Yes, you can age gracefully and add years to your life just by what you eat, and the sooner you begin the greater the benefit for you. It is a recipe for living longer and healthier. It is an opportunity to actually turn back the hands of time. By choosing the right foods many age-related changes can be reversed. You can increase your life span by up to 14 years simply by employing healthy eating behaviors, by not smoking, by drinking alcohol in moderation and by exercising at least 3 times a week.

People are living a little bit longer every year due to our success in battling childhood disease, providing better drugs to keep our cholesterol low, our vision clear, and our bones strong, access to better medical procedures that can add years to our lives and understanding more about the aging process. Most of us will probably live to be at least 78 or 80. Our life expectancy is at an all time high. Although we cannot expect to be forever young we can maintain our youth and be as young as we feel as long as we live. How do we do that? How can we ensure that we will live to be 80, 90 or even 100 and be healthy enough to enjoy our life as we age?

By eating nutritiously and maintaining a healthy weight many of the problems we face with aging can be prevented, minimized or even delayed, says Michael Roizen, M.D., author of Real Age: Are You As Young As You Can Be? (HarperCollins/Cliff Street,1999). Being overweight can take a toll on your body and make a person 9 years older than his or her chronological age. We all know that eating healthy and staying fit brings great rewards. We feel good and look good when we make healthy choices and live a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet is essential in order to live a longer life. A diet that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grains and is low in fat and cholesterol will keep us on the path of eating healthier for the rest of our lives. Good nutrition is the basis for life.

As we age, our body basically has too many free radicals that can do damage to our body’s cells. From vital organs to skin cells, this damage is responsible for many diseases and accelerates the aging process. Our health pays the price. Antioxidants are compounds in foods that can stop these free radicals from doing this kind of damage. They allow the body to repair the

damage done and resist any future attacks. Three essential antioxidants are vitamin C and E and beta-carotene. Plant compounds, called phytonutrients, also have antioxidant abilities. These are found in fruits and vegetables. Getting enough of these will help you reach a ripe old age or at least to reach your maximum life span. A recent study at Tufts University found that antioxidants in addition to retarding the aging process, may also reverse it. There is no guarantee that you will reach 120 or 150, but adding a few extra years is definitely a plus. You can get antioxidants in the fruits and vegetables you eat. Imagine, with every strawberry, blueberry or carrot you put in your mouth, you could be reducing your risk of disease and adding years to your life.

The recipe for success is definitely in the foods you choose. For maximum benefit, healthy aging, and maintaining your youth (anti-aging) add the following foods to your eating plan;

COLD WATER FISH.. Eat fish twice a week. Fish like salmon, herring, and tuna that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Shrimp and tilapia are other good choices to help keep your heart, eyes and brain young.

DARK LEAFY GREENS.. Spinach and swiss chard are low in calories and fat and high in folic acid, vitamin A , potassium and magnesium. Other dark leafy vegetables include bok choy, collard greens, spinach, kale and romaine lettuce. Dark leafy greens help prevent vision loss and keep your mind sharp.

DARK SKINNED FRUITS.. Apples, grapes, plums, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and figs all have high levels of antioxidants to help ward off diseases like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

OLIVE OIL, AVOCADOS AND ALMONDS.. These are good fats, monoun-saturated fats that are heart healthy, disease fighting fats.

NUTS.. Most nuts are good sources of minerals and vitamin B and are good fats. Adding nuts to salads and eating them as snacks can boost your immune system. 2 tablespoons is a good measure for a quick snack. Most nuts are high in calories. They are good fats, however.

WHOLE GRAINS .. Strive to eat 3 servings of whole grains each day such as; brown rice, wild rice, whole oats/oatmeal, whole wheat bread. Whole grains have phytonutrient content equal to any fruit or vegetable.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES.. Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Kale, turnip, brussel sprouts, radish and watercress assist the body in its fight against toxins and cancer. Whenever you eat vegetables put about 20% more on your plate then you normally do. These are filling and full of nutrients.

LEGUMES.. Beans have the highest antioxidant content. They are low in calories and are packed with nutrients. Eat them 3-4 times a week.

YOGURT.. Eat low fat yogurt as one of your 3 dairy servings each day. Yogurt has probiotics that help add healthy bacteria to your intestines.

WATER.. Water is essential for hydration of the skin, organs, and muscles and helps us get rid of toxins and wastes in our bodies. Drink at least 3-4 glasses of pure water each day in addition to other liquids and watery foods such as; watermelon, teas, soup, tomatoes,oranges, and 100% fruit and vegetable juice.

GREEN TEA.. Drinking green tea daily is also good for longevity.The Japanese are one of the longest lived peoples in the world.They have been drinking green tea daily for ages.

