• A Greek doctor and nutrition scientist says it is possible to eat healthy on a budget.
• She cooks beans a few times a week, and recommends choosing small portions of meat.
• At home, she uses a DIY spread made from 50% butter and 50% olive oil, to make her toast healthier.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dr. Artemis Simopoulos. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Former chair of the nutrition coordinating committee at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Simopoulos is founder and president of the Center for Genetics, Nutrition and Health in DC, a nonprofit focused on nutrition education.

I have dedicated my life to studying and eating good food. It's the dearest topic to me.

Scientifically, there is no confusion about how to eat to promote health and longevity. I think all the conflicting and overhyped diet advice you see has been created strictly for financial and political reasons.

So I want to tell you a little bit of my history, and what I've discovered over my 68-year career studying diet and chronic disease.

I hope this information will help you choose foods that will nourish your body, in an affordable, sustainable, delicious way.

In Greece, traditional diets included fresh produce, fish from the sea, lots of olive oil and sourdough bread

As a girl growing up in Kalamata, on the southwestern edge of the Peloponnesian peninsula, I found fresh food everywhere. On the weekends, we would visit our family farm, about 15 minutes outside the city. Traditionally, most Greeks had something like that, a place they could go to pick up fresh food, whether it was their own farmland or a daily market.

At our farm, we had olive trees, figs, pomegranates, walnuts, anything you can imagine. It was very easy for us to have fresh vegetables, fruit, and fish from the Messenian Gulf on the table. Greek people are very proud of their food, and like to make it very fresh. This was especially true when I was growing up, in the 1940s and 50s, as there wasn't much refrigeration outside the big cities.

We'd supplement local foods with some fatty tinned fish from Norway, like smoked herring or cod. That was especially useful on Fridays, when most Greeks, following the Greek Orthodox church tradition, don't eat any meat. But in general, our diet was pretty low on meat back then. We would eat small quantities of lamb, and some chicken. There was no beef. The backbone of our diet was legumes, like chickpeas, black eyed peas, and northern beans, great for soups and cold salads, plus lots of sourdough bread. People would also hunt and eat some wild birds, which are rich in iron, fostering healthy hemoglobin.

We also had many protein-rich snacks, like lupin beans, which people would often turn into a pickled snack with a little salt. My favorite sweet treat was a Kalamata dried fig stuffed with walnuts and almonds. What a shock it was when I arrived in America for college!

When I arrived in the US for college, I was shocked to find white flour everywhere

When I arrived in New York for college, snow wasn't the only thing that was new, fluffy, and bright white. I discovered that white flour was everywhere in the American diet. Chocolate-chip cookies, chicken à la king, and bread that tasted like cotton to me. I wasn't used to this, and it was a difficult adjustment.

In Greece, I was raised on thinner sauces created with lemon, olive oil, white wine, and maybe some butter. All of this rich, thick, floury food in the US was so different. I couldn't eat half of the meals they served in my dormitory. Sometimes I'd just have Swedish rye crackers with some cheese on them for dinner.

On the weekends, the Greek students would ride the subway downtown to a restaurant near Times Square called The Pantheon. What a great time we'd have, sitting around dishes of lamb and potatoes, big fresh Greek salads, and sharing fruit for dessert.

Once I moved to Boston for medical school, it was easier to get fresh, good food. There were plenty of Greek markets within walking distance of where I lived, and I had my own little kitchenette where I could prepare meals.

I have developed some traditional recipes, which I share in my Omega-3 diet book, but I tell people you don't have to be Greek to eat well, which is why I also have a new book called "The Healthiest Diet for You: Scientific Aspects," which I've made available for free online.

History tells us you can eat well and save money

For thousands of years, people around the world have found their own ways to eat a balanced, nutrient-rich diet that's aligned with their genetics.

While it's true the traditional Greek eating plan is great for health and longevity, naturally staving off many chronic diseases, the Greeks were not alone in figuring out how to source local, abundant items that were good for their hearts and minds. In South America, there are Chia seeds, in China, Camellia trees.

The key thing everyone has in common in these traditional eating plans is a focus on fresh foods, like omega-3-rich leafy greens, plus plenty of other vegetables and a base of legumes for protein.

Most traditional diets are rounded out with small amounts of meat, and fatty fish, as well as plenty of nuts.

It's an inexpensive, and sustainable way to eat. We don't need to buy into all these new highly-processed meat-free alternatives, or vegan and gluten-free packaged treats, which are not health foods.

I always advise my friends to select the freshest local meats and fish they can find. Some complain that this is a pricey strategy, so I tell them 'eat half as much.' You don't really need to spend so much money. Replace a third of the meat you eat with beans on the plate. We ought to be a lot more conscious and respect food.

It's this issue of imbalance, piling oil, sugar, and white flour into everything we eat, that I believe is at the core of the modern chronic disease epidemic in the US. Our processed foods are to blame. But I don't want people to lose hope. You can eat a healthy diet.

I take care to ensure, for example, that my eggs are rich in omega-3 — an essential fatty acid our brains need to thrive. In the late 1980s I did some studies comparing American chicken eggs to Greek eggs from my farm and found the ratio of essential fatty acids, which should be 1:1, was in complete balance on the farm, while in the US it was higher than 20:1! I couldn't believe it.

Even in Greece things are rapidly changing, and it's really sad. We all need to get back to our plant-based diets. For the Greeks, these were diets rich in local greens, extra virgin olive oil, and sourdough bread.

My simple trick: add olive oil into your diet — you can even mix it with butter

My recommendation: Cook beans at least a couple of times a week. Snack on nuts and seeds instead of processed foods filled with sugar and white flour, which are stripped of the nutrients and plant compounds that our bodies need to function well.

And if you can only start with one thing, may I recommend one of my favorite home cooking hacks? Mix your butter or your canola oil in a 1 to 1 ratio with extra virgin olive oil.

My butter and olive oil mix makes a great healthy spread for toast, while my go-to cooking oil mixture of 50% organic canola and 50% EVOO is a science-backed way to balance nutrition by improving the polyphenol composition of your meals and the anti-inflammatory properties of the dish.

Enjoy!

• Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban said longevity is advancing so much that 60 is the new 40.
• While anti-aging science can be high-tech, what Cuban has shared about his own routine is simple.
• His low-cost longevity habits include walking regularly, eating vegetarian, and taking vitamins.

Mark Cuban isn't ready to act his age.

Speaking in the new anti-aging science documentary "Longevity Hackers" (streaming on Amazon and Apple TV) the billionaire businessman of "Shark Tank" fame said he feels decades younger than his biological age of 66.

"60s are the new 40s," Cuban said."You see guys my age in their 60s that can look good, can be fit, and not be limited in terms of things that they do."

While some entrepreneurs are spending millions on anti-aging routines, what we know about Cuban's routine is relatively simple — and doesn't cost much to follow.

Here's what Cuban has said about the diet, exercise, and supplements that keep him feeling youthful.

"If I never had to look in the mirror, I'd think I was 35," he said.

He walks as much as possible — including on the set of 'Shark Tank'

Exercise has been a major part of Cuban's routine for years, and it's crucial to healthy aging.

"I actually work out more now than I did 10 years ago or 15 years ago because my body needs it more," he said.

The entrepreneur said he typically spends between 45 to 90 minutes in the gym, including plenty of cardio.

He also stays moving whenever possible. While Cuban is not slated to star on "Shark Tank" in 2025, he said previous seasons of the show were a great opportunity to get his steps in.

