Wake Up

“I wake up at 8 am and have my first sip of coffee at 8:15”

Rhonda aims to get between 30 minutes and an hour of exposure to bright light in the morning. 

“Get bright Blue Light during the day, as early as possible, and avoid that same blue light as much as you can in the evenings.”

Oral Care

Dr. patrick incorporates a Waterpik into her dental hygiene regimen. Waterpiks provide a stream of high-pressure water to cleanse around the teeth and gums.

She also makes use of Xylitol gum and has successfully reversed two dental cavities– as confirmed by X-ray evidence, by including 1 gram of xylitol in her oral care strategy.

“ I use Per Gum, I love it.”

Coffee Consumption

Dr. Rhonda Patrick opts for a daily intake of 500 ml of dark roast coffee.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick the Advantages of Drinking Coffee:

“I may have another reason to love my morning cup of coffee! A very recent randomized controlled trial found consumption ofdark roast coffee brew(500 ml/day) for 1 month caused a 23% reduction in DNA damage in white blood cells compared to baseline levels. DNA damage can accelerate the aging process and lead to cancer.”

“Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day was linked with a longer lifespan and lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared with avoiding coffee.

• 27% lower all-cause mortality – ground coffee

• 11% lower all-cause mortality – instant

• 14% lower all-cause mortality – decaf”

Supplement Routine

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s morning supplement regimen includes:

• A multivitamin
• Fish oil, with 3 grams of Omega-3s, opting for a version with higher EPA
• Vitamin D, at about 5,000 IU daily
• Vitamin K2, specifically 45mg of MK4
• Lutein & Zeaxanthin, to support eye health
• Ubiquinol, 100 mg
• Additional Omega 3
• Sulforaphane, with a 20 mg dose of the free-form variety
• PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone), aimed at enhancing cognitive function and memory
• Berberine, 1,000 mg
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine, 500 mg
• Alpha Lipoic Acid
• Vitamin C
• Curcumin
• Probiotics

Dr. Patrick on Morning Supplements:

Multivitamins: Rhonda alternates between Pure Encapsulations ONE and Thorne’s Basic Nutrients 2/Day to overall health and prevent any micronutrient deficiencies.

Fish Oil: 

“I’ve takenfish oildaily for about 9 years now. Some of the studies that have kept me taking fish oil have to do, in particular, with brain health”

“I personally think [fish oil] is one of the most powerful, anti-inflammatory, dietary lifestyle things that we can get relatively easily that is going to powerfully modulate the way you think, the way you feel, and the way you age,”

Vitamin D:

“No discussion of nootropics would be complete if I didn’t at least briefly mention two hobby horses of mine:Vitamin D and omega-3. The effects of both of these are pretty far reaching and extend far, far beyond the realms of just cognition”

“The other really, really easy lifestyle change that I think has a potentially big impact, for many, many people, is probably taking avitamin D supplement.”

“I like my vitamin D levels to be between 40-60 ng/ml.”

Vitamin K2:

Takes Life Extension’s Vitamin K2 MK4 supplement paired with 4000 IU of vitamin D with vitamin K2 to achieve her desired blood level targets.

“I’ve personally found that the tolerable upper intake level recommended by the institute of medicine of just 4000 IU, usually taken with a vitamin K2 supplement, is actually the amount that lands me right in the middle of that target range.”

Lutein and Zeaxanthin:

Consumes 10 mg of Lutein and 2 mg of Zeaxanthin daily from Pure Encapsulations for eye health.

Ubiquinol:

Opts for Pure Encapsulations’ Ubiquinol-QH 100mg for its health benefits.

Omega 3:

“Approximately 8% of the brain’s weight is actually omega-3. The number of studies that demonstrate optimizing intake of omega-3 has some effect on cognition or behavior are extremely diverse”

Sulforaphane:

Incorporates sulforaphane through BROQ Tablets and Moringa Powder. She values it as a key nootropic for its health impacts.

