4 simple ways to eat for longevity
1. Eat more whole foods
“So, first of all, focus on whole and minimally processed foods, especially plant foods,” says Hu. Aim to incorporate more whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes into each meal, she adds.
Hu strongly recommends a diet similar to The Mediterranean diet, the healthy plant-based diet, or the Okinawan diet, all of which are rich in whole foods.
“These dietary patterns were is shown to reduce risk chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, but also the risk of dementia,” he says.
“And because those are the leading causes of death. That’s why these healthy eating patterns have been shown to reduce the risk of premature death and lead to longer life expectancy.”
2. Reduce your consumption of processed and highly processed foods
Once you add more whole foods to your diet, Hu suggests cutting back on processed and ultra-processed foods.
“In the US diet, almost 60% of the calories come from highly processed foods,” including foods like sodas, snacks and sweets, she notes. “That’s one of the reasons Americans are eating too many unhealthy foods and too many calories.”
ONE study that looked at the health outcomes of more than 11,000 adults over 19 years, found that those who consumed the most highly processed foods during that time had a 31% higher risk of all-cause mortality than those who consumed the most highly processed foods. the less.
“So I think it’s very important to minimize the consumption of these foods,” Hu adds.
3. Be flexible with your diet
“There is no rigid type of diet that everyone should follow to live longer [and] healthier,” says Hu. “I think there are different eating patterns and people can create their own fusion diet.”
Determine which of the whole foods you really enjoy and build your own healthy diet, she says. You can mix and match elements of a Mediterranean diet and an Okinawan diet, or create an entirely new diet.
“That way you’re really going to improve their enjoyment and also their long-term adherence to dietary patterns,” notes Hu. It’s important to “be more flexible and enjoy healthy eating.”
4. Use lunchtime for socializing
When it comes to longevity, lifestyle factors such as physical activity, stress management and diet are extremely important. But there’s one more important thing to consider as well, and that’s social connections.
Hu sees using meals as a time to gather socially as another way to maximize your chances of living longer.
“The connection between food and social relationships is very natural, because food brings people together,” he says.
By prioritizing mealtime as a time for socializing, you can simultaneously incorporate two behaviors linked to longevity, Hu says.
“Eating healthy food together not only nourishes our bodies, but also nourishes our souls.”
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