Dr. Suzanne Ferry is a human performance and longevity expert who sees patients from their mid-40s to mid-60s and teaches them practices to achieve optimal health. Ferry has been researching longevity since 2014.
“Originally, I was seeing a lot of older patients who were already sick, but I started realizing that we needed to be able to catch them earlier,” says Ferry, who is also the founder and senior physician at Vine Medical Associates in Georgia.
She found that the best time for older adults to improve their health later in life is midlife, between the ages of 45 and 65.
“That’s where I feel like I can have the most impact, and that’s where I can have the biggest impact if patients make any changes,” she says.
Ferry, 53, incorporates much of what she shares with her patients into her own routine. Learn how she organizes her life to extend her healthy lifespan.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
“I believe that muscle is the currency of aging.”
CNBC Make It: What do you do to keep your body healthy?
One of my favorites is an app called Think Dirty. This app is based on information from the Environmental Working Group on the toxicity of chemicals to which we are exposed. The Think Dirty app is primarily about personal care products such as shampoo, soap, and hairspray. That’s why I try to choose the least toxic option.
For example, if you scan a barcode on a product, such as shampoo, it will tell you how toxic that particular product is, what is toxic, and give it a score. You will then be provided with links to alternative options that are less harmful to you.
I’ve read other people talking about sleep, and getting quality sleep is very important. But if I could add another dimension to this, I would say that by eating your last meal a few hours before bed, your body is less busy digesting and more busy with the night clean-up process. In truly restorative sleep, your immune system, which is like the brain’s garbage system, opens up and everyone throws out the garbage and the garbage trucks come and take the garbage out of your system.
It is also important to move your body a lot. Anything that is against being sedentary. That could be walking the dog or taking a yoga or Pilates class. I have private sessions with a Pilates instructor and also do weight training because I believe muscle is the currency of aging. I run sometimes. I personally don’t find routines very helpful, so I try to mix it up. I like doing different things on different days.
What exactly do you do for your brain health?
Indeed, sleep comes in and you can get it regularly. Also, learning new skills. For example, learning how to salsa dance. I started salsa dancing very recently.
I use my upper and lower body. The upper body does different things than the lower body, so it also uses the brain. In other words, your brain is really activated.
That’s why salsa is probably one of the best exercises out there. I think swing dancing falls into the same category. This means you have to use your body in different directions at the same time and your brain has to memorize the steps. Just like you need to train your muscles, it’s also important to train your brain.
Then meditation. Spend some time meditating every day. Sometimes that means dancing to music in the living room. Sometimes I actually sit in the lotus position and chant the mantra.
Another thing we hear is the importance of connecting with others and having healthy, positive relationships in life for longevity. What are your social skills and how do you get social interaction?
I have a significant other, a partner. It’s great to be able to spend time with him and his family and my own family. I have a girlfriend who I spend time with on weekdays and weekends.
Of course sex is important. I think if we continue to have sexual interest, it’s a sign of a healthy body. And I have a community that I spend time with. Since this is just outside of town, I regularly do things like yoga meditation retreats with them.
What foods do you include in your daily diet for optimal health?
We are considering as many colors as possible. The order in which you eat your food is important, and the correct way is to eat vegetables first, then proteins, and carbohydrates, including drinks, last.
It slows down the absorption of glucose, thus preventing a sudden rise in blood sugar levels.
I try to eat whole foods. So I like to eat things like asparagus and sweet potatoes rather than eating packaged or processed foods. One of my favorite sweet potatoes is this purple sweet potato that you can buy at Sprouts. This is delicious.
I’m always interested in what longevity experts read. So what are you reading now?
I’m reading a book called “Conscious Loving,” but before that I read a book called “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible.” And now I’m almost finished with some fiction “Midnight Library”.
Longevity doctor’s lifestyle habits for healthy longevity
To summarize Ferry’s longevity practices, here’s how she builds a routine to stay healthy.
For your physical health: Use clean personal care products, prioritize good sleep habits, and exercise frequently. For brain health: Learn a new skill like salsa dancing, meditate daily. For social health: Spending quality time with your partner, family, and friends. For your daily diet: Eat the colors of the rainbow and focus on whole foods. For your media diet: read a balance of fiction and nonfiction books.
Do you want to earn more and make more money? Save 30% on bundles of top courses that will boost your earnings.
Plus, sign up for the CNBC Make It newsletter for tips and tricks to succeed at work, money, and life, and request to join our exclusive community on LinkedIn to connect with experts and colleagues.
