A very Gwyneth Paltrow anti-aging routine

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 wonder where she fits on a longevity spectrum compared to 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."

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.