Australian actor and Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth has opened up on the lifestyle changes he’s made since discovering he is genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease.
Hemsworth, 40, made the discovery after taking a genetic test as part of a National Geographic documentary called Limitless.
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The test showed he has two copies of the APOE e4 gene, which increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
In the documentary, Hemsworth said the news had “floored” him and made him think about his mortality.
Now, in a new interview with Men’s Health, he has explained how the test results affected him – and what changes he has made since finding out.
“It was a good kick in the a*** and a reminder to do whatever is in my power to give myself the best fighting chance,” he said.
“Whatever work I’m doing for my brain health benefits the rest of my body – we turned it into a positive.”
The most significant change, he said, was to focus on mental and emotional health as well as physical strength.
“I’ve always been pretty consistent with my exercise commitments, but lately I’ve really felt the importance of taking time for yourself without any outside voice or stimulation and making time for stillness,” he said.
He said he had incorporated more mindfulness practices into his daily life.
“I do a lot of meditation and breath work mostly during sauna and ice bath routines,” he said.
“For me, my favorite mindfulness work comes from the immersion in physical activities that allow me to be fully present and force me out of me head and into my body, in particular surfing.”
Another change the Thor star has made is to spend less time looking at phone screens late at night in order to get a better night’s sleep.
“Trying to stay off screens an hour before bed and read most nights definitely helps,” he said.
On the fitness front, the notoriously buff star has also made some slight modifications.
He is doing less lifting and more cardio and endurance work, saying he was a bit tired of “heavy body building style sessions”.
Most importantly, Hemsworth is trying to maintain a better work-life balance in an effort to slow down and spend more time with his family.
“(The gene test results) made me think about my kids and how they’re growing up and things are changing so dramatically, and I want to sit, I want to soak it in,” he said.
“I don’t want to be in a sprint anymore.
“I want to be right here and appreciate everything that’s in front of me.”
Hemsworth has three children with his wife, actress Elsa Pataky.
Late in 2022, the actor announced he was going to take some time off from making movies.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Hemsworth said the Alzheimer’s news “triggered” something in him that made him want to take a break after he had finished his promotional duties for Thor: Love and Thunder.
“When I finish this tour this week, I’m going home and I’m going to have a good chunk of time off and just simplify,” he said.
“Be with the kids, be with my wife.”
In the same interview, the actor urged others to live in the moment.
“You don’t know when your time’s up, you don’t know what tomorrow holds, so live it to its fullest,” he said.
“Whether or not any of this information helps you live longer, it’s about living better right now.
“Whatever you do right now to benefit your future self is having a huge benefit in your current self.”
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