Today I Am talking about my morning coffee. My coffee protocol is listed in my public database over at GaryLeland.com/data.Go steal it, copy it, tweak it, then try to beat me.

Before I walk you through my exact four-cup morning coffee protocol, we gotta talk coffee itself, because most people are accidentally poisoning themselves every single morning.

First problem: Plastic Pods.

If you’re still using those one-time-use pods, stop. You’re shooting 185–195 °F water through plastic. That leaches microplastics and nano-plastics straight into your brew. We already can’t escape microplastics, but we sure as hell don’t need to mainline them at breakfast.

Second problem: Mold

Pods also sit in warehouses for 6–18 months. This makes a perfect mold factory. The U.S. has basically zero legal limits on molds in coffee. When Europe or Japan rejects a container for being too moldy, guess where it gets rerouted?
Straight to America. Conventional coffee is also one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet.

Solution:

Buy third-party certified organic beans, single-origin or high-end blends that are lab-tested for mold, myco toxins, pesticides, and heavy metals. Grind them fresh every morning.

Bonus: go unfiltered (French press, espresso, pour-over with metal mesh) because the good oils that come from coffee protect your liver and raise HDL, and paper filters strip those out. Do that, and you just removed two massive silent stressors from the only body you’re taking to 200. If you’re still drinking gas-station or big-brand coffee, upgrade now. Your liver and brain will notice the difference.

Now let’s move to my morning coffee routine.

I drink 4 cups of coffee every morning. I love coffee and realize 4 cups may be too much coffee for some of you, but it seems to work fine for me. I use to drink my coffee black but now add stuff to my coffee and all 4 cups are different.

In my first cup of coffee I add cocoa.

Throwing 1 to 2 teaspoons of 100% pure unsweetened cocoa powder into my morning coffee is one of my favorite longevity hacks.I am not talking about the sugary hot-chocolate mix. I'm talking real cocoa — the stuff that’s basically a superfood in powder form.

Here’s the science-backed payoff when you stir Cocoa into your brew every day:

Cocoa beats green tea and red wine with up to 4× the antioxidants. These flavanols drop systemic inflammation, improve arterial flexibility, and cut cardiovascular risk.Cocoa flavanols crank Nitric Oxide production which means better blood flow to brain and muscles. Studies show improved cognitive scores and even 2-3% boost in exercise performance. The fiber and polyphenols are prebiotic gold. My exact move is one heaping tablespoon organic, non-Dutched cocoa powder into my organic coffee. Tastes like a million bucks, with zero sugar crash.

Bottom line: Coffee plus real cocoa equals one of the highest nitric-oxide, polyphenol combos you can drink daily.

In my second cup of the morning I add 15 grams of Creatine.

Creatine is the most researched supplement on earth, here’s what dropping creatine monohydrate into your morning coffee actually does.
Creatine crosses the blood-brain barrier. Meta-analyses show 5 to 20 grams a day improves memory, processing speed, and reduces mental fatigue especially if you’re 50 plus.Even at 70 plus, studies on seniors show 5 to 10 grams plus resistance training adds 2 to 4 lbs of lean mass and doubles strength gains vs. training alone in 8 to 12 weeks. Reduces oxidative stress, protects dopamine neurons, lowers homocysteine. Early data says it may slow cognitive decline. When paired with lifting, creatine increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women and older men.

I also add a pinch of sea salt and here’s exactly why salt and creatine is a longevity cheat code:
Sodium triggers the creatine transporter on muscle and brain cells. Studies show sodium co-transport increases creatine uptake by 20–60% without needing carbs or an insulin spike. Salt literally opens the door wider for creatine to get in.

In my 3rd cup I add MCT Oil and Ghee turning my morning coffee into a 4-cylinder longevity rocket.

This is one of my non-negotiables at 70. Here’s exactly what happens when you drop 1–2 tbsp of each into your brew:
MCTs convert to ketones in 10–15 minutes, even if you’re not full keto. Studies on older adults show measurable improvement in working memory and processing speed within an hour. At 70 this is like pouring rocket fuel straight into my brain before I even stand up. Butyric acid in ghee and lauric acid in MCTs are anti microbial and feed good gut bugs. Double blind trials show reduced leaky gut markers and less bloating in 30 days. Ghee’s vitamin K2 especially grass-fed shuttles calcium into bones and teeth and out of arteries. Also provides cholesterol substrate for testosterone and vitamin D synthesis.

Now cup number 4.
This is an easy one for you. I just drink a cup of black coffee. I love black coffee so I finish up with a cup the way I love it.

SUMMARY

Ditch plastic pods and moldy conventional beans → switch to freshly ground, third-party-tested organic beans Metal filter to keep the good oils.

Then I drink four cups, each supercharged:

Cup 1. Cocoa (massive flavanols + nitric oxide)
Cup 2. 10 grams creatine and a pinch of sea salt (brain power, muscle, faster uptake).
Cup 3. MCT oil + grass-fed ghee (instant ketones, gut repair, steady energy)
Cup 4. Straight black (because it still tastes amazing)

Clean beans, zero toxins, four targeted longevity hits first thing every morning.

Simple, cheap, and ruthless for living to 200.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If this lights a fire under you… subscribe. Let’s build a community—share wins, hacks and data. Together, we will hit 200.

Please remember I’m not a doctor and I’m definitely not your doctor. I am just a boomer enjoying life. You may want to check with your doctor before following any of my personal protocols.

I hope to bring out an episode every other week so don't forget to subscribe.

Thanks for watching