28 October 2011

@TEDMED: Catching up with A.J. Jacobs, the “healthiest person alive”

At the TEDMED conference, TED’s own Nafissa caught up with writer AJ Jacobs, whose TEDTalk describes his “year of living biblically” …

What are the new projects you’ve been working on since your latest TEDtalk?

I just finished my book Drop Dead Healthy, about my quest to be the healthiest person alive. Also continuing to write for Esquire magazine. I recently wrote an article about one of my misadventures in Hollywood.

What are the challenges of living healthy? Would you like to continue with this healthy lifestyle even after you finish your project and publish your book?

One of the biggest challenges is finding time to fit in all the healthy activities you’re supposed to do. If you follow all the experts’ advice, it’s a 24-hour-a-day job. You have to exercise, prepare meals of whole foods, chew each bite 30 times, meditate, pet dogs (lowers the blood pressure), have sex (good for preventing heart disease), stretch, wash your hands thoroughly, floss, put on sunscreen (a shot glassful every four hours), nap (good for brain and heart) and on and on.

I’m not keeping all of my healthy habits, but I’m definitely keeping a whole bunch. For instance, I now try to move more. I walk, I climb stairs. I write and send emails at my treadmill desk. In fact, I find it hard to work at a regular desk nowadays.

Do you like a different person/different writer because you feel different? more healthy? :)

I’m definitely healthier. I lost 20 pounds. My wife no longer asks if I’m pregnant, which is nice. I’m also fitter (though admittedly, that’s not saying a lot, since I used to get out of breath while putting away the groceries).

Can you reveal what’s your next project to be?

I actually haven’t decided yet. A lot of readers suggest that I do all the positions in the Kama Sutra. But that won’t happen for a whole variety of reasons, including my wife and my back. So stay tuned.

Posted by Nafissa | Permalink | Comment | Trackback