"Everybody else is taking the carts, the set is .35 miles away, and I'm walking back and forth so I'm walking two miles a day while we're shooting Shark Tank," he said.

Walking more is also linked to a longer, healthier life, and as little as 500 extra steps a day can make a difference, according to research.

He's a vegetarian

Cuban has followed a vegetarian diet since 2019.

"When you get older, food becomes more like medicine where you need the nutrients in order to be able to be your best self," he said.

Plant-based diets rich in nutrient-dense foods like greens, whole grains, nuts, and beans are linked to a longer life and lower risk of chronic diseases.

"What I eat really makes a difference in how everything in my body operates," Cuban said.

Cuban said he enjoys plant-based food — and he's invested in plenty of vegan and vegetarian food companies — but the downside is that it can make it tricky to dine out or attend events.

"I love being vegetarian. It can be weird when you're with a bunch of guys going to a steakhouse," he said.

He supplements with vitamin D and melatonin

Cuban rounds out his nutritional needs with daily supplements to reduce inflammation and improve sleep, he previously told Business Insider.

He supplements melatonin, a hormone naturally produced by the body to regulate its internal clock.

Cuban also takes vitamins D and E, both of which are linked to healthy aging. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is crucial for healthy bones, while bolstering the immune system to lower the risk of cancer. Vitamin E also supports the immune system and lowers inflammation, reducing the stress on cells to potentially stave off age-related damage.

He said being able to invest in his health with simple, daily habits has paid dividends by allowing him to keep up with the activities in his life that matter.

"To me, aging is just being who are you regardless of what the number is," Cuban said.

• In 2018, Madalin Giorgetta was a fitness influencer with one million followers.
• She looked healthy online, but struggled to eat nutritious food in real life.
• After training as a nutritionist, she found ways to add more nutrients to the foods she loves.

In 2018, Madalin Giorgetta was an influencer with one million followers on social media, an ambassador for the clothing brand Gymshark, and the owner of a fitness empire. She embodied the curvy, muscular, beauty ideal of the late 2010s and would get 60,000 likes on a bikini photo shared on Instagram.

She looked the part of the "fitness girlie" who meal-prepped with "clean" food. But behind the scenes, she was struggling both with her nutrition and body image.

"Before I got into fitness, I didn't look at my body that much. My body was my body. But when I started constantly looking at it in the mirror and taking photos of it, I became very fixated on everything," Giorgetta, 35, who is based in Melbourne, told Business Insider.

After reaching a breaking point in 2019, Giorgetta reevaluated her content, which she realized subconsciously celebrated thinness. "It was clear to me that I was telling people that their body wasn't good enough and needed to change," she said.

Giorgetta took two big steps. She overhauled her social media accounts to promote anti-diet culture messages, earned an undergraduate degree in nutrition in 2023, and registered with the Nutrition Society of Australia. She sees one-to-one clients remotely and shares educational nutrition content on Instagram.

"Even though I don't make nearly the same money, not having to sacrifice my values feels good. Before I felt like I would have to really convince myself into it or not question it at all. This feels right now," she said.

Giorgetta shared how she used to eat when she was a fitness influencer and what her diet looks like now.

Giorgetta was a 'neglectful' eater

Despite looking the picture of health, Giorgetta said she ate barely any nutritious food at the peak of her career as a fitness influencer and didn't eat enough for her training program. In a typical week, she did resistance training four times a week for 45 to 60 minutes.

She described her eating style as "neglectful," with minimal structure and little focus on nutrition. "I would just grab something quick from the fridge, often preferring simple foods like cheese on toast," she said.

Although she promoted a lifestyle of eating more calories and more nutritious food online, she struggled to eat that way herself most of the time. As a result, she often felt tired and lacked energy.

On an average day, she used to eat:

• Post workout: A protein shake with milk, peanut butter, and banana
• Breakfast: Buttered toast with jam and honey
• Lunch: Snacks, such as cheese and crackers
• Dinner: Whatever her husband made, which was usually a Hello Fresh meal or a cheese toastie
• Dessert: Ice cream

She adds nutrients to meals and snacks she likes

Since training as a nutritionist, Giorgetta has prioritized eating a more balanced diet, but it's not "perfect."

She said that she implements strategies that help her get enough nutrients throughout the day, while working around her natural eating habits and preferences. She doesn't follow any particular eating plan.

"I often gravitate toward simple foods like toast with spreads, but now I've tried to implement small changes which don't overwhelm me," she said.

She eats a substantial breakfast, has nutrient-dense snacks, and adds extra protein or fiber to meals. "Instead of having toast with jam, I now have toast with eggs, and instead of a plain cheese toastie, I'll add salad," she said.

Giorgetta strength trains three to four times a week, but also runs once or twice a week. She fuels her body depending on the workout she's doing: for example, she eats a carb-heavy meal or snack before running.

On an average day, she now eats:

• Breakfast or post-workout: Buttered wholemeal toast with cheesy scrambled eggs and avocado
• Snack: Cucumbers and tzatziki dip
• Lunch: A salad sandwich with shredded cheese, lettuce, avocado, red onion, grated carrots, and garlic aioli
• Snack: Greek yogurt, canned peaches, and honey
• Dinner: Green tofu curry with mixed veggies (corn, cauliflower, and peas) and a side of rice
• Dessert: Ice cream or a homemade baked good

• A new study offers more evidence linking cancer to inflammation from diets high in processed foods.
• Analysis found tumors were fueled by inflammatory compounds and a lack of compounds linked to healing.
• Researchers are looking to foods like leafy greens and fish to pinpoint disease-fighting molecules.

Ultra-processed foods may be fueling a rise in colon cancer cases — but healthy foods could unlock new ways to prevent or treat the disease, new research suggests.

Researchers from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute analyzed more than 100 tumor samples from patients. They were looking for compounds called bioactive lipids, molecules that can increase or decrease inflammation in the body.

The research team found that tumor samples contained a high proportion of these inflammation-causing compounds compared to healthy tissue.

Previous evidence has linked increased inflammation to diets high in processed food like chips, sausages, packaged desserts, and refined carbs.

Processed food shows up almost everywhere in our diets, and evidence increasingly suggests it's a factor in worsening health. At the same time, colon cancer cases are on the rise in younger people, and it's now the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the US.

The researcher team also noted that the tumors were lacking in molecules associated with healing and lowering inflammation.

The inside look at the tumors could give scientists the tools to fight cancer by trying to balancing the body's immune response, slowing or stopping tumor growth by cutting back on inflammatory compounds and boosting healthy ones.

One source of these kinds of molecules is our diet, from foods like leafy greens and seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

"If the molecules are coming from processed food products, they directly imbalance the immune system and drive chronic inflammation," Ganesh Halade, co-author of the study and professor at the University of South Florida Health Heart Institute said in a press release. "Our bodies are designed to actively resolve inflammation through bioactive lipid compounds derived from the healthy fats, like avocados, that we consume."

Fighting cancer with fish oil

The study, published December 10 in the journal Gut, is the first from a project funded by a five-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The results are helping researchers better understand how food may influence cancer risk, Dr. Timothy Yeatman, senior author of the study and professor of surgery at the University of South Florida, said in a press release.

Cancer is like a "chronic wound that won't heal," and a daily diet of ultra-processed foods can make it harder for the body to fight off tumors because of the increased inflammation, Yeatman said.

