – To support liver, brain and intestinal health: 1 capsule 2x/day after food.
- Manjistha – To support the lymphatic system and provide antioxidants: 1 capsule 2x/day after food.
- Lymph Cleanse – A tincture to scrub the intestinal lymph: 30 drops a day.
- Fish Oils – To support the health of the brain, intestinal skin and heart: 1 per day.
- Liquid Sun Vitamin D3 – I truly believe that getting my vitamin D3 levels above 50 ng/mL gave a big boost to regulating my blood pressure. I also remember my joints feeling 10 years younger when I first boosted my vitamin D3 levels. For most folks, 5000 IU a day in the winter and 2-3000 IU a day in the summer is needed. Regular testing is key to ensure correct dosing.
- Elim I – To tone and lubricate the gut with soluble fibers from slippery elm and licorice along with triphala to tone the large intestine: 2 capsules in the evening.
- Bacopa – Has constituents that have been shown to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factors levels in the blood (5), alongside with turmeric and the ashwagandha (6, 7) which do the same. >>> Read more on this in my article, “3 Herbs to Boost BDNF.” This means they support the body’s natural process of building new brain cells, and support mental clarity and brain health: 1 capsule in the AM.
Note: This regime will change in the fall, and again in the spring.
Finally, I am a big believer in daily nasya (nasal inhalation of herbalized oils), abhyanga (oil massage with herbalized oils – I use LifeSpa’s Lymphatic Massage Oil), oil pulling (swishing the mouth with herbalized oils in the morning – I use LifeSpa’s Swish Oil Pulling Therapy) and ear oiling (dripping herbalized oil in the ears and then giving yourself an ear massage – I use LifeSpa’s Nasya Oil).
I know this sounds crazy, but I do all these in the shower and it just adds a couple of minutes to my day.
For more on my “Healthier at 60” tips, please watch my 20 minute mini-seminar, above, on my favorite longevity strategies.
Happy birthday ! Thank you for giving us knowledge about Ayurveda and I have learned a lot from your website. Have a wonderful, happy, healthy life.
R.K
Happy birthday, Dr. John!
happy birthday and welcome to the 60s. i turned 63 in may and still find that hard to believe.
many thanks for this article. it is inspiring, helpful and hopeful.
i’ll raise a mug of herbal tea in your honor and wish you the best year ever!
Many blessings for another 60 years! I appreciate all that you do to share Ayurveda with us. Ever since taking the IIN courses and seeing you in Miami, it has been clear to me that Ayurveda responses with me.
Wishing you health, joy and many blessings.
Happy Birthday, Dr. John! Thank you for all your gifts of teaching. I found your detox video in the local library one day and that started my journey with you one year ago. I will be 60 also in a few months. I thank you for sharing your journey in this article and the supplements, exercise, and the groundskeeping routines that you keep. It was helpful to see what you teach put into action in your own life. I also appreciate your thoughts concerning family time around the table. That was a huge blessing to read. Thank you for the article here and your video.
I also want to thank you for all the teaching about the lymph system. It was all new for me.
One question: I recently started the Lymph Cleanse from Life Spa and it seems to be causing breakout around my mouth and on one side of my nose. Does that mean my lymph system is detoxing? I dropped back to half the dosage and I still have the breakouts. Your thoughts?
Hi Patricia,
Yes backing off a touch is a good idea and this is an indicator that the lymph is cleansing. Breakouts around the mouth may be hormonal and we know the lymph drains the reproductive system.
Thank you for your kind words. I feel so blessed in so many ways. Thank you
John
Happy Birthday yesterday! i have enjoyed and learned much from your website. I have a question regarding your turmeric products; i have read a lot lately about how even turmeric that is certified USDA Organic can have lead in it. Do you test all the turmeric you get for lead?
thank you,
Yes… thank you all of our herbs are tested for heavy metals, bad bugs or microbes and for identity so we are certain it is,what it says it is.
Thx
Dr John
# 2 thru #6 all come so easy for me. everything else- challenge. #7 super challenge
Thank you Dr. D & HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I would like to agree with the other comments, I really enjoy all that you have shared over the years. Your knowledge, how you live is an inspiration for many. I wish you joy peace and love as you travel on the free ride around our Sol??? Blessings from Charlotte
Happy B-day. I was very surprised that you were 60. I’d have guessed early fifties at best. I’m looking forward to my lymph cleanse as soon as products arrive.
Happy Birthday Dr. John.
Your wisdom and generous sharing has made a huge impact on my well being. Welcome to our sixties!
Much appreciated, Lark Kerr, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Happy Birthday Dr. Douillard,
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us. I have learnt a lot from reading your articles.
Best wishes.
Happy 60th Birthday Dr. John! I consider you one of my favorite and best teachers from afar. I hope that your passion and commitment and service to health carry you peacefully into another 60 yrs (or whatever feels good to you :). Thank you for all that you do and share.
Warmly,
Happy Birthday! Thank you so much for all your work in sharing all this wonderful wisdom with the rest of the world. Very much appreciated and always looking forward to the next article and next video. Also, your passion on all this is so obvious and inspiring! So much so, that I’ve recommended your website to my naturopath doctor! 🙂
Happy Birthday, Dr. John! You have been inspiring me for years and the information that you provide is invaluable. You certainly do not look 60! Thanks again for everything!
Roy and I were recently discussing how old we think you are. We were about 10 years off!!–in your favor:) You look terrific and I love reading your posts. Thank you for everything and hope you had a wonderful birthday and a great year!
Thanks for the support Debbie!
