The year is almost over. Looking back at the past year, one person’s story had a profound impact on me. This person was Gladys McGregor, known as the mother of international “holistic medicine.”
You may not have heard her name, but she passed away in September at the age of 104. She was an Indian-born doctor who mainly conducted research in holistic medicine in the United States. Holistic medicine is a practice that incorporates the person’s living environment, psychological state, social relationships, and more, into the scope of medical treatment. But for many people, what is truly remarkable about Gladys is not the field she worked in, but her life itself.
Looking back on Gladys’s life, it seems as though she had an inexhaustible, endless supply of energy.
Gladys was born in India in 1920 and moved to the United States with her parents at the age of 15. Both her parents worked in the medical field, so after moving to the US, she also entered medical school. When she was studying medicine, female doctors were still rare, and the discrimination against women was severe. There were even no dormitories for female students, so Gladys had to sleep on the laboratory counters.
At the age of 40, after more than 10 years of practicing medicine, Gladys was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and successfully overcame it for the first time.
At 58, Gladys helped establish the American Holistic Medical Association and became its only female founding member.
At 70, Gladys divorced her husband of 46 years. The clinic they had together was handed to her husband, but Gladys started a new clinic by herself. Yes, after divorcing at 70, Gladys started a new business from scratch.
At 87, Gladys began a new venture—providing medical assistance in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is one of the areas with the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and Gladys primarily helped local women improve sanitary conditions and taught childbirth techniques. It is said that in the rural areas she visited, the infant mortality rate dropped by 47%.
At 90, Gladys was diagnosed with breast cancer and successfully overcame it for the second time.
At 102, Gladys wrote a book. Yes, at 102, she wrote a book. The Chinese version of this book was published in September this year, titled Things That Will Make You Happy If You Know Them Early: A 100-Year-Old Grandma’s Life Advice. In the book, she even recalled an incident from when she was 7 years old in India, when she happened to see Mahatma Gandhi. She described in vivid detail the weather that day, the behavior of people on the street, and Gandhi’s expression.
Gladys also said that there are six life beliefs that one needs to have: to believe in the meaning of one’s existence, to believe in the power of love, to believe that one will never truly be alone, to allow everything to happen, to learn from everything, and to invest energy passionately. These are the “things that will make you happy if you know them early.”
You can feel the insight and memory of this elderly lady—does she sound like someone who is 102? It is said that at the age of 102, Gladys still walked 3,800 steps a day and rode a tricycle when going out.
You see, people have always said that Warren Buffett became a legend in the investment world because he lived long enough. But after reading about Gladys’s experiences, you realize that to become such a legendary figure, living a long life is far from enough. The key is to maintain an extraordinary mindset throughout your life, and to do that, you need to keep your mind sharp and clear every single day. Like Gladys, at 87, starting a new career, at 102, writing a book, and even recounting her experience as a 7-year-old with incredible precision.
This mental agility in longevity is one of the most critical topics in modern medicine, and it has its own concept: cognitive longevity.
Gladys’s life story may not relate to everyone, but cognitive longevity is something everyone should understand. As we approach the end of the year, let’s take a moment to think about ourselves. Now, let’s dive into how we can extend cognitive longevity.
The key to achieving cognitive longevity is delaying cognitive decline. Between 1990 and 2010, the global number of deaths from Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases tripled, and Parkinson’s disease deaths doubled. The incidence of these diseases is rising in all age groups. In many countries with high incidence rates, people are starting to experience memory problems as early as 40 years old.
The mechanisms behind Alzheimer’s are not yet fully understood. Traditional medicine believed that Alzheimer’s was largely determined by genetics, but recent studies suggest that it results from the interaction between genetics and lifestyle. The genetic factor is currently uncontrollable, but lifestyle is something we can manage.
Among all the factors, diet is one of the most important. For example, in Japan, where the average life expectancy is the longest in the world, the proportion of centenarians is also the highest, and the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases is very low. Similarly, in certain regions along the Mediterranean coast, such as parts of France and Italy, life expectancy is among the highest in Europe. And in some regions of Spain, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases is much lower than the European average.
These populations have a common trait: similar dietary habits, which can be summarized as “three less, four more, two choices.”
- Three less: less red meat, less sugar, less liquid dairy.
- Four more: more beans, more fish, more fermented foods, more leafy vegetables.
- Two choices: First, when consuming fat, prefer monounsaturated fats, mainly from nuts and plant oils. Second, moderate consumption of coffee, beverages, and wine, but with meals.
This is a general summary. If you want to plan your diet with cognitive longevity in mind, here are the main areas to consider.
First, focus on carbohydrates. Carbs are our primary source of nutrition, and eating the right ones can greatly help with cognitive longevity. How to eat them right? There are two ways to choose carbohydrates:
- Choose slow carbs: Slow carbs are measured by how long it takes for the sugar in them to reach its peak level in the bloodstream. Fast carbs, such as candies, white bread, and sugary drinks, reach peak levels quickly. Slow carbs, such as whole grains, brown rice, and beans, take longer to digest.
- Avoid excessive iron: Choose “low-iron, low-glycemic-index refined carbs.” The glycemic index is easy to understand, while “low iron” refers to avoiding iron-fortified refined carbs. After reaching adulthood, excessive iron in the body increases the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Next, focus on protein. Eat more plant protein and less animal protein. Specifically, limit red meat. Red meat contains a lot of iron, and the body absorbs iron from red meat much faster than from plant-based sources. Additionally, red meat has higher levels of methionine, which has negative health effects. A 2006 study by Finnish researchers found that people with high methionine intake had twice the risk of heart disease compared to others.
Finally, focus on fermented foods.
Dr. Preston Estep, a geneticist from Harvard University, proposed a concept called the X-factor. The X-factor refers to the fermentation products of microorganisms. Because there are so many types of these substances in foods, it is difficult to determine exactly how much of them is in a given food, so Estep simply named it the “X-factor.”
The main sources of the X-factor are short-chain fatty acids in fermented foods, such as lactic acid in yogurt, yeast bread, and cheese; butyric acid in butter; and acetic acid, which is diluted to make vinegar. It is said that just a few spoonfuls of vinegar and a slice of fermented bread can slow the digestion and absorption of sugar, reducing blood sugar peaks.
In longevity areas in Europe and the U.S., people mainly consume fermented dairy products. In Japan, miso, a fermented soybean product, is commonly eaten. Broadly speaking, countries with higher consumption of fermented foods have a much lower obesity rate than those with lower consumption.
Another source of the X-factor comes from the fermentation products produced by microorganisms in the human body. Carbohydrates can be fermented by microorganisms, so theoretically, all carbohydrates are potential X-factors. According to Estep, the most beneficial fermentable carbohydrates for humans are green leafy vegetables, grains, garlic, onions, and beans.
Estep also reminds us that the X-factor is often overlooked, yet it plays a crucial role in extending cognitive longevity.
You see, we often talk about longevity, but the true meaning of longevity isn’t just in the simple number of years, but in how long someone can live healthily. And health doesn’t just mean physical health; it also means a sharp mind. In other words, it’s about living as clearly as possible, keeping cognitive abilities, observational skills, judgment, and decision-making sharp.
Of course, cognitive development and decline are largely determined by genetics, but modern medicine tells us that gene expression is influenced by external factors, and the one factor we can most easily control is diet. In other words, you can improve your brain health by improving your diet. Eat more slow carbs, more plant protein, and focus on the X-factor—these may be your most accessible levers for cognitive longevity.
That’s all for today’s discussion on this topic.
Thank you for reading!
