Longevity: 6 Clues on What You Can Eat to Live a Long and Healthy Life

There are those who are looking for a “magic formula” to be able to live longer. And while there are probably endless recipes on the web that promise to easily increase longevity, the reality is that they don’t work.

The only way to increase the health and the longevity supported by science, so far, is diet. And it is not possible to take a magic pill and hope that it works, while we are leading an unhealthy lifestyle.

“Life expectancy is just as important as healthy life expectancy or the number of years one lives in good health.” he assured The New York Times Susan B. Roberts, a scholar at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth .

According to the expert, a person’s longevity is usually determined by their genetics, but “How you live your life is also important, including how much you exercise and sleep, whether you drink too much or smoke, and how you eat.”

But there is still no definitive diet to live longer. The academic of Nutrition and Epidemiology of Harvard University Frank Hu, said that Asking a person to follow only one type of diet “is unrealistic and perhaps unethical.”

What doctors can guarantee is that, based on history, Certain habits and eating patterns are associated with good long-term health and can ultimately translate into greater longevity.

These are the 6 “clues” on how to eat if you want to live a long and healthy life.

As explained in an article by The New York Timeslooking at longevity research, Most of them suggest that people who eat more protein tend to live longer.

They also tend to stay stronger and healthier throughout their lives, compared to those who eat less than the recommended portion.

But this is not just any protein: scientific evidence shows that Those that come from plants like legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains are especially beneficial compared to meat.

Actually, Red meat and processed meat are linked to shorter lifespans, as the global public health academic from the University of Bergen Lars Fadnes.

For her part, the professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at the Wake Forest University Denise K. Houston added that “Protein is essential for maintaining strong bones and muscles, which can help older adults stay active and avoid falls and fractures.”

The doctor recommended that Adults aged 65 and older should consume at least 0.45 or 0.54 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily.

In addition, so that the body can digest and absorb it better, the ideal is to distribute it between meals throughout the day and not consume it in a single portion.

Having strong, healthy bones is essential to living longer and better, especially as we move through old age. Along the same lines, Roberts said that It is necessary to consume enough calcium and vitamin D.

And the catalog of foods that contain these nutrients is varied: cow’s milk, fortified plant milk, orange juice, cereals, yogurt, cheese, tofu, beans and green leafy vegetables are some of the options.

“It is best to get calcium from food, if possible,” Houston said. Fish, mushrooms and eggs are foods rich in vitamin D.

Nevertheless, If you are having trouble regulating your vitamin levels, you can always talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for supplements.

Polyphenols are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found in plants. Humans can benefit from its benefits by consuming, among other things, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts.

Evidence suggests that Its contents can help you age healthily.

An example of these is the coffee : People who regularly drink this beverage have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, cognitive decline and even premature death.

If you don’t like coffee, you can also choose to drink it. green tea.

Other alternatives to increasing polyphenols in the diet may be berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries), dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach), avocados, extra virgin olive oil etc.

According to various surveys, Diets high in unsaturated fat are associated with lower mortality.

In these diets, foods such as: olive oil, nuts, seeds and avocado.

Nevertheless, When saturated fats (such as red meat and processed meat) are abundant in the diet, the effect is the opposite: mortality increases.

Here are some examples of foods that contain healthy fats: salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines, which “are associated with better brain health and longer life” ” Houston said.

They are made to be irresistible, but to live longer, you have to overcome the urge: even if you can indulge yourself from time to time, your diet must be as balanced as possible.

Ultra-processed foods like sausages, nuggets, soft drinks, packaged pastries, biscuits, among others, are linked to various diseases which ultimately leads to a shorter life.

For that, “It is important to limit these categories to improve our life expectancy” ” assured Fadnes.

As Hu explainedUltra-processed foods tend to be digested quickly and therefore cause blood sugar spikes.

“Over time, these spikes can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

“More than any food, it’s your entire diet that matters.” ” Hu said.

The Harvard academic studied different diets, such as the Mediterranean, plant-based, among others, and discovered that all are generally associated with lower risks of premature death.

“These diets prioritize a variety of unprocessed or minimally processed foods, including plenty of vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes.” added the specialist.