This is our 100th episode and we’re delighted to celebrate the milestone with a remarkable man. Zab Mosenifar, MD, recently completed his 100th marathon at the age of 70 and he personifies the art of living a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Dr. Mosenifar, professor and executive vice chair of the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, is addicted to running. Next week he heads to California’s Death Valley, to run in grueling heat that would see most of us wilt in a second.  It is the kind of “insane” challenge that motivates the doctor, who still works full-time and says he relishes living a modest life, focussed on his job and running.  In this interview we discuss Dr. Mosenifar’s 50 miles-per-week regimen, his love of red wine, orchids and a busy life.  We also find out why he is a stickler for punctuality; prefers driving in the middle lane; and why he gets a “special pleasure from monotony.”

Published on: 1 Aug 2019 @ 08:52  PT

NOTES & QUOTES

Connect with Dr. Mosenifar:  Website

In this interview we cover:

• Dr. Mosenifar’s 50 miles-per-week running regime.
• Running the Santa Monica mountain trails early in the morning, seven days a week.
• The runner’s high.

“When I go to run, after about 5-7 miles, I enter this stage of euphoria.”

• Entering a zen-like state and enjoying the euphoria of running.
• Living a meat-free lifestyle.
• Getting a “special pleasure from monotony” and enjoying a frugal lifestyle.
• Are we really designed to run long distances?
• The “hidden factor” that allows some people to keep on running.
• Sharing a bottle of wonderful red wine.

“I’m a big believer that everyone in life should have at least one glass of very good wine in their lifetime.”

• Eating the same meals every day.
• The pillars of longevity.
• Why associating with all generations helps promote longevity.
• Appreciating that life is precious and why there should be no bad days.

“Life is so previous. You can really see tiny cracks in life that … once you explode those small cracks you can explode the world.”

• Balancing a busy work schedule with an active life and family activities.
• Career longevity at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.
• The “heart-wrenching” period treating patients with AIDS during the early days of the disease.
• Studying the complexities of smoking.

“Smoking has been one of the disasters of our industrial world.”

• Understanding aging through marathon running.
• Why Dr. Mosenifar’s plans to open an orchid store.
• The plus side of an obsessive, compulsive personality.
• Why we should communicate better. The lost art of listening and hearing.
• The value of punctuality.

“I do get to the airport early.  I have never missed a flight.”

• Thinking about longevity, how to approach the next chapter and acknowledging the realistic decline that comes with aging.
• The final days.

“As long as people have good memories of me, that’s a continuation of living, from my perspective.”