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Lewis HowesDO THIS First Thing In The Morning To REVERSE YOUR AGE| Dave Asprey
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Chapter summaries
What makes the Standard American Diet “the worst”: seed oils, industrial meat, then sugar
Dave Asprey ranks what he sees as the most destructive elements of the Standard American Diet and explains why he thinks they harm energy and metabolism. He places seed oils first, industrially raised meat second, and sugar third, while emphasizing that none are ideal.
- •Dave Asprey calls seed oils the biggest problem and says they contribute to insulin resistance and “subpar” mitochondria
- •He names canola, corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oils as common examples in restaurants and packaged foods
- •He argues industrially raised meat contains xenoestrogens, antibiotics, cortisol, and glyphosate exposure from feed
- •He says sugar is addictive and harmful but claims it’s less destructive than seed oils, while still recommending avoiding both
Why he calls veganism “the second worst” for people trying to be healthy
Lewis Howes asks why Dave Asprey sees the vegan diet as problematic. Dave responds using his own experience as a raw vegan and argues the diet creates deficiencies and cravings for many people.
- •Dave Asprey says he was a devout raw vegan for more than a year and felt constantly hungry
- •He claims vegans don’t get essential fats the body needs and that plant oils aren’t compatible with human biology
- •He argues converting plant omega-3s to “the good ones” is inefficient and often doesn’t work well
- •He says anti-nutrients in plants can drive cravings and interfere with mineral absorption
Animal agriculture, soil, and the ethics argument he makes against all-vegan systems
Dave Asprey expands his critique beyond individual health to agriculture and ethics. He argues animals are necessary for soil health and claims deaths-per-calorie can be higher for processed grain-based foods due to habitat disruption.
- •Dave Asprey says animals and their manure are needed to maintain topsoil over the long term
- •He argues a fully vegan system would reduce animals and eventually harm soil-building processes
- •He compares deaths-per-calorie between grass-fed meat and processed grain/soy products, citing habitat disruption and tractor kills
- •He frames his preference as minimizing suffering by buying local, eating less meat, and choosing grass-fed options
mTOR, protein, and why he says fasting is the “solution” to diet extremes
Dave Asprey describes mTOR as a growth signal and links chronic elevation to cancer risk while also warning about frailty if it stays suppressed. He proposes cycling and timing—fasting, exercise, and coffee—to manage mTOR and training adaptations.
- •Dave Asprey explains mTOR rises more with animal protein and says chronic elevation is tied to cancer
- •He says plant-based low-protein approaches can suppress mTOR but may lead to frailty if it never rises
- •He outlines three mTOR suppressors he emphasizes: fasting, exercise, and coffee
- •He describes a daily timing example: stop eating after dinner, fast to ~16 hours, do a brief heavy workout, then eat
His “three hacks” to make fasting easier: black coffee, Bulletproof coffee, and prebiotic fiber
Dave Asprey lays out three allowable additions during a fast—framed as improving performance while keeping fasting benefits. He argues fasting is broken by insulin or mTOR changes more than by calories alone and says these tools reduce hunger and increase focus.
- •Dave Asprey says black coffee during a fast can make fasting work better and claims caffeine can increase ketone production
- •He argues fasting is primarily disrupted by insulin or mTOR increases, and says coffee has nominal calories
- •He describes Bulletproof coffee (MCT oil plus a small amount of grass-fed butter) as not raising insulin or mTOR while increasing ketones
- •He introduces prebiotic soluble fiber as feeding gut bacteria, suppressing hunger, and supporting ketosis via short-chain fatty acids
Fast-friendly prebiotic fiber, gut bacteria, and hunger control (before the sponsor segment)
Dave Asprey goes deeper into why he thinks soluble fiber matters, particularly for appetite and gut bacteria diversity. He frames it as a way to stay fasted while improving satiety and digestive regularity.
- •Dave Asprey says most people don’t get enough prebiotic fiber and often rely on whole grains with irritants
- •He claims soluble fiber suppresses hunger and supports longevity, calling it central to his anti-aging approach
- •He describes adding fiber to water, coffee, or tea as carbs the body can’t digest, leaving it for gut bacteria
- •He claims higher fiber intake can improve bowel regularity and reduce cravings
Gut bacteria as “puppet masters” and how energy affects willpower and behavior
Lewis Howes and Dave Asprey discuss three core survival drives and connect them to impulses and self-control. They frame cravings, reactivity, and compulsive behavior as influenced by gut bacteria and energy availability.
- •Lewis Howes outlines three survival behaviors: fight/flight, eating to avoid starvation, and reproduction
- •Dave Asprey relates shameful behaviors to those categories, including past sugar cravings
- •Lewis Howes argues bacteria influence behavior and that “willpower” depends on having enough energy
- •They describe how low energy increases impulsive decisions like overeating or saying things you regret
Synergy over single hacks: temperature stress, cold showers, and a minimalist exercise approach
Dave Asprey responds to Lewis’s observation that he looks younger by discussing how biohacking often works through combined effects rather than one variable. He highlights brief temperature stress and targeted exercise as tools to strengthen mitochondria.
