Life expectancy is rising around the world, yet the average American life expectancy of seventy eight years continues to remain below that of the Okinawa population, which is eighty one years old and above. The average life expectancy worldwide is sixty seven years of age. As for Okinawa versus the United States, experts know exactly why there is a discrepancy – they eat a better diet than Americans.
A different region, in the San Blas Islands located off shore of Panama, hypertension and heart disease are extremely unusual within the population [nine in one hundred thousand versus eighty three per one hundred thousand on mainland Panama].
The disparity between San Blas Islands population and that of the Okinawan people has nothing to do with the genetics of these two long living societies or any particular therapy; it has everything to do with what they are eating, period. It is nothing more significant than what they consume in their diet that sustains their health and maintains their vital longevity far longer than their aged global brethren. In America, similar findings can be observed in the society of the Seventh Day Adventists who as a rule, usually ingest a vegetarian meal plan and their life spans, typically, are four to seven years longer than those who reside in the same area.
The food intake usually eaten by these long living peoples are always low in saturated fats, fairly high in fiber and quite nutritious with all the necessary essential vitamins and minerals. Many of the diets are laden with fruits and vegetables and they ingest most of their required protein from plant sources instead of from meat. Certainly there are healthy varieties of meat proteins; the common western diet is too dependent on red meats for protein which are heavy with saturated fats, calories and cholesterol that stop up the arteries, lead to morbid obesity, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and a variety of cancers.
People may be surprised when they hear what is recommended in the popular “longevity diet strategies” and of course some are just flat out obvious. Certainly what diet would be complete without plenty of fruits and veggies of all types and yes there are some other suggestions and these are the following:
Whole grain foods, specifically replacing refined or processed varieties and the easily digested simple carbs, have shown a remarkable ability to diminish the odds of contracting heart disease by as much as half. It would behoove individuals to start ingesting copious quantities of whole grains in their diets. Whole grains have also displayed a capability to safeguard people from falling ill with diabetes mellitus, which in itself will aid in reducing heart disease.
When you decide which whole grains to consume, be certain to scan the label in depth. The primary element on the label should read whole grain. If instead it reads “enriched”, it is nothing beyond white flour combined with molasses or some type of coloring that adds flavor and color. Likewise, you need to be sure the fiber count is high in what foodstuffs you purchase. You should be forewarned that some whole grains have an elevated caloric content for each serving; this means yet again you must study the label carefully with an understanding of what your own dietary requirements need to be.
Interestingly, nuts are an important item that makes this list of foods you should be consuming. They have an unexpectedly advantageous effect on the body’s general health and are particularly good for your heart. Nuts can be quite fattening so one should be careful regarding the size of each serving, however, remember that even the few nuts you will be ingesting will contribute to higher fiber and healthy fats good for your heart. Nuts also contain other nutrients such as Omega 3 Fatty acids, E vitamin, magnesium, protein, fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, arginine and plant sterols.
A few diverse varieties of nuts have shown evidence of being quite healthy for us like walnuts which contain the highest amount of antioxidants. Almonds are the finest nut provider for vitamin E and boast more protein than a big egg, which for a long time was considered the best source of protein. Pistachios are tops in dietary fiber with each serving offering the most nuts for an ounce serving portion.
Eating healthy does not mean meal planning is destined to be a boring affair with only bland and tasteless foods being consumed. Actually, dark chocolate is laden with polyphenols that display an ability to reduce hypertension and improve the flexibility of the actual blood vessels. When an investigation was conducted with participants consuming dark chocolate, those with existing hypertension demonstrated an improvement in their blood pressure results as well as insulin sensitivity after just fifteen days during which they ingested dark chocolate daily.
Humans were never meant to consume as much meat as they do from an evolutionary perspective based on dental structure and engineering and our digestive tracts. We are mainly herbivores by design and so fruits and vegetables need to be a major part of our diets to maintain our health. Blueberries it turns out are in all likelihood the best of the bunch in terms of direct benefits to our health. From numerous investigations scientists have determined that they are heavily laden in antioxidants which safeguard us from many age connected alterations in the brain that contribute to severe memory impairment and dementia. The simple blueberry is noted as one of the hyped “super foods” and is promoted in numerous reports and diet programs as just that.
The benefits of blueberries and other fresh fruits like grapes, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, strawberries and just about any berry available are touted as “super foods and we should try and consume as many as two cups per day. These types of fruits can be just as potent when frozen as they are fresh. Blueberries are great for regulating digestion; the pectin content relieves both constipation and diarrhea. They are beneficial for the urinary tract as well and act much like the cranberry in this regard.
By now, we should all have some awareness that the Okinawan diet and others beneficial for the heart, such as the Mediterranean diet have high fish content; marine life specifically loaded with omega 3 fatty acids. They are healthy fats that safeguard the heart from disease and conditions like heart arrhythmia which are potentially fatal. The fatty acids such as DHA and EPA, found in fish oil could also prove effectual against depression and age associated memory failure. One more fatty acid, LAL, can be found in flaxseed and might also have this same outcome. One caveat here is that men should only consume waterborne forms of Omega 3’s since other varieties have been linked to prostate cancer.
The best supply of Omega 3 fatty acids from aquatic sources are salmon, canned albacore tuna, sardines, and Alaskan halibut, herring, sea bass, trout, mackerel, oysters and clams. It has been suggested we should be consuming fish two to four times each week, but again there is a caveat. Some fish contain elevated quantities of mercury which of course could lead to mercury poisoning in surprisingly short order depending on levels. The size of the fish eaten should be taken into account. If you are supplementing your diet with fish oil pills, be sure to only ingest distilled fish oil pills or preferably from a source such as krill, a tiny shrimp like ocean dweller touted by many as the best form of marine omega 3’s.
Let’s talk about coffee. Here is a topic of discussion that has run the gamut. It is either good for you or it is bad, it gives you the jitters making you a nervous wreck or it is great to drink prior to working out. Many professional athletes “juice up” with several cups of coffee before competing. So what is the verdict on one of the most popular, if not frowned upon beverages? The most recent data reveals that coffee could well be a vital weapon in the battle against diabetes mellitus [or type 2 diabetes]. It has also been found to play a key role defending against age related mental failure.
Finally, we need to speak about protein in our diet. Particularly plant based proteins such as soy, or soy products. Whey is another good type of protein derived from dairy sources. Due to the hectic pace of our society, many folks simply prefer to top up their dietary protein by taking a protein supplement. There are any numbers of products available in health food stores to replenish our need for proteins. Though, it is important to note that any nutrients we get are best obtained from the foods we eat but supplementation is necessary for many of our essential nutrients in general.
We are all going to age and some of us will do better at this than others. The one constant in our age progression should be a healthy diet so we are better able to withstand the debilitating health issues that will inevitably be a part of advancing age. How we feed ourselves today could make all the difference.
Fri, Jun 18, 2010
Anti Aging, Gerontology, Health And Aging, Longevity