Pavel Durov, the Russian entrepreneur who recently made headlines, became widely recognized following his recent detention in France. After landing in his private jet, he was intercepted and arrested due to his refusal to censor certain groups on his social media platform, Telegram, insisting on the right to free speech for all. However, this article won’t focus on his business, Telegram, nor his net worth of $15 billion. Instead, we’ll delve into what everyone noticed at the time of his arrest: how Durov, at 40, looks as if he’s just 24, despite the stress of managing a multi-continental social network with over a billion active users and a constant battle against censorship. Pavel himself revealed the secret behind his youthful appearance—his strict diet regimen.
Pavel Durov’s Strict Diet Regime
His diet is based on avoiding coffee, alcohol, and nicotine, indulging only on rare occasions—like celebrating a court victory against a government that sued him. According to Pavel Durov, anyone aiming for success should steer clear of alcohol, as it clouds the mind, and a cloudy mind cannot be sharp. He avoids coffee due to the mood spikes it creates; he prefers to feel fresh and steady throughout the day without energy swings. As for nicotine, he simply states that each cigarette shortens life by about 20 minutes—reason enough to steer clear entirely.
He follows a diet primarily composed of fish and vegetables, inspired by the concept that our ancestors lived near rivers for access to water and mainly consumed fish grilled over open flames. Ideally, he believes fish should be caught in rivers rather than farmed for the best health benefits. Durov avoids red and white meat, not only due to their fats or macronutrient profiles but also because of how they’re produced, often with heavy use of hormones, which he considers detrimental to health.
An especially powerful aspect of his regimen is fasting, which he practices not only to cleanse himself of food but also to eliminate dead cells. It’s been proven that fasting triggers cell regeneration, a discovery for which scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded the Nobel Prize For Medicine. Durov fasts at least twice a year for periods of 5-7 days. He admits that he may lose a bit of muscle mass during these fasts, but believes the clarity of thought and the ideas he gains from this mental sharpness are far more valuable than a little muscle.
Beyond his diet, several key habits contribute to Durov’s youthful appearance: regular but moderate exercise, sleeping alone to ensure maximum rest and productivity, and taking icy plunges in Sweden and Norway’s frozen lakes. He does this as a discipline practice, saying, “If you can keep your head submerged in a frozen lake for three minutes, how easy will it be to sit down and complete a boring task?