While it's not news that spinach and seafood is better for you than doughnuts and soda, pinpointing the link between food and inflammation unlocks more effective strategies to stave off disease in the future.

For example, the Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute has conducted early trials of a modified form of fish oil with promising results for reducing inflammation, according to the press release.

"This has the potential to revolutionize cancer treatment, moving beyond drugs to harness natural healing processes," Yeatman said. "It's a vital step toward addressing chronic inflammation and preventing diseases before they start."

In the meantime, there's evidence that your best bet for a longer, healthier life is sticking to a diet of mostly whole, unprocessed foods like veggies, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and whole grains.

• Nicole Velez weighed 244 pounds at her heaviest in November 2023.
• The 31-year-old who works in a members' lounge at a Florida airport struggled with self-confidence.
• A 60-minute outpatient procedure helped her lose over 100 pounds because it curbed her appetite.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Velez, 31, from Tampa. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My job is welcoming members to Delta Airlines' Sky Club lounge.

"Are you new here?" customers often ask. "No," I'll reply. "I've checked you in many times before."

They can't believe that I'm the same person I was 11 months ago. It's because I've lost 109 pounds after a non-surgical procedure.

My portion sizes are about a quarter of what they used to be. I feel full after eating much smaller amounts. My new figure has given me a lot of confidence and a new lease on life.

I tried every diet in existence

My weight has been up and down my whole life. I started dieting at 9. It was triggered by an unkind comment from a boy while I was rollerblading up and down a hill. "Wow, you're fat and you can rollerblade?" he said.

I went home and looked in the mirror. In my mind, I saw a large person staring back at me. I regretted raiding the fridge for pizza and eating sugary cereal with sweet, condensed milk. But I couldn't stop myself as an emotional eater. As I got older, I realized I could get through a 4,000 calorie meal and remain hungry.

Over the years, I tried every diet under the sun. In my 20s, I lost 60 pounds but regained it within months with an extra 20 pounds on top.

I suffered aches and pains, despite my young age. My back hurt. Everything hurt. I had to slide out of bed because I was too heavy to pull myself up.

Then, last year, at 244 pounds — far too heavy for my 5ft 6in frame — I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. It was a shock. "I either have to change my ways, or this disease will kill me," I thought.

I looked for solutions on the internet. I chance upon the non-surgical procedure Bariendo, which cost me $11,000. It was approved by the FDA in 2022.

The weight came off quickly

Bariendo is an hour-long endoscopic that shrinks the stomach by 70%, causing a reduced capacity to take in food. The experts told me it alters gut hormone signaling, leading to reduced appetite and increased feelings of fullness.

I took one day off work and followed a clear liquid diet. I lost exactly 45 pounds in 45 days. Then I graduated to protein shakes and regular food, including raw, vegan meals. I make sure to drink at least a gallon of water a day.

The weight came off quickly. I now weigh 135 pounds. I went from a size 18 to a size 0 and had to buy a new wardrobe. Best of all, my bloodwork showed I was no longer pre-diabetic.

My confidence is much better. I have a good social life. I can swim and rollerblade again. I'm happier than I've ever been since that boy's thoughtless comment in 1991.

Do you have an interesting story to share with Business Insider about weight loss? Please contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Bernie Sanders is taking on ultra-processed food in his final weeks leading the Senate health panel.
• Sanders wants the US to catch up with other countries, which have cigarette-style warning labels for food.
• He sees a potential opportunity to work with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on this.

In his final weeks leading the Senate health committee, Sen. Bernie Sanders is taking on "big food."

Sanders led a hearing Thursday to interrogate how ultra-processed foods affect our bodies, and how they are regulated. He is campaigning for legislation that would slap warning labels on the front of ultra-processed foods — a step other countries took years ago.

Speaking to Business Insider on Tuesday, Sanders said he sees warning labels as a necessary first step to influence food manufacturers in America to make healthier products, especially for kids.

"When a parent goes out shopping, they need to know that there are products that are just not healthy for their kids," Sanders said. "In the United States, we have not reached that stage. Other countries are doing a lot better than we are."

Obesity has more than tripled among children since the 1970s, per CDC data, and research suggests ultraprocessed foods play a significant role, though it's not clear why. What we do know is that foods high in added sugars, fats, and sodium make up a majority of the calories we consume, and drive us to eat more.

"Our kids are not healthy enough," Sanders said.

Major food companies say new labels would be expensive to produce, and that the cost would be passed onto consumers. Some argue mandatory warning labels would violate their right to free speech. They say we should stick with the current system: a voluntary policy, where companies can put health warnings on the front of products if they see fit.

A shift may be coming, in part driven by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for HHS secretary who has promised to "make America healthy again" and clean up the US food system. Kennedy's message has resonated with voters as consumer demand grows for healthier food — more natural, more transparent, less processed.

Food giants are nervous about Kennedy's reign, Jerold Mande, CEO of the advocacy group Nourish Science and a senior member of the USDA during the Obama administration, told Business Insider.

"Having worked on this for decades, the level of response from companies has exceeded anything I've seen" since Michelle Obama's campaign, Mande said. "They're deeply concerned that this is going to be a change."

Sanders said he is ready to ride the MAHA wave, if that's what it will take to clean up American diets.

The pitch: Bring the US up to speed with other countries

Sixteen other countries have mandatory, front-of-package warning labels, including most of Latin America, plus Canada, Iran, Sri Lanka, and Singapore.

Sanders looks at the US's southern neighbor, Mexico, as inspiration. During our interview, he pulled up a photo of two bottles of Coca-Cola, one sold in the US and the other in Mexico. The Mexican bottle has big black octagonal boxes that say "excess sugars," "excess calories," and "caffeine warning, not recommended for children."

"That's kind of common sense," Sanders said. "I think if most parents knew that there were 10 or 15 teaspoons of sugar in this drink, I suspect many parents would say, 'Sorry, Joe, you can't have that.' It would put pressure on the industry to start producing healthier products."

The Coca Cola Company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for the American Beverage Association said the industry has taken voluntary steps to curb sugar for kids, such as not advertising to children and removing full-calorie products from schools.

According to research conducted in these countries, it can work — if the front-of-package labeling is clear.

In Chile, which has similar black boxes to Mexico, people dramatically reduced the amount of sugar-, fat-, and sodium-heavy products they were buying after labels changed. Companies have also reformulated their products in the country to avoid a warning label, cutting sugar, fat, and sodium levels.

How the US can get this done remains a mystery, Katherine Miller, founder of nutrition advocacy group Table 81, told Business Insider.

"I mean, there are 20 different pieces of the federal government that regulate our eggs," Miller said. "How do we really think we're going to get front of the label, the front-of-the-package labeling in a short period of time that will align the scientific community, the food systems community, the health community, and corporations? That doesn't feel realistic."

The US is already testing out new food labels that flag bad ingredients

The Food and Drug Administration has designed two options for what these new labels could look like on the front of food and drinks.

One version would flag a product as "high in" sugar, sodium, or fat, if it exceeds 20% of the daily recommended limit. Another version would use a color-coded system to grade the levels of sugar, sodium, and fat in the product ("low" for under 5%, "high" for over 20%, "medium" for anything in between).

The agency has spent months testing both options in focus groups.

Sanders says it doesn't go far enough.

He proposed legislation that would force food companies to put a stop sign on anything ultra-processed or high-sugar, similar to cigarettes.