I totally agree with the concept of eating fruits & veggies in appropriate seasons. Here’s MY challenge: Living in Phoenix, AZ…. our summers are brutal & yes we can get local stuff, but OUR winter is NOT cold … it’s MUCH milder than many other locations sooooo I FEEL like our systems HERE are semi-“messed with” because FINALLY in OCT thru Dec we can actually grow our own foods… and then again in March or April to June… Growing foods here in the summer is a major MAJOR challenge to say the least… Ideas, suggestions, comments since our seasons here are different than “NORMAL” seasons elsewhere.
OH congrats on reaching 60 & doing it wisely. : )
Happy Birthday Dr. John, I feel so blessed to have found you only a few months ago. You are truly a gift to this world. Thank you for your commitment to sharing your knowledge, your passion and your enthusiasm!
Laura, Nice, France
Many, many happy returns of the day and year ahead too. And many, many thanks for your teachings.
Happy Birthday, Dr. John! We’re so lucky to have you as a teacher. Bless you on your day, and all the days.
Happy 60th? Wow!! Would have guessed 30
I appreciate you as my on-line mentor. I love Ayurveda and in my business as a Yoga Therapist I help my students live healthy lifestyles with Ayurvedic techniques.
I live in Wisconsin between Madison and Milwaukee and wish I could meet you some day!!
Thx Elizabeth, be well
Happy Birthday Dr.John.
You an inspiration. I am very grateful for your passion and dedication to making the connection between western science and eastern wisdom. You are helping so many people to become healthier and understand their body better because of it.
Wishing you all the best.
Happy birthday late! Good job on all you’ve achieved! Also, love the tips, especially #3. I eat one large meal per day, maybe a snack if I’m especially active. It really makes a difference! I bet when you were making this list you had another twenty smaller items and had to hold yourself back…! Digital toast to graceful aging. *wink*
I appreciate your support Colby, be well
Happy, Happy Birthday, Dr John. Thanks for all of your knowledge that you so generously share.
Wishing you many more years – 60 more sounds right.
Love & Light, Venus Girl
What is your opinion as to the necessity of having a colonoscopy after the age 50?
Happy belated birthday. How awesome and healthy you look. I believe we could all follow a healthy way of aging. I truly wish you many years of happiness and health. I have learned many tips from you and i try to follow the best i can. Keep healthy and keep educating us like you do. I buy your products and i am hoping to get good results. Thank you. Forever grateful with love
How can I ignore your birthday ? Even thoug you do not know me but after following your newsletters and videos I feel like I know you. By the way, I turned 60 as well, so I feel I have an affinity with you. Lol
Wishing you peace, love and may you be surrounded by loving kindness. And thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Video was great!
Xoxox
Happy 60th, John.I am honored to have done workshops with you at Kripalu. I have used your 3 season diet book for 7 or 8 years. You are a delightful intelligent and compassionate guide. I have enjoyed my sessions with Tauna.
I am a yoga teacher of 26 years and am 76 years old. I have used the Amalaki on and off and have taken Brahmi for 1 year. I wonder how long it is ok to take these herbs.
You are greatly appreciated and respected.
Dr. John, Wishing you a wonderful birthday week – since I”m a bit late to the party. I love your videos, and your articles and the quality of your supplements. I appreciate your sharing the supplements that you are taking, because whenever I see you highlight another herb, it seems as compelling and necessary as the last one. I was wondering, how in the world do you decide which ones to take?
I hope you will share your Fall and Winter supplement daily routine again. Your list and your thought process behind it was really helpful.
Very inspiring and so possible for us all. Thank you for all the information you share! May you be well
I agree with Donna’s comments above. I hope, Dr. Douillard, that you will share your Fall and Winder supplement routine. It has been very helpful to see how you lay out your Summer supplements. Thank you again for your teachings! Many blessings…
Thx Patricia, be well
Very happy belated 60th Birthday!!!!
Thank you for all your enfectious enthusiasm, genorocity and kindness, which you project in all your videos and articles. When I first came across your videos I often catch myself been surprise how much you shear and give away, I am thank you from the bottom of my hart and wishing to look the same with your next 60!
I am very happy for you to find peace, and love in life, thank you for shearing with us knowledge and make us all believe that healthy life is something real and achievable!
I feel really inspired by you, and always tell everyone about you and your website and videos to my family and anyone who might be interested.
I translate some of your articles to Russian and was wondering if you have any materials in this language? My Cousin is very interested and would love to learn more. Is any of your books are translated?
I am 100% sure that all your pablications would have huge success in post Soviet Union countries, because people there are very much orientated and concheous about health.
Blessings to you, your family and all your support team behind the seen!
I’m a little confused. You have mentioned several times about getting on things, getting better and then getting off. Yet you seem to be taking a lot of pills everyday. Or is it not everyday?
So is it not possible to get off the supplements?
Hi Ann. Thanks for reaching out. In ayurveda the herbs are meant to help your body get back to it’s natural thriving self, this is true. I enjoy continually taking rare herbs to increase the diversity of my microbiome.
You look great for your age! I also love the note you left; mentioning about happiness/well-being. The way we think/our minds is an important part of our health too! Love your articles/research; I’m finding them really helpful and am trying my best to apply them to my everyday life!
I’m the Vata body type and I’m finding learning to deal with certain people (you can’t get away from) and not let them get you down and turn you into someone you’re not (stressball, angry – inside, unhappy etc) is helping to pacify my Vata energy. Like you said in your video – about not letting these stress-y or angry people stop you from being happy and not letting them change you is something that resonates with a process that I’m working on at the moment. I’m trying to be a bit more “indifferent, relaxed,” etc, like the Kapha body type, towards stress. I’m trying to ground my Vata energy!
Hi Katie,
Thank you for your comment and your excitement! We wish you the best in applying Dr. Douillard’s Ayurvedic tips to your lifestyle. Good luck pacifying Vata and grounding your control over your own state of mind!
Be Well.