Father of functional medicine Jeff Bland

A dog walk-run at dawn kicks offa day of nutrient-dense eating, finishing off with a leisurely storytelling supper

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So I've spent a lifetime figuring out the formula, and yes, it changes with age. These days, I start early.

I'm up around 6am. That way I can catch up with people on the East Coast, where it's already 9am, and I get a head start. I'm fortunate enough to live with my personal fitness trainer - our dog, Bucky. He needs his morning outing, so we go out together for a fast-paced walk-run, around two or three miles.

I'm usually back at my desk around 8am, and I follow a time-restricted eating pattern. I don't eat a traditional breakfast. My first meal is generally around 11 or 12, and my last will be 7pm. That's roughly a 16:8 fasting cycle - 16 hours of fasting, eight hours of eating time. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for younger people or those building muscle, but for people in my age group, it reduces the metabolic load on the body.

The key is eating nutrient-dense foods - staying away from processed items, high-fat and high-sugar foods, and obviously avoiding sweetened beverages. I'm a big believer in drinking water throughout the day and always keep a large container at my desk.