Sanders — who says he is "guilty as anybody else" when it comes to eating and snacking — begrudges how difficult it is to make healthy choices and how easy it is to accidentally ingest copious amounts of fat, sodium, or sugar.

"Some years ago, I was thirsty and I picked up a bottle of something, it was a juice, and I gulped it down as usual," Sanders recalled in the interview. "A little while later, my stomach, I really felt very queasy. I looked at the label and I saw the amount of sugar that was in it."

It was a lot higher than he expected from a quick glance at the bottle.

"The industry has done a very good job in selling us products that are cheap to produce, that make us unhealthy. And that's something Congress has got to deal with."

The problem: A game of whack-a-mole with food companies

The argument against front-of-package labeling, from a health perspective, is that it could delay more concrete action.

It could also lead to unexpected consequences, Mande said.

In the '90s, when he helped design the original Nutrition Facts panel, the goal was low fat. A flurry of new research had recently come out showing fat was linked to heart disease.

Food manufacturers complied, cutting fat from their products — but often swapped it for something else. Take Snackwell's, a now defunct diet cookie brand that offered the pleasure of a sweet treat without the consequences. Problem was, the brand replaced fat with refined carbohydrates.

"We didn't anticipate the harm it would cause," Mande said. Three decades later, health advocates are trying to cut refined carbs in food due to the increased risk of diabetes.

Sanders said front-of-package labeling is the best card we have to play right now.

"I think it's one thing that you've got to do," he said. "It would put pressure on the industry to start producing healthier products."

Next step: Teeing up RFK Jr.

The Senate hearing saw more bipartisan agreement than advocates expected.

"Not one Senator defended the food industry. Big food is in big tobacco territory," Mande said.

Still, it comes at an inflection point. FDA Commissioner Rob Califf is on his way out, and there's no knowing whether his nominated successor, Marty Makary, will want to follow through on his plans for front-of-package labels.

Plus, it's unclear if Makary will have the funds to do so, since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says he will gut the FDA if he is confirmed as HHS Secretary. (Kennedy did not respond to a request for a comment.)

Sanders hopes this discussion will harness the buzz around Kennedy's MAHA movement to make warning labels a policy priority.

"When Kennedy talks about an unhealthy society, he's right. The amount of chronic illness that we have is just extraordinary," Sanders said.

"Anybody with a brain in his or her head wants to deal with this issue, to get to the cause of the problem. I think processed food and the kind of sugar and salt that we have in products that our kids and adults are ingesting is an important part of addressing that crisis."

• I'm a dietitian who follows the Mediterranean diet, and I shop for pantry staples at Costco.
• Costco is my go-to spot for pistachios, salad kits, riced cauliflower, and olive oil.
• I also really enjoyed some of its seasonal products this year, like churro-flavored ground coffee.

As a dietitian, I'm dedicated to the Mediterranean diet — a way of eating that highlights wholesome grains, fats, proteins, and produce and avoids processed foods and refined sugars.

Costco is home to bulk bargains and oversized shopping carts that nearly require a license to navigate, but it also happens to be filled with Mediterranean-friendly treasures.

Here are my favorite grocery finds of 2024.

I don't drink much soda, but I love Olipop

Soda isn't a staple on the Mediterranean diet, but I enjoy it occasionally.

Olipop prebiotic soda allows me to indulge while packing up to 9 grams of fiber per can. It also has far less sugar than regular sodas.

Costco sells single-flavor bulk packs, but I like to snag the 24-can variety pack when it's available.

Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice is a fun winter treat

When the weather gets cooler, I love having pomegranate juice on hand for festive holiday mocktails (the natural red hue elevates any concoction beautifully).

Plus, Pom Wonderful just uses whole-pressed pomegranates — no added sugars or fillers.

The organic Mediterranean-crunch salad kit from Taylor Farms is a staple

On busy weeknights, salad kits are a go-to for easy meal prep.

This Mediterranean-crunch kit from Taylor Farms is packed with a variety of veggies and feta cheese. I like to add some pistachios or cooked fish for extra protein.

I still keep an eye out for my favorite seasonal flavor of Copper Cow Coffee

At the beginning of the year, my local Costco had Copper Cow Coffee's churro flavor, and I still keep an eye out for if it'll return to shelves.

The Vietnamese coffee is made with a blend of robusta and arabica coffee beans and fresh ground cinnamon for a warming cup with a touch of spice.

I still snag regular-sized bags of the flavor at other stores, but the 2-pound bags at Costco were a convenient find. I hope to see them again in 2025.

I buy Purely Frozen organic riced cauliflower for my smoothies

The huge bags of Purely Frozen organic riced cauliflower at Costco are a good value for me.

I add some of it to all of my weekday smoothies to stay consistent with my veggie intake each morning.

Wonderful Pistachios are my go-to snack

Plant-based proteins are a big component of the Mediterranean diet, and pistachios are a complete source — meaning they provide all of the essential amino acids.

Costco sells big bags of Wonderful Pistachios' salt-and-pepper-flavored nuts.

They're a no-brainer at snack time, or anytime I want to add some more nutrients to a meal.

I'm glad I came across the Savannah Bee Company honey trio

Honey is a natural source of antioxidants, and it's delicious.

I came across the Savannah Bee Company three-pack at Costco, which offers acacia honey, raw honeycomb, and orange-blossom honey.

I like to mix and match flavors depending on the dish I'm preparing.

JohnnyPops organic sunrise pops were great in the summer

Dietitians need treats, too.

This summer, my local Costco sold JohnnyPops frozen fruit pops, which are made with simple ingredients (minimally processed) and taste really good.

Plus, since they're individually wrapped, they're great for portion control.

I'm definitely keeping my eye out for them next summer.

I'm a big fan of the Kirkland 100% Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

I go through a lot of olive oil as it's a staple of the Mediterranean diet.

Although I don't have a favorite variety, per se, I'm partial to Spanish olive oil because of its fruity, nutty, and peppery notes.

The Kirkland Spanish olive oil is cold-extracted and comes in a dark bottle, which should help preserve its quality (and flavor) over time.

The Seeds of Change organic quinoa and brown rice pouches are lifesavers

I like to keep Seeds of Change's organic quinoa and brown rice pouches on hand. They help me get a whole grain (another Mediterranean-diet staple) on the dinner table in 90 seconds.

Although I prefer making brown rice and quinoa the old-fashioned way, precooked grains make life a little easier on busy nights.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

• Gordon Ramsay said fitness helps him balance his health and his culinary career.
• Ramsay competes in marathons and triathlons and said exercise keeps him resilient and energized.
• He does push-ups and quick cardio sessions on the rower and eats smaller portions.

At 58, Gordon Ramsay has built a career as an acclaimed restaurateur — but his biggest long-term investment is banking hours in the gym to stay healthy for years to come.

"Fitness is the foundation. Everything has to revolve around how I feel and how good it is to train," Ramsay said in an interview with Men's Health UK.

The celebrity chef said he was forced to reevaluate his routine in his 40s when seven-day workweeks left him "overweight and out of control."

Looking for a change, Ramsay started doing triathlons and said tackling those physical challenges became the most peaceful and relaxing part of his life.

He now aims to train at least four to five days a week and gets up at 5 a.m. to run.

"Without fitness, you have no longevity," he said. "I have no interest in retiring. I work smarter, not harder."

Here's what Ramsay has said about his go-to workouts and healthy eating.