“Getting past all of the usual suspects on our list of nootropics here, the other nootropic that I actually take frequently is sulforaphane” 

PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone):

Takes Life Extension’s PQQ 20mg capsules daily.

“Supplementation with PQQ decreased biomarkers of inflammation and oxidation and increased markers of microcondial activation in a small trial in humans”

Berberine:

Takes Thorne’s Berberine for its potential for reducing inflammation, atherosclerotic plaque, and improving cognitive function post-stroke.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine:

Uses Pure Encapsulations’ 500 mg supplement for its health advantages.

Alpha Lipoic Acid and Vitamin C:

Opts for Pure Encapsulations Alpha Lipoic and Vitamin C

Curcumin:

“I’ve foundCurcuminis actually very helpful.” “Right now the one I’m taking is the product from Thorne.”

“There have also been a couple of other clinical studies published looking at the efficacy of 1g of Meriva per day in reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis and increasing mobility.“

Probiotics:

Takes a weekly maintenance dose of VSL#3 for gut health.

“Sometimes I’ll also throw in the cereal concoction some yogurt and possibly a packet of the probiotic VSL#3, which contains 450 billion probiotic cells per serving”

Breastfeeding Supplement Routine

Dr. Patrick adopts a specific regimen during breastfeeding to support both her and her child’s health, including:

• • Thorne’s Basic Prenatal multivitamins
  • Norwegian Pure-3 DHA fish oil
  • Visbiome Probiotics
  • Thorne’s Vitamin D3
  • Life Extension’s PQQ
  • NOW’s Vitamin K2 MK7

Toddler Care Supplements

For her toddler, Rhonda chooses:

• • Pure Encapsulations multivitamins
  • Pure Encapsulations omega-3 fish oil
  • Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 gummies
  • Swanson chewable Vitamin C

Breakfast Smoothie

“My micronutrients smoothie that I drink every single morning the total volume is around 64 fluid ounces and I drink half of that and give the rest to my husband Dan”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Recipe for a Morning Smoothie:

• 8 large kale leaves, three cups of flax milk
• four rainbow chard leaves
• three cups of spinach
• a tomato
• two carrots
• an apple
• an avocado
• a cup of blueberries
• one banana
• one shot glass of flaxseed (optional)

Health benefits of Dr. Patrick’s Breakfast Smoothie:

“One common factor among all the green leafy vegetables in my smoothie is that they’re high in magnesium.” “Over 300 different enzymes in the body require magnesium to function properly. My micronutrient smoothie delivers around 588 milligrams of magnesium, which is above the recommended daily allowance.”

“The entire contents of this smoothie, which amount to around 64 fluid ounces, provide the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for several micronutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, alpha-linoleic acid, and fiber”

Intermittent Fasting Routine

“Time-restricted eating within a 10-hr window & fasting for 14-hrs a day without restricting calories altered the body’s production of proteins consistent with a reduced risk of developing chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and cognitive decline.”

“I aim for a 10-hour eating window and 14-hour night time fasting window. When I’m feeling especially motivated I eat within an 8 or 9-hour time window and fast for 15-16 hours during the night”

“I usually start my clock as soon as I wake up,” “and go by the strictest of definitions. If it’s not water, it breaks the fast.”

“If I eat within a nine-hour window and I go for a run the next morning, my endurance is very noticeably improved, like extremely noticeably improved,”

Dr Patrick on the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

“Recent studies suggest that…

 

• Eating within an 11-hour window was associated with a decreased breast cancer risk and reduction in recurrence by as much as 36%.
• Earlier meal timing associates with improved effectiveness of weight-loss therapy in overweight and obese patients.
• For each 3-hour increase in nighttime fasting duration was linked to a 20% lower odds of elevated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), which is a more long-term marker of blood glucose levels.
• For each 10% increase in the proportion of calories consumed after 5pm there was a 3% increase in the inflammatory biomarker c-reactive protein otherwise known as CRP.
• Eating one additional meal during the day (instead of the evening) was associated with an 8% decrease in CRP.
• Eating within a 12-hour window improved sleep and increased weight loss in normal-weight people.

