SECRETS FOR A LONG and HEALTHY LIFE

Eat, drink, and live longer!

Some things about life—and how long we get to enjoy it—are out of our control. But emerging nutrition science research, as well as data collected from people in their 90s and beyond, shows what, when, and how we eat has a profound influence on how long we live. Want to eat for a long and healthy life? Well here are some foods that contributes to long and healthy living.

1. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

We'll start with the scientific consensus: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, high in nutrients and low in calories, is your best bet for a long life. Need specifics? Eat more broccoli, grapes, and salad: Researchers have found that compounds in these three foods pack extra life-extending benefits. These bite-sized fruit favorites are check full of antioxidants, known to boost immunity and stave off life-threatening disease. They'll help you age gracefully as well. A 2012 study from Harvard University found that at least one serving of blueberries or two servings of strawberries each week may reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.

2. GARLIC
 

Studies have found that phytochemicals in garlic can halt the formation of carcinogenic chemicals in the body, and that women who eat more garlic have lower risk of certain colon cancers.









3. OLIVE OIL

As delicious as it is healthy, this monounsaturated "good fat" is well known for its heart-health and longevity benefits. 

 Studies also show that olive oil may also be linked to brain health and cancer prevention. Aim for two tablespoons a day.

 4. BOK CHOY

 Studies have suggested that cruciferous vegetables like this one contain nutrients, such as fiber, vitamin C, and folate, that can help you cheat death. And that's likely the case even if you've already had a close call: A study from Vanderbilt University found that breast cancer survivors in Shanghai who ate more cruciferae—specifically of the turnip, cabbage, and bok-choy variety popular in China—had lower risks of death or cancer recurrence during the study period.

5. AVOCADO

How to prevent heart disease, the largest killer in the United States, according to the latest report from the National Center of Health Statistics? Eat more foods that help keep your heart healthy, like avocados and others already on this list, and improve your odds of a long life. Avocados can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol while raising your HDL "good" levels, and they help your body absorb heart-healthy vitamins like beta-carotene and lycopene. 

 

6. TOMATOES

Lycopene is also an important nutrient in the fight against cancer—the second leading cause of death in the United States. And there's no better source than rosy red tomatoes. Eating them cooked, in pasta sauce, tomato soup, or chutney, actually increases the amount of carcinogen-fighting carotenoids your body is able to absorb.

 7. BEANS

Beans, beans, are good for your…life? In a 2004 study conducted on elderly people in Australia, Japan, Sweden, and Greece, researchers found that participants had a 7% to 8% reduction in death for every 20 grams of legumes they consumed daily. A diet rich in beans and legumes increases levels of the fatty acid butyrate, which can protect against cancer growth, according to a study from Michigan State University.

8. GRAINS

 
Getting more fiber—specifically by switching from refined bread and pasta to whole grains—can reduce your risk of death from any cause by 22%, according to a 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Experts say that fiber can protect against diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and obesity, and can reduce cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

 9. RED WINE

Several studies have suggested that small amounts of alcohol—no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women—can have heart-health benefits, and that moderate drinkers tend to live longer than heavier imbibers or teetotalers. A 2012 Harvard Medical School study also found that moderate drinking may also reduce men's risk of death in the two decades following a heart attack.

10. SOUPS

If you want first-hand advice on longevity, listen to Tomoji Tanabe. The world's oldest man from 2007 until his death at 113 in 2009 often told interviewers that his lifelong abstinence from alcohol was the key to his longevity. Tanabe's favorite foods were miso soup with clams and fried shrimp. Surprise: he also drank milk every day.

11. PU-ERH TEA

 

A strong immune system is an important part of living to a ripe old age, and for that you need lots of disease-fighting antioxidants. Health nutrition expert Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, swears by pureh tea —an earthy, rich variety that contains a lot more antioxidants than its better-known green counterpart. Steep a pureh tea bag for three to five minutes and serve with lemon and honey.

