Foods That Can Help With Longevity
Living a long, is a goal that most people share, as long as it is a healthy life . Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to do to achieve a long healthy life span. While some life expectancy factors are tied to genetics, many are well within your control. In fact, one of the easiest things you can do to help with longevity is to simply address your dinner plate. Eating well can increase your lifespan by as much as 13 years for men and almost 11 years for women provided they start a healthy diet by age 20. Don’t worry there are benefits even if you start eating healthy later in life. And don’t forget it can improve your quality of life in numerous ways.
Live Longer with Healthy Foods
Whole Grains
Whole grains are high in fiber, which reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease. One study found that consumption of whole grains is inversely associated with mortality in a dose-response manner, which means that the more whole grains you eat, the greater the boost to your longevity. Another study found that women who consumed two to three servings of whole grains each day were 30% less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease over the decade when compared to those eating less than one serving a day.
Replacing refined grains with whole grains will lower your total cholesterol, LDL (or bad) cholesterol, and insulin levels. Swapping white rice out and adding whole grains in can lower your risk of developing diabetes by as much as 36%. Making smart swaps with your carbs can help with longevity in many ways.
Some, like Dr. Gundry, suggest that lectins, a protein plants create to protect them from being consumed, are detrimental (see video) and you should process your grains properly to limit the amount of harmful lectins.
Nuts
Nuts are a healthy source of protein and fiber that can help you maintain a healthy weight and stave off the many obesity-linked conditions that shorten your lifespan. Eating nuts decreases hunger, boosts metabolism, and delays absorption.
A Harvard study revealed that people who ate nuts every day were 20% less likely to die over the course of the study than those who avoided nuts. Consuming nuts decreases your risk of respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Nuts also strengthen your immune system, balance inflammation, and support a healthy brain.
Legumes
The legume family includes beans, peas, and lentils in great variety. Legumes are high in protein, iron, potassium, magnesium, and folate. They reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Eating plenty of legumes will stabilize your blood sugar levels and help control cravings, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight. They also promote a healthy gut which reduces inflammation and supports proper immune function.
Olive Oil
A Harvard study found that people who consumed more than 7 grams of olive oil per day had a 29% lower risk of neurodegenerative mortality. They also had a 19% lower risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality, 18% lower risk of respiratory mortality, and 17% lower risk of cancer mortality.
Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and a high quality extr virgin olive is rich with natural polyphenols. Polyphenols have been linked with protective effects against development of cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and even certain cancers.
You can also add an antioxidant like ESS60® to olive oil. This ESS60® olive oil formula has been linked to the longest longevity experimental result in history. ESS60®is a naturally occurring carbon atom that supports the immune system, lowers inflammation*, and may even enhance brain function.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are low in calories but high in folate, lutein, and carotenes. Kale and spinach yield ample amounts of vitamins A, C, K, and E while bok choy delivers powerful B vitamins. Leafy greens are high in antioxidants as well. Eating just two to three servings per week can lower the risk of skin, stomach, and breast cancer.
A study published in “Neurology” found that participants who ate about one-and-a-half servings of greens per day had a lower risk of cognitive decline compared with those who ate less. Those who had the highest intake of leafy greens experienced brain health the equivalent of being 11 years younger.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods introduce healthy bacteria into the gut, which helps protect against obesity, infection, and autoimmune disease. Having inadequate diversity in your gut microbiota can contribute to asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity.
Fermented foods come in many forms including pickles, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, and more. Consuming these types of foods on a regular basis can help control inflammation in the body. Inflammation can lead to diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, obesity, and other conditions that hamper longevity.
MyVitalC to Help with Longevity
Knowing what to eat to help with longevity is the first step toward enjoying a long, rich, healthy life. Adding these healthy items to your plate, alongside some olive oil rich in monounsaturated fats and the antioxidant ESS60®, may help you decrease your risk factors for many major challenges of old age and could possibly add years to your life. To learn more about ESS60® and how you can add it into your daily regime, check out our array of healthy olive oil products to learn more.
*Inflammation related to exercise
