I wake up between 5.30 and 6am entirely naturally, no alarm clock needed. I dedicate the first one or two hours of the day to reading. This gives me time to start researching ahead of my day, either reading a bunch of articles from medical journals, going through different newspapers to find stories of interest, or looking at certain X or Bluesky accounts I follow. It’s my daily ritual.
Breakfast happens somewhere at this point. It will usually consist of yoghurt, some berries and a little bit of granola, with a couple of cups of coffee, of course.
I don’t take any supplements or nootropics. For people who are healthy on a balanced diet, I’m still waiting for some data to show any real value.
No matter what’s going on at work, I will almost always try and find time to do at least an hour of exercise. It’s usually in the afternoon at around 4 or 5pm. I’ll make sure I do both aerobic (on a stationary bicycle) and some strength and balancing.
The only wearable tech I’m using at the moment is an Oura ring and smart watch that tracks my sleep. I’m trying to amp up my deep sleep and these devices help me figure out how to get that up to a higher level. For example, Oura has helped me get into a much more regular pattern in my day to day, synchronising when I eat, hydrate and exercise — all these things interact. It’s helped my deep sleep considerably.
I’m a cardiologist, so tech in general makes up a big part of my day. In my medical practice, every patient I see will take a cardiogram when I see them. Very few cardiologists actually do this, but they should.
AI has also become an increasingly big part of my day to day at work, mostly for research. It’s been really helpful to promote individualised medicine in the field, as it can use many layers of data to forecast what a patient would need to do to stay healthy. This has been a revelation, showing people who are at risk how to help avoid type 2 diabetes and potentially preventing major diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer in the future.
Protein? You shouldn’t go crazy with that — I haven’t eaten red meat in 40 years.
My work can be stressful and exercising harder can help drain out the stress. A walk outside can also clear my head. We have beautiful beaches and nature in California where I live. I don’t have any mindfulness practice, so just being outdoors and trying to take it all in kind of replaces this.
While I’m not following any fasting protocols, I try not to have any food after an early dinner. Currently, I eat a mostly plant-based Mediterranean diet, which is heavy on legumes, fruit and whole grains. The field of medical science continues to learn a lot more about diet every day. And protein? You shouldn’t go crazy with that — I haven’t eaten red meat in 40 years.
On the weekends, I try to read more general books, rather than journals and research. I’ll also write for my own Substack called Ground Truths, which is where I will try to come up with something exciting in the biomedical world for people. Time with family and friends, social engagement, is how I tend to spend my Sundays — it helps reduce my stress levels.
I like to listen to podcasts too. I have been a guest on pretty much one every week since my book Super Agers was published. The problem with them is that they’re often too long. Give me 30 to 40 minutes max — some people want to talk for almost two hours.
If you want to live a healthy life, you need an optimal diet that is anti-inflammatory. Avoid ultra-processed foods and take moderate to vigorous exercise regularly. You basically need to treat your body as a temple.
Dr Eric Topol’s book Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity is published in the UK on June 19
