Very impressive, Audrey. You are obviously very motivated and dedicated to maintaining good health.....certainly more than most people.
My health goals are similar to yours - specifically trying to maintain health and fitness as I age, while reducing my risk for chronic diseases like cancer. I have been eating a paleo-type diet for about 11 years now. I tried keto briefly, but I lose too much weight on a keto diet, so I discontinued it. I'm already at the same weight I was while in college (148 lbs, at 5'10"), so I do not want to lose any weight (I am 66 years old). So I do eat some potatoes (and sweet potatoes), a small quantity of white rice, some wild rice, and some corn/cornmeal. Most of my meals, however, are centered around fresh vegetables, meat/fish, and healthy fats. Most of the meat we eat is either grass-fed (beef, lamb), or venison from deer that we harvest ourselves. I grow a large vegetable garden, and we eat fresh veggies from it daily for about 6 months of the year. We also use fresh herbs from the garden in most of our cooking, and we make our own salad dressing using high-quality olive oil. I don't eat much fruit, except for blackberries and blueberries that we harvest around here every year. I eat a few nuts and seeds now and then, like pecans and pumpkin seeds (which are high in zinc). I also enjoy a piece or two of dark chocolate on occasion........usually at least 85% cocoa content. I do drink a glass or two of red wine each day with my dinner (some of which we make ourselves, from fruits harvested around our yard).
For exercise, I do a set or two of bodyweight exercises each day, and take at least a couple of 30-40 minute fast-paced walks around the neighborhood. I also mow a big lawn with a pushmower and work in the garden on most days, which keeps me pretty active. I also do a lot of kayaking and fishing.
My HbA1C was around 5.4 recently, so pretty good, though not quite as good as yours. My trig/HDL ratio is about 0.75, which is good. My other blood work is all good, though there is always room for a little improvement.
I found out some years ago that my body tends to accumulate too much iron, causing problems, so now I donate blood 3X each year to keep my iron level in check. It's also interesting that people who donate blood on a regular basis tend to live longer than those who don't. Not sure if that is related to iron levels or not, but it could be.
I do take several supplements that are somewhat difficult to get from food or water these days, such as magnesium, kelp (for iodine), Vitamin D3/K2, curcumin. I live in a northern climate, so it's hard for me to get enough Vitamin D without taking a supplement.
I also take a daily IP6/Inositol capsule, the first thing in the morning. IP6/Inositol is basically a component of rice bran, so very safe to take, and there are numerous studies supporting its ability to reduce the risk of many types of cancers. I am not taking any prescription meds at this time.
