Welcome to another edition of the Doctor’s Note where we talk about what’s on our minds when it comes to your health.
“Nobody knows who you are or how you feel better than you do.” says Donovan Duncan, longtime patient, friend, and star of this week’s podcast called Senior Moments. Donovan is 82 years old and lives like he’s 60. When he first came to see me as a patient, he had a list of vitamins a mile long that he swore by, and I thought he was crazy! That was twenty years ago. Today I’m not only on the Donovan train, but driving it with my own Doctor Rogers’ vitamins!
Longevity is a field of medicine that teaches us how to live longer and healthier lives. No better way to learn that than by listening to people who are doing it. Donovan Duncan is an avid reader, a lifetime learner, and an exercise enthusiast. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s back on the podcast at 110!
PODCAST NOTES
- Donovan Duncan’s vitamin journey began in 1984 after reading LifeExtension: A Practical Scientific Approach by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw. The book contained data promoting the theory that free radicals are the primary cause of aging and recommended vitamin supplements to prevent the damage. “I started taking one or two vitamins, and now I’m up to about 40 a day.”
- Duncan’s top vitamins are: Multivitamin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, and Magnesium.
- Stay active! Stress is the number one toxin. His biggest advice for handling stress is to EXERCISE. He likes to walk on a treadmill with dumbbells. He’s also huge on body weight exercises at home. It doesn’t have to be fancy!
- Stay flexible! Donovan does yoga 2-3 times a week!
- Stay strong! So many deaths start with someone falling. As we get older, balance is so important. Balance comes from strength.
- Donovan has had a quadruple bi-pass (his dad died at age 42 from a heart attack) and a hip replacement. He attributes his quick recovery to diet, vitamins, and exercise. “It’s like putting money in the bank. You are building stuff into your body that you can draw on when your body really, really needs it.”
As I get older, I’m so encouraged by people like Donovan who take control of their own health and do the research. That is the key to longevity. DO the research! I couldn’t be more proud to say I’m Donovan Duncan’s doc.
Stay educated. Stay healthy.
Till next week.
Full conversation on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBj99fcJO50&t=12s