A 64-year-old grandmother of 11 has become one of the buzziest names in the longevity world by beating billionaires at antiaging with a simple and inexpensive routine.
Amy Hardison is reigning in a top spot in the "Rejuvenation Olympics," an online leaderboard where people can submit their health stats to show how they've slowed or reduced markers of biological aging.
Earlier this month, she ranked fifth, one spot ahead of the tech exec Bryan Johnson, 46, whose famously intense and costly routine has involved more than 100 daily supplements as well as infusions of blood from his teenage son.
Hardison's results, generated from blood samples and other tests, showed she'd improved major markers of aging, such as cellular senescence (or "zombie" cells that linger and cause damage), telomere shortening, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
No one is more surprised than Hardison herself, who told Business Insider she isn't competitive and doesn't even want to live past 100.
"I actually had no clue," she said. "My daughter told me: 'Mom, this is kind of a big deal. The guy just underneath you, he spends $2 million a year to get these kinds of results.'"
In contrast, Hardison said she spends about $300 a month on supplements. The rest of her longevity routine costs little or nothing to follow, and there's good science to suggest her habits have helped keep her young and healthy.
"My philosophy is, find what you love, find something that works for you that you could do long term over your life, and be moderate," she said.
Her diet includes big salads, chocolate, and homemade bread
The foundation of a healthy life is a reliable routine, plenty of homemade bread, and a little treat every day, Hardison said.
She said she's been a health-conscious eater since she was a teen, watching fad diets come and go. She swears by a moderate approach, using principles of intuitive eating while also being mindful of nutrition.
"I'll listen to my body. I will only eat what I love. I savor what I eat," she said.
These days, she wakes up around 6 a.m. While one of the biggest longevity trends, intermittent fasting, involves waiting to eat until a certain time of day, Hardison isn't about that life and starts her day with a big slice of toast and a glass of chocolate milk.
The bread for her toast is always homemade and whole wheat since she isn't a fan of processed foods.
"We don't eat out a lot just because I think my food's better and I think it's healthier. And I cook because if I'm going to eat, I want it to be good," Hardison said.
She also has a big salad for lunch or dinner most days, loaded with veggies, berries, chicken for protein, and some nuts and cheese. Later in the day, she enjoys another slice of bread.
For dessert, she has a piece of chocolate or a homemade cookie. "I can't think of the last time I went a day without my little sweet treat," she said.
Her supplement routine includes magnesium and ginger
Hardison initially got involved with the Rejuvenation Olympics after participating in a clinical trial with the longevity-supplement brand NOVOS (who coordinated the interview with BI).
Previously, she'd never even taken vitamins.
Her current regimen includes three NOVOS products (Core, Boost, and Vital), which cost about $160 a month.
They include ingredients such as:
- Magnesium, which research suggests is good for healthy bones and regulates blood pressure and blood sugar.
- L-theanine, which is linked to alertness, stress reduction, and a healthy brain.
- Ginger, which is rich in antioxidants and supports good digestive health.
- Fisetin, which is an inflammation-fighting compound found naturally in strawberries, onions, and apples.
A gentle mix of cardio and high-intensity training
Hardison's typical workout involves an hour at a moderate pace on the elliptical while listening to audiobooks, followed by short periods of higher intensity. When the weather allows, she does her cardio in the pool instead. She also spends 20 to 30 minutes a day stretching for better mobility.
Over time, she's adjusted her exercise habits to fit her schedule (aiming for 30 minutes when she was a busy mom, for instance) but always makes time for movement.
"It's an integral part of my day, and it's so much fun for me. I think it's important to find what you love enough that you look forward to it," she said.
Don't try to live forever
Unlike many longevity gurus or biohacking enthusiasts, Hardison said she isn't interested in being forever young.
"Growing old is amazing, and it's wonderful," she said. "You can only get how sweet it is to have had the experience of life, the good, the bad, the hard things, you only get that by doing it."
Her parents lived into their 90s but, over time, experienced cognitive decline that severely affected their ability to enjoy the things they used to.
"I do not want to go through what they went through," Hardison said. "People that maybe are my kid's generation, they're like, 'Well, don't you want to live to 130?' No, I don't."
Instead, she's focusing on finding a balance of habits that keep her healthy and able to bask in the life and relationships she's built over the years.
"I'm not trying to stave off old age," she said. "I think this is the best age ever."
Correction: June 26, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Bryan Johnson's age. He's 46, not 45.
