Volume 17 Issue 1 » 31
I like to write and this is my fifth book . It started out with me , wanting to chronicle why people in my care live so long . And , with my bad habits and experience , I went to find out the best practices in the world . And I am going to talk to my residents . I came back with a variety of simple explanations of why people live so long . First of all , it is about sleep . You need a minimum of seven hours of sleep for your body to do what it needs to do . Secondly , up until you are about 30 years old , your body produces more cells than it can consume . Once you turn 30 , your body consumes more cells than it uses . But we can do things to slow down that consumption . For example , get good sleep , and not overdo alcohol and sugar , etc . There are ways to improve the cellular functions and stay younger . What I advocate in the book is , you are not a doctor but you are your best doctor . The other element is that you have to live with a purpose to drive to the next level of success .
You mentioned that seven hours of sleep is essential . What are some of the tricks for our peers who have challenges on sleep ?
All the information is in the book , but you try to avoid TV , iPads , and laptops one hour before you go to sleep . It ’ s critical to make an investment in your mattress , pillows and the sheets . Have a room that is dark and cool . Don ’ t drink alcohol or exercise within two hours before going to sleep . The biggest trick is that if you need to go to the washroom at 3:30 am , you meditate before going back to sleep . Don ’ t think of any tasks for tomorrow .
Your mom immigrated when she was 23 . Tell us about that and what led her to come to the US .
My mom was a British citizen raised in India , and my grandfather worked for the British railroad . They had quite an opulent life in India . When WWII happened , my mom joined the army in India . She met my American-soldier father there and later married him . They moved to the US and started a ranch in Idaho . My father was abusive to her and my mom divorced him . My mother is a great influence to me . Even though we lived in poverty , she gave me more confidence than probably anyone can possibly do . That is a great contribution to my success .
When I was in kindergarten , I came home for my fifth birthday and I was supposed to have a birthday party . My mom was crying and she told me she had canceled my party because that was the day her hero , John Kennedy , had been assassinated . And my mom would always want to model our family after the Kennedys . And since then , I ’ ve become one of the top collectors of Kennedy memorabilia in the US . My mom brainwashed me that I can be the next Kennedy so much , that I can do whatever someone else can do . Of course , this is not always true , but in my mind , I can do this .
Tell us about your cars . Are they all in one location ?
I have a car barn and multiple locations . I love exotics like the 1956 Jaguar or the GTO “ Triple X Movie Car .” I just love cars and they are art to me . I am building an old 1956 Ford pickup right now . I love sculpting the vehicles and the design element , picking out the leather , how the seats are going to look , the tailgate ….
I ’ m looking forward to your automotive-themed community that you ’ re going to build next ! Lastly , some rapid-fire questions ….
Favourite car : The Jaguar , not my favourite to drive , but my favourite to own because it is such a piece of art .
Favourite car brand : If you are going on a road trip , you want something comfortable like a coach . Rolls- Royce is that car . A driving trip with eight buddies going on mountain paths , a Ferrari or McLaren , and you can feel the car .
Favourite city in the world : Probably Capri . It is a special place .
Favourite restaurant in the Seattle area : I love Carmine ’ s , the Italian restaurant . I love the service and the food . It ’ s great !
This interview has been edited for brevity .