December 21st, 2025 is the Winter Solstice, a traditional Chinese festival， marking the official start of winter. On this day, every family eats dumplings.
A dumpling service store at my friend's house (a family-style restaurant that caters to people in the neighborhood who don't have time to cook) ，however, was unusually quiet. He sighed, "This year, most of our business has been snatched away by cheaper meals on the food delivery platforms."
I can't help but ponder: In today's era of growing health awareness, why do so many consumers still flock to cheap takeout that may not be healthy?
Are we really willing to sacrifice our future health for a little money and time saved?
Coincidentally, I came across the story of Dr. Eric Verdin, the CEO of the 【Buck Institute for Research on Aging】.
He has demonstrated through his own practice that the clock of aging is not entirely set by genes; lifestyle, especially diet, is the pointer that can be adjusted.
At the age of 68, he has successfully maintained his biological age within the range of 48 to 53 through scientific habits.
Who wouldn't want to stay young as they age? If we can lay a solid foundation for health and longevity through adjustments to our daily diet, perhaps we won't have to overly rely on "medical aesthetics" to fight the passage of time.
Dr. Verdin's core concept is not complicated: follow the Mediterranean diet and resolutely avoid three types of "age accelerators".
▎Foundation: Embrace the "Mediterranean Diet", returning to the essence of food
The Mediterranean diet has been ranked as the world's best diet by "U.S. News & World Report" for eight consecutive years.
Its essence lies in consuming a large amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and fish, which are rich in high-quality protein.
It is cooked with healthy fats such as olive oil, and has a light yet rich flavor.
This is in sharp contrast to many of our takeout and traditional Chinese dishes.
The latter, in an attempt to achieve the ultimate "deliciousness", often uses excessive oil, salt, sugar, and a large amount of compound seasonings.
Although it satisfies the taste buds, it may mask the original flavor of the food and also increases the metabolic burden on the body.
Our reflection: This is not to deny Chinese cuisine, but to inspire us to adopt the "lightness" philosophy of the Mediterranean diet when cooking at home - less processed ingredients and more natural ingredients.
When we cook at home and have control over the amounts of oil, salt, and sugar used, we are taking the most proactive step in preventing chronic diseases such as high blood sugar and high blood pressure.
Regarding the significant weight change after changing my eating habits, I have a very personal experience. As mentioned in the article "The kitchen is a person's stage...",
▎The three "age accelerators" to avoid
On the basis of adhering to a correct diet pattern, avoid the following three types of foods, and the effect will be twice as good with half the effort.
1、 ultra-processed foods:The delicious trap
Dr. Verdin suggests avoiding fast food and "ultra-processed foods".
These foods typically contain very little fiber but are rich in the "deadly combination" of fat, sugar and salt, making them highly addictive and leading to excessive consumption.
Studies have linked them to 32 health problems such as obesity, cancer and depression.
This can't help but remind people of the recent online controversy regarding "pre-prepared food".
The cause of the incident was as follows:
When consumers dine at a restaurant and pay a high price expecting freshly prepared meals, what they receive instead is industrialized pre-prepared products.
Consumers complained, leading to widespread public discussion.
This is not only a matter of commercial integrity, but also raises our vigilance against the "industrialization" of food:
What do we consume? Is it nutrition, or a series of chemical additives and excessive seasonings?
2、 Juice: The "sugar water" that has lost its essence
Dr. Verdin suggests eating fruits instead of drinking juice.
The process of juicing discards the most valuable dietary fiber, allowing you to unknowingly consume the concentrated sugar from multiple fruits, causing a sudden spike in blood sugar levels.
In the long run, this may increase insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes.
The beauty of fiber lies in its ability to slow down sugar absorption, allowing the body to respond steadily.
In contrast, the harmful principles of the numerous sugary beverages and milk teas available on the market are similar.
In fact, we have healthier options: for example, you can make your own unsweetened soy milk at home using a soy milk maker, or juice with fresh vegetables and fruits (while retaining the fiber), which allows you to enjoy the flavor while maintaining good health.
When it comes to the soy milk maker/breaking-wall machine, it is one of the essential tools in my kitchen.
A few years ago, I bought two soy milk makers for both my father and myself. Later, with technological advancements, we upgraded our machines to a new model without filter residue. Then, my father's machine was improperly used and developed cracks, so I exchanged it for a more lightweight and stylish breaking-wall machine for him .
As for my old one, it was just the lid that was broken. So, I simply replaced the old lid with the one from my father's discarded machine and it continued to serve its purpose. purpose.
The invention of the blender has truly given us the freedom to make our own beverages. It's like if you are used to drinking freshly ground homemade coffee, you would find it very difficult to go back to drinking instant coffee.
For the blender turns various vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other nutritional supplements into highly nutritious and concentrated beverages. The article
【“Transform Your Blender into a "Natural Pharmacy" for Anti-Aging and Chronic Disease Prevention”】{click to read} provides a detailed introduction.
3、 Alcohol: The "Social Lubricant" with No Safety Limit
Dr. Verdin used to be a wine enthusiast, but after a month-long attempt to quit drinking, he experienced better energy and sleep. Since then, he has stopped drinking.
The scientific community has increasingly come to the consensus that there is no safe dosage for alcohol.
The World Health Organization has already classified it as a first-class carcinogen, and the US authorities also emphasized its carcinogenic risk again in 2025.
Interestingly, the market seems to be confirming this trend.
The proportion of young people drinking alcohol has decreased this year, and even the stock prices of leading liquor companies have fluctuated frequently.
This might indicate that a more sober and health-conscious social culture is emerging.
▎Summary: Your plate is in your hands
Dr. Verdin's experience has proved to us that maintaining a youthful state is a journey of choice. For ordinary people, there is no need for expensive supplements.
Instead, in your three meals a day,
- choose whole foods rather than processed "products";
- Choose the original flavor of the ingredients, rather than strong seasonings;
- Choose refreshing nourishment, rather than indulgent escape.
From today on, every time you order food or cook, you are casting a vote for your future health.
When cheap takeout tries to exchange our health for temptation, at least we can remember: True "good value" is investing in a younger and more energetic self from the inside out.
Youth is not an unreachable dream. It begins with the food you serve yourself at this moment.
---Extended reading：
Blender, a great kitchen gadget, is definitely something you should have to accompany your healthy lifestyle. For more beautiful models of blenders, you can browse them on Amazon. Click here.
The tools I mentioned here are part of my curated toolkit. If you're interested, I've compiled them all on My everyday toolkit Page for easy access.”