Ramsay swears by doing push-ups every day

Ramsay is an avid endurance athlete and spends time running, swimming, and cycling. But the one exercise he can't live without doesn't require any equipment and can be done anywhere.

Everyone should do push-ups daily, he told Men's Health.

"There is so much to get from a simple press-up," he said.

Push-ups are a compound exercise that work multiple muscle groups at once, strengthening the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core.

Ramsay recommends hitting a quick set of 25 push-ups every day after getting out of bed and doubling it on the weekends.

If you're new to the movement, work up to full push-ups or bigger sets by practicing scaled exercises such as incline or eccentric push-ups.

For a quick workout, he does 20 minutes of cardio

Ramsay said he aims to run for 30 minutes in the morning when possible and will hike, bike, or swim for as long as two hours on the weekends. Even 15 to 20 minutes of movement boosts his energy and helps him stay fit.

When he's in a rush, Ramsay said he'll hop on a rowing machine and do one-minute intervals of work followed by a minute of rest for 10 cycles.

A rowing machine offers the best of both worlds for strength training and cardio because it works your whole body, puts your muscles under tension, and spikes your heart rate. It's also ideal for high-intensity interval training to save time in the gym.

Ramsay cut his portion sizes to stay in shape

Eating rich food can part of a chef's job, so Ramsay doesn't cut anything out and instead limits his portions.

"I'll eat two mouthfuls of a delicious dish and then ignore it," he said.

Ramsay lost about 50 pounds in 2018 and told the "Today" show that eating smaller, more frequent meals was key.

He said his basic healthy-eating routine involves a protein shake for breakfast, scrambled eggs for lunch, and protein like poached chicken or fish with vegetables for dinner.

• At 360 pounds, Clark Valery felt less efficient in his role as a volunteer firefighter.
• The 38-year-old was motivated to lose weight after the death of a friend from a heart attack.
• He shed 140 pounds and is in much better shape to tackle fires in his town.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Clark Valery, 38, an assistant manager at a pharmacy chain and volunteer firefighter from New York. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Since I lost 140 pounds, people have not recognized me. They're shocked because they've seen me as super heavy, and now, within the space of a year, I'm much thinner.

One person only realized it was me when I started talking, and they recognized my voice.

My weight loss has changed my life. I am healthier and happier. Best of all, I feel more energetic and effective as a volunteer firefighter.

I didn't have weight issues growing up. In high school, I was active in football, wrestling, and track. But as I got older, I became bigger and bigger.

I didn't pay much attention to it. Still, looking back, I had unhealthy habits like eating late at night and piling my plate.

I had shortness of breath

My mom did most of the cooking — she'd make things like pasta and rice and beans — and I overate. Then, after she died from dementia in 2012, I began to eat fast food from McDonalds and KFC.

I'd order two Big Macs, 20-piece chicken nuggets, two large fries, and a soda. I'd go to my favorite Mexican restaurant and eat eight tacos. The portions could have fed four people.

My excess weight caused shortness of breath and a sense of being uncomfortable with myself. Nevertheless, in 2018, I felt motivated enough to volunteer as a firefighter in my town.

There was no judgment at the firehouse. They accepted me as who I was. I'd workout with the other members when we met twice a week, but my heart wasn't really in it. Still, I knew I was a good firefighter because of my endurance skills.

However, as time went by, I began to think I wasn't contributing enough. My biggest downfall was climbing ladders. I'd get to the ladder, and it would say the weight limit was 250 pounds. I knew I exceeded that.

I was concerned about a scenario in which I got stranded in a fire, and the guys wouldn't be able to pull out a 400-pound person. It wasn't fair to put them in danger.

The wake-up call came in 2023 when a friend died of a heart attack. Other people who seemed to be in good shape told me they had heart conditions. I looked at myself in the mirror. My family had suffered enough with the death of my mom. I had to change my lifestyle.

I eat healthier now

Thankfully, a friend introduced me to WeightWatchers. At 5ft 8in tall, I weighed 360 pounds. My friend motivated me by saying we could lose weight together.

We went to meetings every week. I was religious about it. I wanted to learn and educate myself. The point system was a major key for me. I realized I'd been eating the equivalent of all my daily points in just one meal.

I completely changed my diet. For breakfast, I'd have scrambled eggs on a whole-grain English muffin with a small piece of sausage.

Lunch and dinner would be something like grilled chicken with salad or vegetables. The best thing I did was substitute cauliflower rice for regular rice. I also stopped drinking alcohol.

My body adapted, and the weight came off. I recently started doing a full-body workout five times a week at the gym. I'll do at least 45 minutes of cardio, followed by weights.

I was delighted when I hit just over 220 pounds. It took 11 months to get to my current weight. My shortness of breath doesn't happen anymore. I feel more involved and impactful as a firefighter. I'm no longer scared by the ladder. The guys seem to respect me more because I take a bigger role.

My waist size has gone from 50 inches to 36 inches. I was a 5X, but now I fit a large. I'm still going to WeightWatchers with my friend. It's improved my social life because I've got to know other people in the group.

My weight loss has opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I'm a new man.

Do you have an interesting story to share with Business Insider about weight loss? Please contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Disney CEO Bob Iger says diet and exercise are critical to doing his job well.
• Iger said he wakes up early and works out because it gets his mind and body ready for the day ahead.
• He said that exercising gives him energy and helps him to motivate others.

Disney may be known for its magic, but there's nothing mystical about one of CEO Bob Iger's tips for excelling as a leader: diet and exercise.

Iger, 73, wakes up early and works out for about an hour "for sanity and vanity purposes," he told a recent episode of the "In Good Company" podcast.

Exercising clears his head and prepares him for the day ahead, Iger said. "Staying in shape, having stamina is critical for me, and that's eating well and exercising and just taking care of my body and my mind. I could not do this job if I were not in some form of physical and mental health."

Disney is one of the biggest US companies with $90 billion-plus in annual revenues and a market value north of $200 billion.

Iger first served as CEO between 2005 and 2020, spearheading the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. He returned to lead the company in late 2022.

He's widely credited with turning Disney into a hitmaking machine that monetizes successes like "Frozen" across movies, TV shows, theme parks, resorts, cruises, toys, clothes, and video games.

Iger, who is known to rise at 4.15 a.m., said that getting up early vitalizes him and "a great leader has to be an energetic leader."

The Disney chief emphasized he's not a machine and doesn't always come bouncing into the office.

"Look, I'm a human being, so if I'm really tired from global travel and long hours and who knows what, I'm not afraid to show that to my people, because I think that's a way of being relatable," he said. "They feel that too — it's human nature. Sometimes you feel overworked and tired."

But Iger said that "for the most part, you've got to bring your energy to your job every moment of the day, meaning every waking hour, because it's motivating," he said. "Energy is motivating."

Iger is far from the only CEO to prioritize health and fitness. Apple's Tim Cook also wakes before dawn to work out for an hour most days, while Meta's Mark Zuckerberg has taken up martial arts in recent years.

On the other hand, Warren Buffett, the 94-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, famously enjoys Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and other junk food.

• A nutrition and longevity researcher said he uses science to make his holidays fun and healthy.
• He focuses on building muscle to take advantage of big meals for better gains.
• He also leans into high-protein and veggie-rich holiday meals, followed by a rich dessert.

A researcher said trying to live a longer, healthier life doesn't stop him from enjoying the holidays — and treating himself leads to better results long-term.

Chris Rhodes is the founder, CEO, and lead scientist of the longevity supplement company Mimio, and has a PhD in nutritional biology.