 

As a rule of thumb, anything that has the potential to mitigate chronic systemic inflammation is something I personally consider worth trying to dial in since suppression of inflammation is thought to be one of the most important predictors of successful longevity that increases in importance with advancing age and also influences risk of cancer and even potentially mental health. So putting aside the potential to have better glucose control or protect myself from obesity without actually changing the composition of my diet, reducing systemic inflammation has a lot of appeal to me.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Exercise Routine

“I like to mix up my weekly exercise routine with aerobic exercise, high-intensity training, strength training, and yoga/ballet exercises. I usually do some form of exercise everyday even if it is only 15 minutes. I usually like to do a 20 to 30 minute sauna 3 times a week”

“Try to get some form of meaningfully vigorous cardiovascular exercise, at least 30 minutes, a few times per week.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick Pre-Workout Diet

Aerobic Activity: According to Dr. Patrick, consuming food prior to aerobic activities that last longer than an hour can be good and allow for longer performance. If the aerobic activity is less than an hour, Dr. Patrick notes that eating beforehand is less significant.

High Intensity Interval Training: For HIIT (high-intensity interval training), eating beforehand is less significant. However, after fasting for approximately sixteen hours, it’s important to consume protein within an hour post-exercise to restore depleted protein reserves.

Rhonda Discusses Her Exercise Routine and Its Benefits

Aerobic exercises: 

“Usually I go for about 3 mile run about three times a week. I’m not really an endurance athlete, clearly, but I do enjoy it for the cognitive boost it gives me.”

“Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase the growth of new neurons in the brain by two-fold. Aerobic exercise even starting in midlife has been shown to almost completely reverse the structural changes that occur in the brain with aging.”

“Exercise is the new probiotic. Aerobic exercise may be one of the most effective ways to promote gut health and help heal intestinal issues. Aerobic exercise increases butyrate-producing gut bacteria independent of diet. This reduces inflammation & promotes intestinal healing.”

 

HIIT Training:

“I do a lot of high-intensity interval Tabattas on a stationary cycle. I use Peloton because I just like that instructor there telling me what to do, and then me competing with everyone else. I’m like, ah, you know? So it works for me.”

“[Pleton] So there’s a bunch of people that are online, either doing the class with you at the same time or all time doing it, so you can kind of toggle on what you want, and you can try to compete against the all-time number.

“It’s 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, and it’s 10 minutes.” “I tend to do that at least three times a week”

“To try to get a little bit of high-intensity workout I’ll do squat jumps for a few of minutes at a time. High-Intensity training has been shown to improve learning and memory and when done for 8-20 minutes it increases the production of the neurotransmitters glutamate by 5% and GABA by 7%, as well as norepinephrine, a catecholamine involved in attention and focus.”

Strength Training Routine:

“I also lift some weights and do lunges and squats with weights either two to three times per week. It is really important to maintain muscle mass.”

 

Yoga and Ballet:

“ I do some yoga and ballet exercises 3-4 days a week. I really like to do these exercises because they increase my flexibility and tone very specific muscle groups. I like it… but your mileage may vary.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Post-workout Sauna Session:

“I always have my sauna on preheating up, takes about an hour and a half, and I get it to about 189 degrees Fahrenheit. I hop right in the sauna after my Peloton”

 “I literally down a bunch of water, and then I get in, and then I either read a science paper, prepare for a presentation or a podcast, or I hash over things in my mind.“

“I like to sauna after a workout. First, there’s entirely practical reasons: doing an intense sauna session prior to working out can increase exhaustion a little bit too quickly, making it very hard to finish a workout”

Sauna Routine

Dr. Patrick heats the sauna to approximately 186°F and remains inside for 20-30 minutes at a humidity level of 10-20%, repeating this routine three times a week.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Sauna Journey

Beginning in 2009, while in graduate school, Rhonda started incorporating sauna use into her routine. She is convinced that sauna sessions contribute to memory enhancement, stress reduction, and improved circulation, highlighting their role in stimulating the release of endorphins and norepinephrine. Rhonda attributes the primary advantages of sauna sessions to the direct heat exposure, leading her to favor hotter sauna settings. She also notes, “Heat exposure with appropriate cool down has helped me with aspects of my sleep.”

