Gwyneth Paltrow has something on her mind. She's nearly the same age her dad was when he learned he had cancer.
"My father was diagnosed with cancer at 54, which is only three years away for me, which is crazy for me to think about," Paltrow tells Business Insider, pausing briefly before recalling his age, emphasizing the numbers as if that fact shocks her anew each time she says it.
Bruce Paltrow, a director-producer, died suddenly of throat cancer complications a few years later in October 2002, at the age of 58. Paltrow was with him: they were celebrating her 30th birthday in Rome at the time. It's hard to imagine how Paltrow would have felt when over a decade later, in 2018, her mother, the actor Blythe Danner, was diagnosed with the same cancer. (She survived and is now 81 years old.)
"When my father actually was diagnosed with cancer is when I started to explore kind of the whole world of wellness and mindfulness," Paltrow, 51, tells BI during a webinar to promote her partnership with the new meditation app, Moments of Space.
We all know what happened next. Paltrow shifted from being a highly respected, Oscar-winning actor to the ultimate symbol of aspirational living or a snake oil saleswoman with her $250 million dollar business Goop — depending on who you ask. Her business model as CEO is selling things that most people can't have, like Goop's $1,049 gemstone heat therapy mat.
It raises the question, then: at a time when longevity is a buzzy topic ripe for exploitation, how is the queen of wellness culture, with millions of dollars at her disposal and some health anxieties, thinking about the autumn of her life?
Some might assume she'll become the female Bryan Johnson, the multimillionaire tech exec whose extensive longevity routine costs $2 million a year and involves taking 111 supplements a day in a bid to live out his motto "Don't die."
But Paltrow doesn't share the same desire as longevity bros to halt or even reverse aging. Hers is a refreshingly balanced and relaxed approach to longevity.
"We all know what we need to do for longevity, right?" Paltrow says. "Everybody's obsessed with longevity medicine right now, and there seems to be some really consistent common denominators.
"Sleep is super important. Managing your thoughts, your mind, I think, is very important for managing stress response. Stress can cause your immune system to not function as highly, that's well-documented. Also, I think the quality of relationships, and then, of course, not having too much alcohol, sugar, all that kind of stuff."
I want a nice, long, healthy life, but I'm not looking to live to 165Gwyneth Paltrow
Paltrow's evidenced-backed response — focused on sleeping enough, maintaining a positive mindset, preserving healthy relationships, minimizing stress, and eating well — would make a longevity academic's heart swell.
For example, a recent study was the latest to link social interactions with living longer. Her nutrient-dense diet that limits processed foods shares similarities with the Mediterranean diet, which is widely considered the healthiest way to eat. And Paltrow also says she walks, which plenty of evidence has linked to a long, healthy life. Chronic stress, meanwhile, is widely known to be an enemy of good health.
Paltrow also name-drops last year's Netflix documentary on Blue Zones, which are regions with the most centenarians, as a source of inspiration. The triple-digiters famously lead simple lives: enjoying the company of loved ones, moving often, and eating whole foods, including beans and potatoes.
"I'm sort of crafting my longevity plan, frankly," she goes on. "For me, testing is really important, so I like to get blood work. There are all of these new incredible screening protocols to scan for tumor markers in the blood, all kinds of advanced imaging, and stuff like that. And because both of my parents have had experiences with cancer, I'm probably a little bit more proactive than the average person."
Knowing her family history, Paltrow's caution is understandable, and screenings may be appropriate for those at a high risk of developing certain cancers. Experts warn, though, that certain types of advanced imaging can cause unnecessary worry in otherwise healthy people.
Overall, Paltrow says she wants to stay open to emerging science but is not obsessed with living longer.
"My longevity practice will really evolve the more that I learn. And I think I just want to stay really open to emerging modalities and science around what this is going to look like in the next 10 years or so.
"I also don't want to live forever. I'm not one of those people," Paltrow says, laughing. "I want a nice, long, healthy life, but I'm not looking to live to 165 or anything like that."
Paltrow's morning routine has evolved as she's aged
As longevity experts will tell you, living a long life mostly involves doing boring stuff, like eating vegetables and sleeping well, consistently.
In her younger years, when Paltrow was doing fun stuff, like dating Brad Pitt and playing in critically acclaimed movies, the actor burned the candle at both ends.
"In my early 20s, I didn't have much of a morning routine," Paltrow says. "I was either going out with friends and sleeping late or getting up really early to go on set."
And while it's better to start healthy habits as early in life as possible, it's never too late to make positive changes. Now, like many other CEOs, she sets herself up for the day with meditation and exercise every morning.
"For much of my adult life, I've had a morning practice that involves some meditation and some exercise," Paltrow says. She previously spoke about her love of Tracy Anderson's dance workouts and yoga.
She is an advocate of "eyes-open" meditation, which encourages people to be mindful at any moment in everyday life, be that commuting on a train or unloading the dishwasher. Paltrow does this by paying attention to everything around her, she says, including the space between objects.
"Once you learn how to do eyes-open meditation — something you can literally incorporate at any time — you can be engaged with the world but still very connected to yourself," Paltrow says. "I rely on it to feel more whole."
Goop fans wondering where the old Gwyneth has gone will find comfort in that.