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Our lifestyle choices are the biggest predictor of life expectancy and longevity. Dr. Michael Greger shared the four things he does every day to increase his chances of living longer.
It’s boring, but true: If you want a long and healthy life, you should do your best to eat well. Studies of the world’s healthiest people – that is, people who stay active and strong into their 70s, 80s, 90s and even 100s – show that diet is key.
That means avoiding ultra-processed foods and instead eating home-cooked meals rich in protein, fiber and cruciferous vegetables. But putting this into practice isn’t so easy for most people with stressful jobs, kids and rising grocery prices.
So if you can’t drop everything and move to a parallel universe with ideal menus and an abundance of fresh produce, here are some useful diet tips that you can incorporate into your meals little by little.
Dr. Michael Greger has written four New York Times bestsellers on the subject longevity and healthy living. He has dedicated his career to studying how nutritional and lifestyle factors can increase lifespan and shares his findings in his books and at the charity, Nutritionfacts.org.
Greger then applies his findings to his own life, according to an interview with Business Insider, and is a big proponent of life-prolonging habits.
The doctor shared the four things he tries to do every day to live the longest and healthiest life possible.
Eat berries, cruciferous vegetables and flax seeds
“The most important thing we can do is follow the lead of the Blue Zones and focus our diets around whole plant foods,” Greger said.
Blue areas are small regions—such as Loma Linda, California—where the population lives about 10 years longer than the national average. People in the blue zones tend to eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds and low in refined sugar, animal products and ultra-processed foods. The Blue Zone diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet, which is considered the healthiest way to eat.
“Basically, real food growing out of the ground,” Greger said. Thus, the doctor eats primarily, but not exclusively, plants. He tries to eat berries and cruciferous vegetables daily. For example, for breakfast he eats oats with cherries, nuts, pumpkin seeds and cocoa powder. “For a chocolate covered cherry kind of morning feeling,” he joked.
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower contain nutrients such as sulforaphane, a compound that can neutralize toxins and reduce inflammation, while berries are rich in antioxidants that help fight cell damage, Greger told the channel his YouTube.
Greger also eats a spoonful of ground flaxseeds every day because they contain a substance that prevents cardiovascular disease. He also sprinkles them in various types of smoothies.
Use the treadmill while working out
Being sedentary, or sitting 10 or more hours a day in a desk chair, increases the risk of premature death, while an active lifestyle is known to have a wide range of health benefits, from improving heart health to reducing the risk of cancer.
Whenever he works from home, the doctor walks all day on a treadmill desk set at two to three miles per hour. He estimated that he walks about 14 miles a day. “It keeps me from being sedentary, but it doesn’t really give me exercise per se,” he said.
Increases heart rate
Greger makes sure to get her heart rate up in some way each day, aiming for 90 minutes of moderate exercise or 40 minutes of vigorous exercise.
“This new apartment I have near the airport is on the 18th floor, so I try to climb 18 floors every day,” he said.
Eat higher calorie foods in the early part of the day
Eating earlier rather than later is thought to be beneficial for health and longevity because of the way our circadian rhythm works, says Greger. The exact same number of calories consumed in the evening causes a little less blood sugar in the morning and we absorb less triglycerides, the fat that the body turns unused calories into, he said.
“If you are going to eat unhealthy things, it is best to do it in the morning or in the first part of the day to give the body time to digest and eliminate them,” explains the doctor.
Principles of the Longevity Diet, backed by science
- Eating for a longer, healthier life doesn’t have to be complicated and expensive.
- Some of the most nutritious foods, like beans, are cheap, accessible and easy to cook.
- You can conveniently improve your health by drinking smoothies, tea and even plain water.
Source: www.doctorulzilei.ro
