I’m a 64-year-old grandmother with a much younger biological age – these are my ways to look young

Millionaire biohackers may have more money, but grandma has the goods.

Amy Hardison, 64, a grandmother of 11, is putting anti-aging enthusiasts like Bryan Johnson to shame by recently defeating the tech mogul in a Game of Thrones biometric.

“I just appreciate life experience and I appreciate the perspective that comes from being older,” Hardison, of Mesa, Arizona, recently told Fortune.

She is a leading contender in the Rejuvenation Olympics, an online competition from Novos that encourages its more than 4,000 participants — including Johnson, 47, and longevity expert Peter Diamandis, 63 — to change their biological ages through lifestyle changes. healthy. .a

“Sometimes we forget the richness that comes from a life well lived,” said Hardison, a married mother of four.

And according to the leaderboard, her cup runs out: the boomer was ranked fifth in the daily challenge for most of last year.

She even held for a while the place no. 4 on the longevity list

Johnson, 47, who spends $2 million a year to maintain his youth and undergoes blood transfusions with his teenage son, was ranked first and fell as low as sixth in the competition.

The ranking is measured by biomarkers found in each participant’s blood work, which is routinely tested by TruDiagnostics’ epigenetic specialists, who analyze a person’s DNA to understand their biological aging and disease risks.

“Biological age measures the cellular and molecular age of your body, which may differ from your actual age,” according to the researchers. “It can change due to lifestyle choices, health factors and other influences.

“Measuring biological age through methylation is highly accurate and predictive of future health, disease risk, and even longevity.”

But Hardison, unlike her wealthier contenders, hasn’t spent millions on scientific gimmicks and techniques meant to stay young forever.

In fact, the West Coast girl wasn’t all that interested in longevity until two years ago, when her son-in-law, Eric, suggested she try the lifelong Olympics.

Upon submitting her blood sample for testing, the grandmother was tickled to learn that she is only aging at a rate of 0.74 each chronological year – meaning she is aging just nine months out of every 12.

If she ages at this rate throughout her life, her 64-year-old body would now be “age” 48.

“I just laughed,” Hardison told Fortune. “It was quite ironic that I did it because I’ve never been into taking vitamins and supplements.”

However, she is taking care of herself with these health hacking habits.

Exercise for 60 minutes or more

Exercising is a mainstay of Hardison’s schedule, she revealed to the Daily Mail. The former stay-at-home mom works up a sweat on the treadmill or elliptical for an hour each day.

At 7 and 127 kilos, the weight-conscious beauty, who also takes 75 minutes of swimming for fitness, incorporates interval training into most of her workouts.

“I [go] hard for a minute, then go at a medium speed for a minute, then 30 seconds hard and then 30 seconds normal – repeating these cycles for an hour,” said Hardison. “A medical professional told me that some type of interval training was good for my brain health, and I’ve felt the difference.”

Take care of your mind

“I’m very keen to keep my brain active, to study, learn and engage my mind,” Hardison said.

To stay sharp, the Arizonan often listens to audiobooks during her workouts and reads World War II memoirs and novels in her spare time.

Maintaining her cognitive health became key for Hardison after watching her late mother and 74-year-old brother suffer from dementia; her father also suffered a steady mental decline after a series of strokes.Â

Stock up on supplements

At the urging of her son-in-law Eric, Hardison has happily dabbled in anti-aging pills.

“I start taking so-called longevity supplements, which contain ingredients like magnesium, ginger, L-theanine and fisetin, and now I spend about $100 a month on them,” she said, adding that her get them from Novos. .a

“As I understand it, magnesium supports a healthy metabolism and regulates blood pressure and blood sugar levels; ginger may protect against cell damage and improve blood sugar regulation; L-theanine can help reduce stress and anxiety, and fisetin is a natural antioxidant found in things like strawberries, Hardison continued. “It appears to reduce the amount of senescent cells, which damage nearby healthy cells and accelerate the aging process.”

Do less, move more

While staying physically and mentally fit is a must, Hardison says keeping her heart happy by spending time with her loved ones is also a game changer.

“If you live a contributing life, filled with people you love, you’ll feel better,” she advised, praising her “best friendship” with her now grown brood — ages 45 to 37 — and a special one-on-one time with her 11 grandchildren.Â

“My mantra this year has been to do less, love more,” Hardison added. “I’ve found myself sitting more with my husband, holding hands, just being with him.

“We’ve been married for 46 years and while sometimes life gets less exciting as you get older, it can also get a lot richer.”

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

Munching on chocolate treats three times a day is how Hardison keeps stress at bay, she says, claiming she carefully indulges in the sweet stuff morning, noon and night.

“People are usually surprised when I say that I start the day with chocolate milk and a slice of bread, but I believe that eating is one of the joys of life, so I don’t want to take away everything that is.” it’s fun.â€

The housewife makes her own bread, eats hearty salads packed with nutrient-dense greens and protein, weighs her food to control portions, and rarely dines out. As a Mormon, she also avoids alcohol, drinking eight glasses of water each day.

But when it comes to chocolate, she’s a little more liberal

“I tend to keep my desserts under 100 calories,” Hardison said, “but sometimes I’ll make chocolate chip cookies, which are 150 calories each, or homemade ice cream (200 calories a serving) €

Focus on the present, not the future

“I’m not the typical anti-aging person who wants to live forever, and I’m not in competition with anyone,” said the Rejuvenation Olympian.

And while people like Johnson aspire to live past the age of 120, Hardison would be happy once she reaches her mid-80s.

“If I live to be 84 or 85, that would be enough; I don’t need more than that, – she said. “I think if you worry about the future, you’re sacrificing your enjoyment of the present.

“I think you’re going to get old eventually, and genetics and accidents are going to play their part, so you just have to roll with it and be happy.”