- •Dave Asprey says it’s hard to isolate one intervention because synergy and amplification matter
- •He recommends brief cold exposure (like turning the shower cold for a minute at the end) rather than long cold showers
- •He connects cold exposure to mitochondrial stress, apoptosis, reduced inflammation, and improved clarity
- •He cites research he’s seen suggesting 20 minutes of walking can increase mitochondrial function and warns about overtraining without recovery
Sprint-and-recover training, lifting heavy briefly, and his personal body transformation
Dave Asprey explains two “kick your ass” exercise methods: sprint intervals with rapid recovery and short heavy lifting sessions. He also shares personal history about previously weighing 300 pounds and later gaining muscle with specialized methods.
- •Dave Asprey recommends 60-second sprints and suggests lying down or sitting after sprints to speed recovery
- •He links the post-sprint recovery strategy to heart rate variability and cardiac recovery
- •He suggests lifting heavy for 15 minutes or less while keeping muscles engaged continuously
- •He shares he used to weigh 300 pounds and describes the psychological adjustment after losing weight
Brain training and “40 Years of Zen”: neurofeedback, stress resilience, and a quieter mind
Dave Asprey describes creating a neurofeedback-based program and claims it can train a “Zen state” quickly. He links improved mitochondrial performance to better brain function and explains how reduced cravings and fear free up cognitive energy.
- •Dave Asprey says he built “40 Years of Zen” using EEG measurement and customized training hardware/software
- •He claims the training can produce changes akin to decades of daily Zen practice in five days
- •He connects brain electricity and performance to mitochondria and energy production
- •He describes feeling less stressed and more grounded during high-pressure work, attributing it to training and fewer cravings
The “seven pillars” of aging: mitochondria, amyloid ‘straitjackets,’ zombie cells, and cellular junk
Lewis asks for Dave Asprey’s framework for aging, and Dave begins listing his seven categories. He explains amyloid-like protein crosslinks across the body, senescent “zombie cells,” and waste buildup inside cells as key aging mechanisms.
- •Dave Asprey lists mitochondria first and frames aging partly as insufficient energy to repair cells
- •He describes “cellular straitjackets” as cross-linked proteins (amyloid-like) forming throughout the body over time
- •He attributes straitjackets to chronic inflammation and says diet and allergens can contribute to that inflammation
- •He describes “zombie cells” as senescent cells that should die but don’t, and links fasting/autophagy to clearing them
From toxins and telomeres to expensive interventions: stem cells, ozone, peptides, and Epitalon
Dave Asprey continues the aging framework with intracellular and extracellular waste and toxin accumulation, then discusses telomere biology and interventions. He shares examples ranging from detox binders to peptides and a costly whole-body stem-cell procedure.
- •Dave Asprey describes intracellular junk filling lysosomes and suggests reducing sugar spikes and avoiding burned foods to limit AGE buildup
- •He discusses toxin accumulation over time, including heavy metals, and mentions using binders like activated charcoal and fiber
- •He explains telomeres and the Hayflick limit, noting the cancer-risk tradeoff of excessive regeneration
- •He names Epitalon as a peptide he says lengthens telomeres, and also mentions BPC-157 and TB500 for healing
Fasting personalization: matching stress, sleep, and readiness to the day (and avoiding the ‘fasting trap’)
Dave Asprey argues fasting should be adapted to daily circumstances rather than rigidly enforced. He describes the risks of over-fasting and how cycling helps preserve sleep quality, hormones, and overall resilience.
- •Dave Asprey says the right fast depends on the day and warns against fasting hard after major circadian stress
- •He compares fasting to exercise: too little or too much reduces benefits, and timing matters
- •He describes the “fasting trap”: if something feels good, people overdo it and eventually crash
- •He says over-fasting can degrade sleep quality, disrupt hormones (including menstrual regularity), and increase cortisol-related effects like hair thinning
Anti-aging benefits he attributes to intermittent fasting—and his “non-negotiables” for inflammation and cravings
Dave Asprey describes how he believes fasting improves insulin sensitivity, autophagy, stem cells, and other markers tied to aging. He then lists foods and ingredients he considers especially damaging for mitochondria and inflammation, including MSG, damaged fats, and gluten.
- •Dave Asprey says intermittent fasting helps prevent insulin resistance and reduces AGE formation from blood sugar spikes
- •He links longer fast effects to ketosis, energy shifts away from digestion, and heightened perception
- •He claims nicotine is a mitochondrial stimulant in low doses and contrasts its short-lived harm with fried food’s longer impact (as a comparison, not as an endorsement)
- •He names MSG, damaged/overheated fats, burned foods, artificial sweeteners, and gluten as key items to avoid due to inflammation and mitochondrial effects
