A sprightly 101-year-old is travelling the globe to divulge his secrets for a long and healthy life. Dr John Scharffenberg, born in December 1923, remains remarkably active, driving himself around and managing a YouTube channel with a whopping 135,000 subscribers. The centenarian nutritionist has dismissed genetics as the reason for his longevity, noting that his mother passed away in her 60s from Alzheimer’s disease, and his father succumbed to a heart attack at 76. He has also outlived his two brothers.
Residing in North Fork in the Sierra Nevada foothills with his son, Dr Scharffenberg, an adjunct professor at Loma Linda University’s school of public health in California, has been globetrotting even in the past year, delivering lectures in Madagascar and Europe. He’s set to make an appearance in Las Vegas later this year and shares his longevity tips on his YouTube channel, Viva Longevity!
Here are his top seven tips for a long and healthy life.
1. Exercise more
Topping Dr Scharffenberg’s list for achieving remarkable longevity is regular exercise. He credits his active lifestyle as the key to outliving his siblings, reports Surrey Live.
“The time of life you get it is what’s important – middle age, from 40 to 70,” he asserted. “That’s when you need it, because that’s the time when people usually relax, have more money, buy more food, sit around more, eat more […] and that’s the wrong way to go.”
Dr Scharffenberg revealed his secret to staying active during middle age was hard work on a vast property he owned in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
His tasks included building a road and house, as well as tending to a two-acre garden with 3,000 strawberry plants, 80 fruit trees, and grape vines.
“I did it all by myself, so I exercised a lot,” he disclosed. “I worked hard.”
Moreover, Dr Scharffenberg, who is also a nutritionist, places exercise above diet, said: “Even though I’m a nutritionist, exercise is even more important than nutrition.”
He advocated for gardening and walking as optimal physical activities, especially for the elderly. Referencing research, he noted that individuals who walk more two miles daily have a 50% lower mortality rate than those who are less active.
2. Don’t smoke
On the subject of smoking, Dr Scharffenberg stresses he has never indulged in the habit. The NHS warns that smoking can wreak havoc on nearly every organ and elevate the likelihood of disease, including cancer and dementia.
3. Don’t drink alcohol
Similarly, concerning alcohol consumption, Dr Scharffenberg remains abstinent. This contrasts with popular belief that moderate drinking can be beneficial; he highlighted recent research suggesting that alcohol intake at any level could increase cancer risks.
4. Maintain a healthy weight
Dr Scharffenberg is an advocate of intermittent fasting, consuming breakfast and lunch daily but skipping dinner. He refrains from eating until 6.30am the next day.
Being overweight can lead to a host of health issues, including type 2 diabetes, heart complications, cancer, among others. Research indicates that intermittent fasting can be an effective weight loss strategy.
5. Eat less meat
As a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Dr Scharffenberg adheres to a plant-based diet, incorporating milk and eggs. He reveals he hasn’t consumed meat since his 20th birthday.
His preferred foods include mangos and persimmons, macadamias and other nuts and seeds, as well as potatoes.
6. Cut sugar
Dr Scharffenberg recommends modifying recipes to reduce sugar content as a means to decrease calorie intake. One of his favourite dishes is oat waffles – a recipe devised by his wife.
He enjoys them with berries, or cashew cream and bananas, instead of sugar-laden syrup. Fruit is an excellent source of safe sugar levels, as they also provide numerous essential nutrients.
7. Eat less saturated fat
“The optimum diet is the vegetarian diet,” Dr Scharffenberg shares during his lectures. “I pray that all of you will live the right lifestyle.”
