What Type of Diet Helps You Live a Longer, Healthier Life

What Type of Diet Helps You Live a Longer, Healthier Life

Food plays an integral part in our lives. It is a fact that the food you consume impacts your overall physical and mental health. It is a significant factor in determining your longevity though some people may find it challenging to consume the proper diet especially as they get older. Some of the factors causing this are they lose their appetite, have trouble cooking or eating, don’t like some foods like kale, and may not understand which foods are essential for a healthier life.

Dr. Cheryl Rock, a University of California public health professor, says many foods offer the nutrients you need. You don’t have to force yourself to consume something you don’t like. For example, several foods offer the same nutrients as kale. The secret is finding healthy foods you like and building on that.

Rock says that by allowing people to have choices, they are more likely to stick with it. You don’t have to undergo pressure when consuming meals and then finding yourself relapsing to a double cheeseburger. Healthy eating for longevity and a healthy life involves more than finding the right foods. The type of diet that helps you live a longer, healthier life includes;

Foods Good for Brain Health
Most seniors are mainly concerned about their brain health. As you age, your cognitive functions become weaker. For this reason, it is essential to consume foods that boost your brainpower. Memory loss has been linked to vitamin B12 deficiency, among other factors. It is essential to understand that brain health is determined by what you don’t consume as much as it’s about what you do. Alzheimer’s disease is said to cause chronic inflammation, which has been linked to some foods like red meat, sugary beverages, margarine, french fries, and white bread.

Foods that Help Your Heart
Heart-healthy diets have many advantages in the body, including regulating your weight. This is important since overweight or obese people are vulnerable to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. A third of people older than 60 are obese. Foods good for your heart include beans, nuts, fish, skinless poultry, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products such as cheese and yogurt, whole grains, and non-tropical vegetable oils like peanut, corn, safflower, and olive.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, herring, trout and other oily fish help in lowering the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. Fiber present in whole grains and vegetables is also important in preventing cardiovascular diseases. It also helps with digestion. For good heart health, you need to consume complete healthy meals every day.


Foods that Strengthen Bones and Muscles
Your body muscles are constantly breaking down and getting repaired back up. It is a normal process in the body that requires lots of protein to support the rebuilding process. To prevent the body from breaking down more muscles that it rebuilds, consume foods rich in protein such as eggs, beans, milk, lean meats, fish, cheese, seafood, and low-fat yogurt.

On the other hand, to live longer and healthy, you need strong bones. You need calcium as you grow older to boost healthy bone growth. Some of the calcium-rich foods include; milk, low-fat cheese, and yogurt. Additionally, your body needs vitamin D from the sun and foods such as oily fish, liver, and fortified foods.

Sip Green Tea
Many people in the fast-paced 21st century have included green tea in their diets. Experts say it is a preventative medicine linked to lowering the risk of numerous conditions, including Alzheimer’s, obesity, type 2diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. It can also help people live longer. A Japanese study showed that people who drink green tea are over 70 percent likely to live longer than those who don’t.

In addition to drinking green tea, it can be used to steam vegetables, make smoothies, oatmeal, whole grain rice, and overnight oats. You can also consume it by incorporating it into sauces, stews, marinades, and soup.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants are found in many fruits and vegetables. They are essential for easing inflammation and helping the body eliminate free radicals generated when the body converts food to energy. Consume foods like blueberries, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, and turmeric. Omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish like salmon are also an essential remedy for inflammation.