In the quest to find ways to live longer, researchers are looking into everything from stem cells to gene splicing. While there is the promise of some remarkable antiaging technologies to someday become available – sometimes all it takes to add a few years to your life is to change your eating habits!
Here are three simple dietary changes that may just help you live longer.
- Get Nuts About Nuts – During a recent BBC interview, Health Consultant and Dietitian Sophie Medlin said, “Adding a twist to traditional foods can help boost the nutrient content of a festive favorite.” To benefit from more energy, Medlin recommends adding a nutty flavor to your main meals. “Add almonds to your side of Brussels sprouts, green beans, or cabbage at this year’s Holiday dinners,” Medlin suggested. “Not only will they add crunch, but almonds are a high source of magnesium, which contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.”
Medlin added, “And they contain natural plant protein and healthy fats to provide energy to get you through the festive celebrations.”
- Cut Back on Alcohol – While this may be a tough one during the Holidays, a ton of research suggests that limiting alcohol can improve longevity.
In 2020, a large meta-analysis of prior alcohol studies concluded that there is no safe amount of drinking because the net risks to a population — addiction, cancer, traffic accidents, and so on — outweigh any potential benefits, such as improved cardiovascular and cognitive health. And while each person’s risk-benefit analysis depends on his or her family and medical history, research is increasingly supporting the idea that people should limit their alcohol consumption to avoid health problems and increase longevity.
Moderate drinking, according to federal dietary guidelines, means that women should have no more than a drink per day, and men should have no more than two per day.
- Adopt the Mediterranean Diet – While a definitive definition of the so-called “Mediterranean Diet” remains elusive, longevity experts all agree that strict adherence to its basic tenants high in veggies, legumes, and unsaturated fats and low in dairy and meat should add years to your life.
For years doctors and nutritionists have been lauding the overall benefits of the Mediterranean Diet. However, recently one of the first studies to specifically link the diet to lengthening lives has been published. The study, which was designed to look closely at the links between nutrition, food choices, and length of our lifespan, was published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The key finding was that closer adherence to the so-called “Mediterranean Diet” could reduce the risk of death from all causes by a whopping 25 percent when compared to those who had the lowest adherence to the diet.