12. BLACK COFFEE

 
In April, 106-year-old Ethel Engstrom told the Pasadena Star News that she stays healthy by eating well and drinking about 12 cups of black coffee a day. You may not need that many to cheat death, however: A 2008 study from researchers at Harvard University found that, compared with non-coffee drinkers, women had an 18% lower risk of dying if they drank two to three cups a day, and 26% lower if they drank four to five cups a day. Those who drank six or more a day decreased their risk by 17%. A 2012 study by the National Institutes of Health and AARP supports this theory. When researchers controlled for factors like smoking, drinking, and eating red meat, they found that coffee drinkers—both men and women—tended to live longer.


13. CHOCOLATE

 

Eat chocolate, add a year to your life. Men who ate modest amounts of chocolate up to three times a month lived almost a year longer than those who didn't in a 1999 Harvard study of more than 8,000 people. And in a 2009 study from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, patients who had survived a heart attack were 44% less likely to die over the next eight years if they ate chocolate up to once a week, versus none at all. Other types of candy did not seem to have any effect on longevity. Preliminary studies have identified the most beneficial part of chocolate: flavonols, the antioxidant found in cocoa beans. To get the most flavonols stick with dark chocolate.

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WAYS TO GET RID OF ALL THAT HOLIDAY BLOATING

The last eight weeks were pretty great, Ah? From Thanksgiving to Christmas to Hanukkah to New Year's Eve, it seemed like the feasting would never end, right? Well, now it has. The holiday parties and cold-weather baking frenzies are over (mostly), and this morning, we bet, you discovered you couldn't fit into your skinny jeans. (Or maybe that already happened back in December!) Face it, you're bloated.




Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup

There are, however, ways to stave off the bloat by turning to natural diuretics and anti-inflammatories, according to nutritionist Carolyn Brown of Food Trainers NYC. Many of these can even be woven into what are the heavier wintertime meals you're still probably eating, or can form the basics of a healthful post-holiday diet, keeping you muffin-top-free through January and beyond.

1. Ginger
If after a feast you're feeling a little queasy, ginger can be a fast-acting antacid. It's also an anti-inflammatory, so keep adding it to your stir-fries and marinades. For a refreshing healthy drink, add ginger syrup to to freshly squeezed juices. And no, ginger beer doesn't count. Sorry.

2. Dandelion Greens
These greens, along with nutrient-rich kale, are also a diuretic. Bitter and crisp, they make a perfect addition to any salad and go well with sweet, anti-oxidant rich pomegranate seeds.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar
This fermented juice made from crushed apples is a known bloat fighter and potassium stabilizer. You can either mix it with water, or add it to apples, fennel, and celery for a zippy (and much healthier) slaw. Tip: Use unrefined if you can--refined apple cider vinegar loses a lot of its nutritional value during processing.

4. Turmeric
Turmeric doesn't have much flavor, but it imbues every dish it touches with a warm yellow-orange hue--plus it's high in potassium. Instead of turning to curries, which are often high in fat and sodium, try adding turmeric to whole wheat couscous, rice, or soup.

5. Seaweed
In addition to its diuretic properties, which help to reduce water retention, seaweed makes for a delicious B12-packed snack.They're great crumbled up on salads, soups, and veggies.

6. Basil
Basil is packed with flavo-noids, an antioxidant, and the essential oil extracted from the fragrant herb is an anti-inflammatory. While it's a pesto regular, basil also brightens up salads and vegetable dishes.

7. Mint
While it's most effective when boiled in tea (it helps to flush liquids from your system quicker), mint can also make a great pesto addition. Just don't use it as an excuse to eat mint chocolate chip ice cream cake.

8. Cucumber
Cucumber help to stimulate your kidneys in removing uric acid from your body. Usually taking a back seat to other vegetables in salads, cucumbers are a hit in game-day salsa and as a refreshing topper for raw seafood.




Kale and Pink Grapefruit Salad

9. Red Grapefruit
Along with the antioxidant lycopene and a load of vitamin C to keep away pesky winter colds, grapefruits helps to flush extra water from your system. They also add zip to salads and smoothies (without ice cream).

10. Asparagus
This tender green veg improves kidney function and helps to flush toxins from your body. And when they're pureed, they add a delightful, creamy texture to vegetable soups.

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