Dr. Adam Perlman had a regular habit while training as a physician: ordering a sweetened coffee.”I’m from Boston, so I’d go to Dunkin’ Donuts and order my coffee with cream and three sugars,” Perlman, 59, told Business Insider.
As an integrative and functional medicine doctor and former chief medical officer for Mayo Clinic’s integrative medicine department, his habits evolved as he gained knowledge about his health.I went from cream and two sugars to cream and one sugar, and then to artificial sweeteners, which weren’t good for you, so I learned to drink it without them,” he added, eventually eliminating dairy creamer because it disturbed his stomach. He now uses a sugar-free, oat milk-based creamer. “I made these changes over time, and I think that’s really important because then they become a part of your routine, and they stick.”
Even now, he says that new findings, such as what we’re learning about the gut microbiome’s involvement in metabolic health, motivates him to progressively change his lifestyle. “I didn’t think about probiotics as it related to metabolism up until just a few years ago,” he told me.
Based on his studies, he highlighted three behaviors he has implemented into his daily routine to enhance his metabolism and aid in fat loss.
Perlman’s extensive knowledge and professional experience prompted him to approach his food as a budget.”Protein and vegetables are like my mortgage and utilities,” he explained. Perlman, who strength trains and practices martial arts such as Krav Maga virtually every day, places a high value on protein, which helps build muscle. He prefers leaner protein sources such as chicken, turkey, and low-mercury tuna, which can help decrease cholesterol compared to red meat.
Regarding ultra-processed foods or products with extra sugar and simple carbohydrates, “those for me are impulse purchases. It’s easy to overpay, and they don’t always yield dividends.” He sips seltzer instead of sugary beverages and frequently munches on frozen grapes.
In recent years, he has incorporated a “microbiome twist” into his diet, including a variety of plants and fermented foods such as Greek yogurt to promote gut health, which is linked to better metabolic health.”I’m less about counting or tracking and more about trying to keep things colorful, like eating a rainbow,” he explained. For example, he tries to buy a variety of fresh food when he goes shopping, such as sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas, and green beans, and adds raisins to his favorite broccoli slaw to increase plant diversity in his meals.
