Health ScienceLongevityNutrition
The Secrets of Aging Well and Living Better
by Dr. Michael Greger
While I was writing this book, I turned 50, so the topic of aging is obvious—unlike in my last nutrition book, How not to Diet.
That one was about losing weight.
However, there is a clear parallel between the topics: both are influenced by unscrupulous commercial interests.
Aging is inevitable. Frailty does not have to be. What science can tell us about living longer and healthier today.
195 chapters available · Updated Aug 13, 2026
Chapters
1Foreword2Aging Really Is the Leading Cause of Death3Introduction4Part 1: Eleven Ways to Slow Aging5Exercise as a Pill6The Saturated Liver7Fiber-Rich Foods8Foods That Could Inhibit Autophagy9Spermidine10Take That to Heart11Wheat Germ12Who Shouldn’t Increase Their Spermidine?13Get Rid of the Damage14The Treasure in the Strawberry15The Epigenetic Clock16Turning Back the Clock17Folic Acid Is Not Folate18AGE Sources19AGEs—Exposed20A Boost from Beans21Digestive Walk22Secrets of the Centenarians23How to Lower IGF-1 Levels Through Diet24Cold Turkey25A Rejection of Cancer26Inflammatory Aging27The Dietary Inflammatory Index28A Bulwark Against Endotoxins29Salt in the Wound30Plant Yourself31Green Is Good32Anti-inflammatory Medications33The Anti-Aging Drug for Everyone34Leucine Restriction35Oxidation36What About Antioxidants from Supplements?37Which Foods Have the Most Antioxidants?38Reducing DNA Damage39The Tea Paradox40Fat Oxidation41Dietary Supplements42Guardians of the Healthspan43How About the Good Old Apple?44Telomeres45Protection of Telomeres Through Diet46Was It the Food or the Exercise?47Supplements48Optimal Anti-Aging: How to Do It49Comparing Butts to Hamburgers50Salt—The Spice of Life?51You Are What You Eat52How Much Water Should You Drink, Then?53Green Tea and Black Tea54Where Did the J-Curve Go?55Wine56Living Longer with Legumes57The Hispanic Paradox58Olive Oil59Mined Terrain60Exactly that, exactly there!61Wakame, Wakame!62Ginger63Thin Evidence Base64Plant-Based Diet65Replace the Meat66Vegan Junk Food Is Still Junk Food67Long Life from Agriculture68Lifestyle69Exercise70How Much Is Too Much?71Not All Fat Calories Are the Same72Sleep73Melatonin and Longevity74Social Bonds75How Effective Are Osteoporosis Drugs?76Acid–Base Balance and the Bones77Estrogens versus Phytoestrogens78How to Prevent Falls79The Problem with Laxatives80Fiber Supplements81Colorectal Cancer82Healing with Side Effects83BPH Is Not Inevitable84Garlic and Tomatoes85Lower, and for longer86How Well Do Statins Work?87The Big Stent Scam88Vegetarians’ Stroke Risk89Low-Carb Diets Shorten Life90Going Bald91Medications for Hair Loss92Topical Herbal Treatment93Hearing Aids for Cognitive Decline94Food for Hearing95DHEA96Risks and Benefits of Menopausal Hormone Therapy97Getting Rid of Excess Estrogen98Why There Is No Japanese Word for Hot Flash99Lavender Flowers100The Testosterone Studies101The Risks of Testosterone Treatment102Testosterone Levels and Nutrition103Maintaining the Immune System104Nutrition105Vegetables106Garlic107High-Fiber Diet108Multivitamin Supplements109The Flu Shot110Maintaining the Joints111Placebos112Sport113Strawberries114Topical Application115Preserving the Mind116Medications for the Brain117Taking the Pressure Off118The Role of Inflammation119Fatty Brain120Lifestyle121Boosting BDNF Through Exercise122Brain Supplements123Turmeric124Antioxidants, Multivitamins, Minerals, and Souvenaid125Brainfood126Other Berries127Coffee and Tea128Is There a Threshold Effect?129Eating for a Healthy Brain130There Are No Randomized Controlled Trials on Parachutes131Depriving the Flames of Fuel132Probably Not Whey133Fiber Against Frailty134Creatine135Preserving Your Sex Life136Female Sexual Function137Testosterone “Replacement” for Women138Vaginal Hormones139“Sex is: kicking death in the ass while singing at the top of your lungs” – Charles Bukowski140Viagra: A Tough Nut to Crack141Lifestyle142Keeping Skin Young143Peels144Anti-Wrinkle Nutrition145Collagen Supplementation146Topical Use of Nicotinamides147Optimal Sun Protection: Clothing, Sunscreen, Hat, Glasses, and Shade148Green Light for Mineral149Preventing Toenail Fungus150Long Teeth151Vegetables for the Gums152Corn, Greens, and Goji Berries153Flower-Power154Antioxidant Supplementation?155Physician-Assisted Dying156Anti-Aging Dizziness157Nuts158Which Nut Is the Healthiest?159Green Slows Things Down160Salad Days161Berries Against Free Radicals162Catching the Rainbow163Xenohormesis and microRNA Manipulation164Plants Fight Back165Power Plants166Synergy Between Plants167MicroRNAs168Does Fitness Beat the microRNAs?169MicroRNAs in Food170MicroRNAs in Medicinal Plants171Prebiotics and Postbiotics172Feces of Centenarians173Fecal Transplantation174Food Additives to Avoid175Probiotics176Prebiotics for Frailty17750-Food-Challenge178Polyphenol Postbiotics179Strain by Strain180CALERIE Study181Eat More, Fewer Calories182Intermittent Fasting and Longevity183Lowering IGF-1 Through Dietary Restriction184FGF21185Lower IGF-1 with Food186Animal and Plant Protein187Lower Methionine Intake188Branched-Chain Amino Acids189Lower BCAA Intake190Does NAD+ Level Decline With Age?191Nicotinamide (NAM)192Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN)193Other NAD+ Boosters as Supplements194Regulating PARP-1 and CD38 and Conserving NAD+195Expert Consensus