He told Business Insider that his science background has helped him find smart ways to use holiday indulgence to boost his health, instead of derailing it.

"Nutrition can be a tool. Once you understand it, you can utilize it to keep driving you consistently towards your goals without having the stress, having to exert a ridiculous amount of control in order to maintain health," he said. "We can work within what's happening around us and use that to our advantage."

From making seasonal foods more nutritious to using holidays treats to build muscle, here's his approach to the season.

Use big meals to fuel muscle-building

The holidays often focus on eating, and treating yourself can be a great opportunity to build muscle, according to Rhodes.

He said he takes advantage of the extra food he enjoys during the season to boost his gains, focusing on strength training workouts.

Increasing muscle mass takes energy, and the most effective way to do it is in a calorie surplus, when you're eating more than you burn off.

That's why fitness pros like bodybuilders often use the winter months as a bulking season.

"I'm a big fan of working within both the natural rhythms of my body, the natural rhythms of the environment," Rhodes said.

Prioritize protein sources like turkey

To help with building muscle, Rhodes said he leans into meals that already feature a big protein source like turkey or ham.

He uses the season to try out new recipes to share at gatherings, since bringing a healthy, high-protein dish ensures he can enjoy meals while staying on track.

"You're making these unique dishes that you don't usually make, but then still hitting your fiber counts, your micronutrient counts, your protein counts, but also not getting too into the weeds of actually counting. Holidays aren't for counting," he said.

Add more veggies to your plate

Another healthy-eating hack Rhodes uses for his family celebrations is making delicious dishes that focus on veggies.

Along with classics like mashed potatoes and gravy, they'll enjoy caramelized Brussels sprouts, delicata squash with hazelnut mint pesto, and sautéed kale with mushrooms. Incorporating leafy greens and other colorful produce adds a range of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients to the meal.

"There are ways that you can make things more fun, more interesting, but then also healthier at the same time while still retaining some of that tradition," Rhodes said.

Swap in healthy alternatives like veggie noodles

Simple substitutions can make traditional dishes healthier, adding ingredients like cauliflower rice or shirataki noodles to soups and stews without sacrificing flavor.

"Those are the kinds of things that I really like to do and focus a lot of my cooking prowess on how can I create something that no one would be able to tell is actually a lower-calorie version of this really comforting thing," Rhodes said.

Don't give up your favorite treats

There are some indulgent moments that aren't worth compromising on.

For Rhodes, it's deep-dish caramel apple pie with homemade whipped cream.

He might make it with more nutritious, high-fiber flour, but part of the holiday charm is not counting every calorie. A flexible health routine is easier to sustain long-term than overdoing it and scrambling to catch up after the holidays.

Ultimately, balance is all about aiming for longevity, but enjoying the pie along the way.

"What is the point of living longer if you have to live less?" Rhodes said. "It's just a matter of taking inventory of, okay, what are the goals that I'm trying to achieve and how can I stay consistent with them."

• Going for a quick walk after eating really can help improve digestion and energy, a dietitian says.
• Walking helps to control blood sugar levels and circulates nutrients.
• Keeping to a healthy routine can make you more likely to maintain other healthy habits, too.

Taking a short stroll after a meal can help you avoid the post-feast slump and set you up for a healthy habits during the holidays, according to a dietitian.

Walking after you eat can help increase energy, improve digestion, and control blood sugar levels, said Nicholas Fischer, registered dietitian for MedStar Health.

As a seasonal tradition, a quick walk can be a great stepping stone for staying active as you enjoy more rich holiday food and might otherwise be more sedentary during the colder, darker months.

"You're getting that blood pumping, you're giving your body a chance to circulate nutrients," Fischer said. "If you sit on the couch all day, you're more likely to be stiff and tired whereas if you get up, your body is more ready and able to move."

Even five minutes of walking can have major benefits

You don't have to hike for miles after Thanksgiving to get the benefits of a holiday walk.

"People can start with what they can do, a five minute walk, and they can build on it," Fischer said.

Research suggests that as little as 500 extra steps a day translates to better heart health and lower risk of some illnesses.

There's also no need to think of walking as a way to compensate for indulging, since it should be something that feels good and not like a chore.

"People should enjoy this time, it's one meal out of the whole year," he said.

Feeling more energized and alert after a walking is a great incentive to keep moving throughout the season, which in turn can make it easier to stick to other healthy habits without waiting for New Year's resolutions.

"If people have a consistent walking routine or habit, they likely have other healthy habits that have a compounding interest effect," Fischer said.

• GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have skyrocketed in popularity for weight management.
• Taking them doesn't have to disrupt holiday celebrations, a doctor explained.
• Avoid mistakes like changing your dose, and don't worry about traveling with meds, she said.

Popular weight-loss drugs shouldn't keep you from enjoying the holidays, according to a doctor.

GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (sold as Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) have been a game-changer for weight management in recent years. Recent evidence also shows they may help prevent serious health threats like heart attacks and stroke.

They can influence appetite and the types of foods you might crave, but there's no reason they should dampen your holiday cheer, said Dr. Caroline Apovian, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"These drugs seem to alter what kinds of foods you're attracted to, but you still have pleasure with the food that you have an appetite for," she told Business Insider.

To stay on track and enjoy the season, avoid these misunderstandings about GLP-1 medications that arise around food-related holidays.

Don't stop taking medications or change your dose

It doesn't make sense to skip a dose of GLP-1 medication or take less over the holidays, Apovian said — you wouldn't do so with other prescribed medications.

The drugs work by acting on hormones that influence appetite and digestion, helping to lower what's known as your weight set point. That influences your hunger and metabolism.

As a result, it's a bad idea to try to tweak your dose or schedule without talking to your doctors.

"These drugs are not meant to be manipulated like that," Apovian said.

Don't feel like you're going to miss out on holiday fun

Taking a GLP-1 over the holidays won't prevent you from enjoying the festivities.

"It doesn't mean that you have no appetite. It doesn't mean that you're not going to want to eat turkey and the foods you'll have over the holidays. You're just going to probably want to eat less of them," she said.

Smaller portions are key — don't forget you can look forward to leftovers. It can also be helpful to slow down and savor your food so you can tell when you're starting to feel full.

And you may not feel hungry for another helping of dessert or may be more inclined to pass on that extra glass of wine.

If you miss a dose by accident, don't panic

While it's a bad idea to skip doses on purpose, it's not a crisis if you forget to pack it or forget to take it on time. The best course of action is to resume your normal weekly dosing routine as soon as you can.

"You just take it in the next time you have it. Nothing bad will happen," Apovian said.

If it's been more than five days since you were supposed to take it, move on to your next weekly dose. Don't double up.

Don't worry about refrigerating medications while you travel

GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro should be stored in the fridge, but will be just fine for a day of travel as long as they're not exposed to heat, according to Apovian.

"It's OK. All you have to do is not keep it at 100 degrees," she said.

Remember, this is not a quick fix

It's a mistake to think that weight loss medications can temporarily prevent weight gain over the holidays, or reverse it for New Year's resolutions.

Like any other medications for chronic conditions, GLP-1s are prescribed to people long-term.

"This a not a short-term anything, You're changing your metabolism," she said. "If you stop taking it, your metabolism will go back to where it was and defend that higher body weight."

People are sometimes hesitant to think of staying on GLP-1s forever, in part because of ongoing stigma around weight. However, they shouldn't be treated differently than drugs for other chronic conditions like high blood pressure.