Rhonda Discusses on the Benefits of the Sauna

“I was very stressed out in graduate school. And this sauna started to really noticeably affect my anxiety and my ability to handle stress. And I was like, what is going on here?”

 “I remember things better after thinking about them in the sauna.” “I would use the sauna to memorize things. This is way back in the day, and I still do it.”

“When you get in the sauna, you release a lot of endorphins.“

 

“The possibility that that sauna use could play a role in mood and attention by increasing norepinephrine and affecting our sensitivity to and production of beta-endorphin, giving us a sort of runner’s high… the potential of which was something that initially appealed to me when experimenting with my own personal sauna use.”

“When you’re exercising, you’re elevating your core body temperature. You’re sweating. When you’re actually in the sauna, blood does get redistributed to the skin to facilitate sweating, but, much like exercise, blood flow, in general, is improved to the brain, to the muscles, everywhere”

Cardiovascular Benefits of Sauna Use

“Some of the positive benefits of sauna use on heart health may have to do with similar benefits seen with regular physical exercise. Heart rate can increase up to 100 beats per min during moderate sauna bathing sessions and up to 150 beats per min during more intense warm sauna use. 150 beats per minute corresponds to moderate-intensity physical exercise, which as we already know, also has a positive effect on cardiovascular health.”

“Heat stress from sauna use also increases plasma volume and blood flow to the heart, known as stroke volume. This results in reduced cardiovascular strain so your heart has to do less work for each beat that it does to pump oxygen-rich blood to your tissues and brain. Additionally, long-term sauna use has been shown to generally improve blood pressure, endothelial function, and left ventricular function.”

“For the minimal benefits of lower cardiovascular disease mortality, lower all-cause mortality, and lower Alzheimer’s disease risk, we have to address the literature that actually observed these effects. In this case, that would be 20 minutes at 174º F (or 79º C) 2-3 times per week. Remember, however, those that used the sauna for 4-7 times a week, had an even more robust effect”

Cold Therapy

Rhonda includes practices like ice baths in her routine for their positive effects on brain function and mood, frequently pairing them with sauna sessions for an enhanced mood boost. She observes that taking cold showers after intense sauna use effectively cools the body and stops excessive sweating.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick on the Benefits of Cold Therapy

“One of the main reasons I like to expose myself to the cold are the effects it seems to have on the brain, mood and possibly attention”

“I’ve personally done ice baths interspersed with sauna use Rick Rubin style and found it to be very, very enjoyable. It seemed to help me sleep better and I definitely felt like my mood was significantly affected for even the next 24 hours.”

“Something I’ve personally observed that’s sort of interesting is that after a sufficiently intense sauna session, it can be very hard to stop sweating even potentially hours after you’ve cooled down — unless you’ve had a very borderline painfully cold shower. For social reasons, at least for me personally, it can almost be a requirement.”

Lunch

“As a breakfast or lunch, I occasionally have an avocado topped with fresh lemon juice and wild Alaskan salmon roe, possibly accompanied by a side of sauerkraut”

Rhonda on her Nutrient-Rich Lunch

“Avocados are really high in potassium and provide all of the various forms of vitamin E” “The avocado is also a great source of monounsaturated fat.”

“Salmon roe caviar is a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids”

“The sauerkraut is a good source of fermentable fiber aka prebiotics.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick on the impact of processed carbohydrates

“I just mainly follow a rule of thumb that I should eliminate refined carbohydrates in particular, and refined sugar especially and then try to eat with a special attention to nutrient density.”

