Tina Woods just turned 60 and has never felt younger.
Woods, a London-based entrepreneur and CEO, gushed to Business Insider this week, “I’ve got the strength of an ox, dance moves to rave all night, and renewed joy for my marriage and my job.”
Tests suggest that her brain is aging like a 35-year-old while her heart and metabolism are that of someone in their mid-40s. She explains that her GlycanAge — a key measure of biological aging determined by a finger prick test that tracks the amount of chronic inflammation in the body — has dropped from 46 to 35 in the past few years.
“My GlycanAge provides a single data point that goes hand in hand with how I feel, which is fantastic,” she enthused.
Woods embarked on what she calls her longevity quest four years ago. Facing a career shift, an empty nest and menopause, she began research for her book “Live Longer with AI.”
Interviewing longevity experts throughout the world, she noticed a trend.
“Most of the stuff they were actually doing day in and day out to stay young is pretty simple and cheap,” she explained to Business Insider. “It usually involves some form of caloric restriction, a healthy diet composed of lots of plants, decent exercise and good sleep. In short, the basics. Stuff your grandmother could have recommended.”
Here are the four changes she said she made to lower her biological age — taking supplements, eating one meal a day for most of the week, doing Zumba and using hormone replacement therapy.
Supplements
Woods takes various supplements to support her well-being, including vitamin D, B12, omega-3s and calcium. She also takes collagen for her joints, which she admits are not immune to the wear and tear of aging, “They’re definitely not what they used to be; I’d probably rate them my oldest body part, biologically speaking.”
Vitamin D, in particular, is very important for bone health and a strong immune system. Many Americans are not getting enough vitamin D.
In addition to her supplement regimen, Woods follows a balanced diet and avoids ultra-processed foods.
Caloric restriction
Woods practices an extreme form of intermittent fasting, eating only one meal a day four days a week.
She insists to Business Insider, “Though it’s still somewhat controversial — I’m convinced this is one of the big keys to healthy aging. It was a conversation with geneticist and longevity doctor Nir Barzilai in New York that really pushed me over the edge on this idea, as he explained how, mechanistically, it makes sense that a little caloric restriction, and specifically, some fasted time each day, might be good for human longevity.”
The pros and cons of intermittent fasting — eating within a specific window of time and fasting for the remaining hours — have long been debated.
Experts caution against the one-meal-a-day plan, warning that it’s too restrictive, unsustainable and increases the risk of binge eating.
Exercise
Woods maintains “a religious devotion to exercise.” In addition to Zumba dance classes, she practices strength training in her home gym, supplementing her workouts with YouTube videos.
“My VO2 max, a key measure of heart health and fitness, is off the charts!” she exclaimed.
In addition to regular training, Woods gets her heart rate up dancing at all-night raves in London.
“Being on the dance floor absolutely electrifies me. I feel like music is my lifeblood. I even DJ now — I recently turned tables at the world’s first longevity rave,” she told Business Insider.
Hormone replacement therapy
At her doctor’s suggestion, Woods began hormone replacement therapy (HRT) a few years ago as her menopause symptoms set in.
“I’d always been pretty fit and relatively healthy, but I noticed during menopause that I was starting to gain some weight, and I felt just generally kind of low-energy, not like myself,” she shared to Business Insider. “Low sex drive, urinary issues. Yuck, I thought.”
She started with a patch version of HRT before transitioning to topical gels and progesterone capsules.
Consult with a medical professional before starting HRT — oncologists warn that it can slightly increase the risk of breast cancer.
Joy
Woods emphasizes the relationship between joyfulness and longevity.
In her experience, living a longer, healthier life does not require expensive biohacking, such as stem cell treatment or blood transfusions.
“I’m now convinced that hope and happiness will outdo any pill when it comes to improving biological aging,” she said. “That’s just my opinion for now, but it’s based on what I’ve seen in myself.”