"I think the stigma is affecting our understanding of the disease. That understanding will continue to expand. We'll get there," Apovian said.

• Dr. Casey Means and her brother Calley are helping shape RFK Jr's new approach to America's health.
• She left conventional healthcare to advocate for people to take more direct control of their health.
• In a best-selling book "Good Energy," she makes a case that modern diseases are rooted in metabolic health.

A Stanford-trained surgeon who pivoted to build a booming health tech start-up could be a major player in the upcoming campaign to "Make America Healthy Again."

Dr. Casey Means is CEO and cofounder of Levels, which aims to give people more direct control of their health via wearable tech that offers real-time updates on their blood sugar levels, and raised millions of dollars in funding from big-name investors like Marc Andreessen.

"I believe that every single person absolutely can understand the basics of metabolism and of their biomarkers and learn how to be the CEO of their own health," she told Business Insider in May in an interview about Levels. "One of the reasons why I left the conventional healthcare system is because I actually felt it was so infantilizing to patients and made it more complicated than it needed to be."

Wellness is a family affair for Means. Her brother Calley is a former food and pharmaceutical consultant who interned for John McCain's presidential campaign. He helped coordinate the first chats between now President-elect Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his recent pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Together, the pair have built a major following on wellness-related topics.

They are co-authors of the best-selling book "Good Energy" and advisors to Kennedy, who has made "Make America Healthy Again" — or, MAHA — his mantra.

The siblings have been featured on high-profile platforms like the Tucker Carlson Show and Joe Rogan's podcast, calling for a shift from the current model of "sick care" by doctors playing the role of middlemen between individuals and their health and offering people actionable steps to take their health into their own hands with nutrition and exercise. Means said on Rogan's podcast that the realization was an "awakening" in her career.

"There's a really unfortunate landscape in our country where individuals are essentially at the mercy of the information that their doctor chooses to give them and how deeply it's explained," Means told BI in May.

The overarching philosophy is that metabolism is the foundation of good health, the key to addressing Americans' overwhelming rates of chronic disease, and that individual healthy habits can help achieve it. Here's what we know about Casey Means' priorities.

Her mantra is that a healthy metabolism can reverse many health conditions

Means' book promotes the pursuit of Good Energy, which she defined as great metabolic health. "It governs the very essence of what (quite literally) makes you tick," she said in the book, "whether your cells have the energy to do their jobs of keeping you nourished, clear-minded, hormonally balanced, immune protected, heart-healthy, structurally sound — and so much more."

According to Means, roughly 93% of US adults have "Bad Energy," or poor metabolic health. She attributes conditions like depression, infertility, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction, cancer, and Alzheimer's to habits like eating ultra-processed foods and sleep deprivation. Means argues that inflammation and oxidative stress, unstable molecules that cause cell damage, underpin these modern diseases.

In the scientific community, there's consensus with Means about the importance of maintaining a healthy metabolism, which is often associated with weight loss and can also reduce the risk factors of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Studies also show some links between metabolic health and depression.

However, Means has also been criticized for exaggerating health risks, such as stating in her book that "each additional serving of ultra-processed food we eat" increases early mortality by 18%, referencing a 2019 study conducted in Spain.

"I've easily had 1000 bags of chips in my life," Brad Stulberg, an adjunct professor of health management and policy at the University of Michigan posted on X. "If this is true, it means my mortality risk has increased by 18,000 percent."

Too much emphasis on metabolism also risks oversimplifying health, according to Christy Harrison, a registered dietitian and nutrition writer behind the Substack "Rethinking Wellness."

"I'm automatically suspicious of anyone who claims they've identified the 'one true cause' of all diseases. That's typically just a way of selling you something," she told Business Insider. "The human body and disease processes are far too complex to pin on one single 'root cause,' even though I know from experience that that idea can be so appealing."

Means is critical of the US healthcare system, urging readers to 'trust yourself, not your doctor'

In the book, Means criticizes the healthcare system, drawing from her experience in medical school and work as a surgeon. Calley Means similarly criticizes the pharmaceutical industry after working as a lobbyist.

"Every institution that impacts your health makes more money when you are sick and less when you are healthy — from hospitals to pharma to medical schools, and even insurance companies," she said.

Means, who runs a wearable glucose monitor business, promotes a more individualized approach to health in her book. She recommends wearing a fitness tracker, using continuous glucose monitors, and reading your own lab results rather than depending on a doctor to interpret them for you. The book has a section outlining how to analyze your bloodwork results to make sure you have Good Energy.

While she still says you should see doctors for acute, life-threatening problems and emergencies, she advises against trusting doctors for chronic issues like high cholesterol and PCOS.

She espouses popular advice around diet, exercise, and sleep

Throughout the book, Means promotes widely agreed-upon health advice. She recommends a diet rich in fiber and antioxidant-packed fruits and vegetables while cutting ultra-processed foods. She also encourages eating foods with nutrients like vitamin C, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids, hydrating throughout the day, and avoiding plastic packaging.

Additionally, she emphasizes following a consistent sleep schedule (at least seven hours of sleep a night) and reducing screen time before bed. She also suggests getting regular exercise such as walking at least 7,000 steps per day and strength-training a few times a week.

Means also shared common mental health tips, such as seeing a therapist, maintaining a sense of community, and practicing mindfulness via meditation and yoga.

Applying cutting-edge science to everyday life

Many of Means' suggestions for healthy habits are based in developing research on lifestyle strategies that have the potential to help us live longer or better, but are still being studied to work out what the effects might be in larger-scale, real-world scenarios.

She advocates for intermittent fasting, a massively popular nutrition plan that involves limiting meals and snacks to a set window of time, in this case, 14-hours a day. Fasting has emerged as a promising area of study for improving weight loss, managing blood sugar, and potentially even extending lifespan or fighting diseases like cancer.

She also recommends reducing plastic use, filtering water, and eating organic produce and grass-fed meat and dairy to avoid exposure to chemicals ranging from PFAs to pesticides.

Along with routines like cold plunging, these recommendations align with those from popular science podcasters like Andrew Huberman and Dr. Peter Attia. Together they're part of a trend toward optimization, fine-tuning the details of our behaviors based on what we can glean from the latest research studies. Many of the strategies are experimental, often based on small-scale studies or animal models, and the proposed benefits can sometimes go beyond what current data has shown.

Harrison previously wrote that the trend often highlights "early-stage research that isn't ready for prime time" and is meant to provide a path for further research, not actionable advice for lifestyle changes.

"In terms of potential benefits, I suppose some people might find it helpful to follow small, early-stage studies and try out their recommendations to see if anything works. But again, most of those theories won't be borne out in future scientific research," Harrison told BI.

"In my mind, when it comes to scientific research, anything touted as 'cutting edge' is worth an extra dose of skepticism," she said.

Talking points like seed oils and self-testing push back against established advice

Some of Means' advice is in contrast to what mainstream medical experts frequently recommend.

She advises cutting out seed oils like canola oil, a common ingredient in processed foods and restaurant meals. In some online wellness circles, seed oils have been blamed for everything from the obesity epidemic to sunburn, despite a general consensus among dietitians that the oils are safe and even healthy in moderation.

Means also encourages direct-to-consumer medical testing such as a $500 lab panel on metrics like cholesterol levels, hormones, and immune system functions. The concept builds on her work with Levels in giving people the ability to see how their daily choices might be affecting their health by looking at the data for themselves instead of waiting months or longer for doctors' visits.