“In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to cut it out!! You will be so much healthier by just cutting out this one thing. Once you stop eating refined sugars foods begin to actually taste sweeter that’s a real effect that’s been shown in clinical studies.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick on Tracking Glucose Levels

Rhonda uses the Precision Xtra Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and recommends boosting dietary fiber to help lower blood sugar levels.

“I learned a lot from it as well in terms of foods that I have a bigger spike to, [after a meal]”

“One of the things that’s really consistent with lowering the [post-meal] glucose response is more fiber,”

Smoothie

For the last six years, Rhonda has consistently prepared her ‘micronutrient smoothie hack’ 4-5 times a week.

Rhonda chooses smoothies over juices.

“I have tried to stay away from juices because they remove the fiber matrix and this can change how glucose is absorbed.”

 

She shares many of her smoothie recipes on her YouTube channel,”FoundMyFitness”.

Dr. Rhonda Patrick on her “Micronutrient Smoothie”

“Do everything in your power to maximize vegetable intake, possibly using the micronutrient smoothie method as a way to jumpstart the habit.”

“The third huge lifestyle input that I think can make a big, big difference is simply doing whatever it takes to potentially triple the amount of vegetables you take in on a daily basis. For me, the way I’ve gone about this has been to make a habit out of creating a micronutrient smoothie, as I’ve termed it. Basically, I grab various combinations of vegetables and sometimes a few fruits to balance it out, drop them all into a powerful blender or food processor and drink, drink it down.”

Dr. Patrick on using smoothies as a partial meal replacement

“I often enjoy wedging a smoothie in, sometimes as a partial meal substitute, that is particularly focused on cramming in some extra servings of some fruits and vegetables. I consider this a pretty important lifestyle hack that can sort of just be thrown on top of whatever else you’re doing and will help recalibrate a lot of important health parameters in a useful way.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Favorite Smoothie Selections

“As a base, it can often contain kale, frozen berries, avocado, hydrolyzed collagen powder and water… then a number of variations on top of those.”

“I also make a broccoli sprout smoothie usually consisting of anywhere between 100 g fresh weight or sometimes a bit less of frozen since freezing them actually increases the sulforaphane content. I do this about 3 times a week usually.”

“There’s something about a good green juice. There may be a placebo component since I have a healthy amount of enthusiasm, but it really does make me feel good. I feel invigorated, motivated — all positive stuff.”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Green Juice Recipe:

• 1 organic spinach bunch
• 4 large organic celery stalks
• 1 bunch of organic Italian parsley
• 1 organic cucumber
• 1 small organic lemon
• serving of fresh organic ginger

Dinner

Dr. Rhonda Patrick on dinner preferences

“For dinner, I usually have some cooked vegetables like sauteed spinach which is very high in folate (as are all greens).”

“Sometimes, instead, I’ll have some collard greens, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, parsnips (of course, since these are all cruciferous vegetables I eat these usually with mustard powder sprinkled on top since that provides an additional source of myrosinase).”

“Or, instead, I’ll have a big salad full of greens”

“For my protein, I often have a big serving of baked wild Alaskan salmon. I try to eat salmon 2-3 times per week, which is what the American Heart Association recommends”

“Another protein that I rotate for dinner is chicken legs from pasture-raised chicken”

“Sometimes I throw the chicken bones in some water with some spices and vegetables and make chicken bone soup”

“Finally, I also sometimes have a grass-fed filet steak a few times per month”