The shift is appealing because, despite ballooning healthcare costs, life expectancy is stagnating. Frustration with medical providers is on the rise as patients navigate complex bureaucracy and sometimes outright gaslighting in the doctor's office, and wariness about the influence of pharmaceutical companies is spiking, too.

An individualized approach to health with daily routines offers a way to feel in control, but research suggests factors on a much broader societal scale have a much bigger impact, accounting for up to 70% of health outcomes on a population level.

"Metabolic health certainly is important to overall well-being, but so are many other factors, including economic stability, social and community environment, access to and quality of care, and other social determinants of health," Harrison said.

• Comedian Kumail Nanjiani said basic habits help him stay healthy and sane on a busy stand-up tour.
• He said hitting the hotel gym and eating enough protein are key to keeping his fitness on track.
• He also has a rule of not stacking too many shows in a row so he can take time to enjoy traveling.

For the first time in a decade, Kumail Nanjiani is back on tour, and said the grueling schedule won't stop him from prioritizing his health.

Doing stand-up shows in city after city, sometimes multiple shows a day takes a huge amount of energy, the comedian and actor told Business Insider in an interview about his partnership with Quest Nutrition.

"Being on stage for two hours every night, it is genuinely very exhausting," Nanjiani said.

A careful routine helps him keep his mental and physical health intact. Here are four habits Nanjiani said he follows on the road.

He cuts back on sugar and eats high-protein snacks

Nanjiani said he loves food, but snacking on junk won't cut it on tour.

"I find if I eat refined sugar or something, my energy is really up and down, so I need something that'll sustain me," he said.

He relies on protein supplements to stay satiated and energized — but an enjoyable taste and texture are crucial, and anything chalky or too dense is out.

"I come from a big eating culture. I'm always going to be someone who's excited about eating," he said.

Nanjiani said he's a fan of protein chips, which can make a convenient meal mixed with lean ground beef and taco seasoning.

The comedian said he doesn't like eating a full meal before a show or late at night afterward, so he'll eat a few protein snacks, like a blueberry muffin or chocolate chip muffin with some fresh fruit, in a pinch.

"It's really out of necessity. But it does a really good job of keeping me sated and my energy doesn't crash," Nanjiani said.

He works out almost daily

Despite the hectic schedule of stand-up shows, Nanjiani said he doesn't skimp on fitness.

Working out is so crucial to his self-care routine that he always scopes out the hotel gym before booking a room to make sure his favorite fitness equipment is available.

He does vocal exercises

Nanjiani said daily vocal warm-ups help him avoid the performer's nightmare of a rasp or sore throat.

"Once you lose your voice, if you have a run of shows, you're just never going to get it back," he said.

He avoids doing back-to-back shows repeatedly

Nanjiani has a basic rule for keeping his mental health intact while touring.

"I try not to do more than two shows a night, two nights in a row," he said.

The strategy frees up time for him to enjoy travel with his wife, writer and producer Emily Gordon, who joins him on the road.

It gives him a chance to go to bed early some nights, since getting seven to eight hours of sleep is another non-negotiable for his health on tour.

"We can walk around the city, see some stuff, do the show. Then we'll get a nice dinner that night," Nanjiani said. "It's just for my mental health, to have enough time for Emily and I to do something that's just really fun and has nothing to do with the shows."

• At 5ft 2in tall, Diana Coello used to weigh 250 pounds. She was diagnosed with diabetes in 2022.
• The flight attendant took action by improving her diet and taking her little dog for long walks.
• She lost 80 pounds in less than a year and is able to keep up with her energetic, 6-year-old child.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Diana Coello, 46, a flight attendant and mother of two from New York City. It has been edited for length and clarity.

December 18, 2022. I'll never forget the date. I stepped on the scale at my doctor's office, and it registered 250 pounds.

"You've gained a lot of weight since the last time we saw you," the doctor said. My blood pressure was high, and after the blood work came through, I was diagnosed with diabetes.

It was scary. My mom had always been heavy-set and had diabetes. I'd seen how her health had gone down. I didn't want to follow he same path.

The doctor said that I was young; I had everything to live for with a loving husband and four-year-old daughter. He gave me the motivation to lose 80 pounds. I did it by changing my diet and walking my dog more.

I ate a lot during the pandemic when I couldn't work

Growing up, my weight had been normal. I'm 5ft 2in and, in my 20s and 30s, weighed around 120 pounds. I only put on 20 pounds during my first pregnancy with my son, Andy, in 2000 and lost it pretty quickly.

But, as I got older, bad habits crept in. I stopped caring about my diet and ate whatever I wanted. I gained 40 pounds with my daughter, Milania, now 6, and they stayed on.

Still, COVID was the main reason I weighed 250 pounds. I'm a flight attendant and was grounded for almost two years. It gave me an excuse to sit in front of the TV watching endless series on Netflix. I'd run out of shows. "What's coming out next?" I'd ask my husband, Kenny, 42.

I wasn't making healthy food choices. I ate more out of boredom than because I was hungry. I have a sweet tooth and would reach for cookies and cakes. Carbohydrates were my thing. I'd fill my plate with large portions of pasta.

I didn't exercise at all. I'd get out of breath trying to keep up with Milania. I never felt that way with my son because I had energy a couple of decades ago. I didn't feel good, and my mental health suffered.

My doctor referred me to a nutritionist

After a while, I told my husband that none of my clothes fit me anymore. I was a 2XL and didn't want to keep sizing up. But when I started having dizzy spells in the fall of 2022, it was time to see the doctor.

The diabetes diagnosis shocked me into changing my ways. He said I could reverse my condition if I took it seriously. I saw a nutritionist who guided me on how to eat healthier.

She told me to replace soda with water and substitute sugar in my coffee with Stevia. I ate proteins like grilled chicken and incorporated more vegetables. Kenny and I cut down on starches like pasta, rice and potatoes. I bought an air fryer and started experimenting with nutritious recipes online. I drank 64 ounces of water a day.

I had a headache for the first three days because I was so used to having so much sugar in my system. But I kept going.

I compete with my friends on our step count

As for exercise, my friend Dianne introduced me to WeWard, a free health app that tracks your steps and lets you compare and compete with other users. You track each other's progress, and there's some friendly rivalry. Our friend Angie joined in, too.

I walked my dog, a chihuahua named Bruno, a little longer than usual, building up the time from 15 to 30 or 40 minutes. I'd take another walk in the park after dropping Milania at school. I embraced the competition partly because I wanted to walk further than Angie and Dianne. After a while, I did 10,000 steps daily.

I no longer took the elevator in the New York subway and went for the stairs. I stopped taking the bus to places. I pushed myself and started to enjoy the exercise and being outdoors. My mood lifted, and I had more energy to do things with Milania than I'd done with Andy, such as bike riding.

I'm no longer diabetic

Kenny remarked on my weight loss, saying my stomach was shrinking, and he could see it in my face. It kept me motivated. Over a period of 11 months, I got down to 170 pounds. I used to wear a size 20 uniform for work. I couldn't believe it when I fit a size 14.

Best of all, I went from diabetic to pre-diabetic to not being diabetic at all. My blood pressure and blood sugar levels are normal.

I've maintained my weight for nearly two years. I don't deprive myself and will take a bite of something sweet whenever I want it.

Of course, Bruno has benefited from my lifestyle change. He looks forward to his longer walks — and I do, too.

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