Dr. Rhonda Patrick on  Discusses the benefits of her evening meals

• Cruciferous vegetables: “Cruciferous vegetables, in general, are among my favorite types of vegetables to eat because they contain isothiocyanates.”
• Folate:“Folate provides a precursor that makes a DNA nucleotide called thymine.”
• Green Salad:”Provides me with a cornucopia of micronutrients including folate, magnesium, calcium, vitamin K1, lutein, zeaxanthin and sulfoquinovose, a prebiotic that feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut.”
• Pasture-raised chicken:“I like because in addition to the protein I also get some cartilage which is high in collagen, proline, and glycine”
• Chicken: “Chicken is also very high in selenium which is a cofactor needed for all glutathione-related enzymes to work and also has a modest amount of zinc, copper, and iron.”
• Grass-fed filet Steak:“is a good source of vitamin b12, iron, and zinc. ~16% of all menstruating women are actually iron deficient”

Rhonda on eating late at night

“Eating late at night also may “reset” peripheral clocks and result in misalignment of metabolism, which means when you wake up your metabolism is already at end of its cycle.”

Nighttime Supplements

Extra Omega-3 Intake: Rhonda adds another 3 grams of fish oil to her regimen, choosing a version with increased DHA content.

Magnesium Supplement: She consumes 120 mg of Magnesium Glycinate.

Sleep Aid Supplements

Rhonda uses Moon Juice’s Magnesi-Om for her nightly routine.

To avoid caffeine, she prefers a nootropic beverage with less caffeine for an afternoon boost. She dubs it “brain dynamite” because the energized feeling it gives her.

Initially, she utilized a low-dose melatonin supplement (300 mcg from Life Extension) but switched to a higher dosage (9 mg) to help with night terrors.

Rhonda Discusses Using Magnesi-Om by Moon Juice

“I take a supplement called Magnesi-Om by Moon Juice, which is in the form of a powder. It contains a touch of monk fruit and has a pleasant taste. I usually consume it a little before bedtime, although I make sure there’s a considerable gap since I prefer not to have excessive fluids right before sleep. The supplement includes magnesium threonate along with other types of magnesium. I find it quite appealing. The aspect that caught my attention was the inclusion of magnesium threonate”

Rhonda’s Recipe for a Nootropic Beverage:

• Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Her Favorite is Laird’s Performance Mushrooms blend.
• Cocoavia Cocoa Powder: She uses one sachet.
• A balanced blend of coconut powder and MCT powder.
• Stevia: Included to enhance flavor.
• Cinnamon powder
• Water

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Sleep Tips

Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s Tips for Enhanced Sleep Quality

Rhonda emphasizes the importance of receiving 30 to 60 minutes of bright light exposure in the morning to set the body’s circadian rhythm.

To avoid blue light at night, she uses Philips Hue bulbs that emit red light in the evening hours to encourage sleepiness. Additionally, she suggests installing dimmers and considers light-blocking goggles as a viable option.

She advocates for a two-hour screen-free window before bed, pointing out that the issue isn’t just the light from screens; these devices can also increase anxiety and disrupt relaxation.

For pre-sleep relaxation, Rhonda recommends engaging with print materials, whether scientific literature or fiction, to improve sleep quality.

Highlighting the benefits of a cooler sleeping environment (60-67°F or 15-19°C), she notes that this supports the body’s natural temperature decrease during sleep.

Living in San Diego, CA, she uses an Eight Sleep cover that circulates water to maintain a constant temperature, ensuring comfortable sleep despite external temperature changes.

To achieve total darkness in her bedroom, she uses blackout curtains or sleep masks to block out even minimal light.

For ambient noise, Rhonda uses high-quality earplugs or white noise generated by a machine or app to ensure a sound sleep.

She also follows a time-restricted feeding schedule, finishing her last meal at least three hours before bedtime, which aids in reducing nighttime digestion and can lead to improved sleep quality.

Rhonda’s Advice for Improving Sleep Quality

“Early bright light exposure, limiting evening light exposure, decreasing the temperature of the room in which we sleep, reducing our anxiety, and restricting the intake of substances that alter our alertness can improve our sleep.”

“There may be a sleep “sweet spot” with too little or too much sleep associated with impaired brain function. Older adults who consistently get 6-8 hours of sleep per night delay cognitive dysfunction and have sharper brains.”