GARLIC.. Eating a clove of garlic a day ( raw or cooked) is great protection against heart disease, cancer and the development of colon cancer. We also found it helps ward off the common cold.

We especially liked the guidelines for eating healthy suggested byLaura L. S. Mueser, a perinatal social worker at the University of Washington Medical Center.

• Eat 6-11 servings of bread or grain, like rice, pasta, tortillas or cereal a day.
• Eat 3-5 servings of vegetables, like carrots, cabbage, tomatoes or broccoli a day.
• Eat 2-4 servings of fruit or fruit juice, like apples, peaches,mangoes, or bananas daily.
• Eat 2-3 servings a day of meat, fish, beans, eggs or nuts, for protein.
• Eat 2-3 servings daily of yogurt, cheese or milk.

Certainly if you do all that you will not have time nor room for the unhealthy snacks and “junk food” we all seem to crave and eat too much of. Junk food consumption in America is associated with heart disease and obesity. Everyone has their own list of what constitutes junk food in their diet. Candy, gum, fried foods, sweet desserts, and carbonated beverages are some of the foods we label junk food. They offer little in terms of nutrients needed for the body. It is important to judge each food according to the list of ingredients and nutrition facts on the label. This information will help you be more knowledgeable when choosing foods to reduce your nutritional health risk.

Just because “junk food” is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, is convenient to consume and has lots of flavor does not mean it is good for your health.

The anti-aging food pyramid is also a great guide for choosing the appropriate foods for maintaining your youth and making choices for a healthy lifestyle.

Feeling like you need a treat?

Here is some good news especially if you like wine and chocolate.

One or two glasses of red wine a day can work to protect the body from the effects of aging. An antioxidant called resveratrol is found in red wine that helps keep the body young. Good quality dark chocolate also contains antioxidants that have been found to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and provides an energy boost. Have a small piece daily.

Turning back the clock may not be so difficult after all, especially if you have a few great recipes to motivate you to healthy eating.

Here are a few that we have tried and love and eat often.

RECIPES

Seafood Stew

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove minced

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

1-1/2 cups diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce ( 8 oz.)

3 tablespoons dry red wine

4 ½ teaspoons fresh oregano minced

4 ½ teaspoons fresh parsley minced

2 cans of chopped clams or ( 8-10 fresh clams)

12 uncooked medium shrimp peeled and deveined

¼ pound of scallops

¼ pound white fish cut in bite size pieces

Saute the onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the tomatoes, add wine, tomato sauce, oregano and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the clams, shrimp, scallops and whitefish. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes or until the shrimp is pink and the scallops are opaque. Serves 2-4 Approximately 300 calories in 1 3/4 cups. If you like it a bit spicy you can add 2 teaspoons of chili powder or ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

This is an adapted version of a recipe found in Cooking For 2, 2007.

Capellini with Pine Nuts, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chicken

(Shrimp or scallops can be substituted for the chicken)

4 oz. whole wheat capellini or angel hair pasta

3 oz. dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. chicken breast tenderloins cut into bite-size pieces

½ tsp. salt

3 cloves of garlic minced

¼ cup minced basil

½ cup pine nuts

( I also add an 8oz. can of diced tomatoes)

1. Prepare the pasta per package instructions and soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and save the water. Chop the tomatoes.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat while the pasta is cooking.

3. Season chicken with salt to taste. Add chicken and garlic, stirring for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes water and can of tomatoes, cook until chicken is done. About 5 minutes.

4. Drain pasta, add to skillet and toss, add basil. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Serves about 4..about 390 calories per serving.

This is an adapted version of a recipe found in Prevention Magazine March 2008.

Lemon Chicken and Mushrooms

4 chicken thighs

1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms

1 whole lemon

2-3 Tbsp. of lemon pepper

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Sprinkle the olive oil in a glass baking pan. Place the chicken in the pan. Arrange the mushrooms around and on top of the chicken. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and mushrooms. Make sure it is drenched good in the juice of the lemon. Sprinkle the lemon pepper liberally over the chicken and mushrooms. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for1 ½ hours. (I sometimes cut up 2 small red potatoes and add that to themushrooms and chicken as well) Serves 2. This is a personal recipe.

As you age, it is also important to adjust your eating habits by eating more of certain foods in order to get the vitamins and minerals needed to live longer. It is also important to cut calorie intake and eat less over all. It is a known fact that lean eaters do outlive their voracious eating counterparts. Of course if you are already at a healthy weight it is not necessary to cut calories from your diet. Keep your calorie consumption and fat intake down, eat plenty of whole grain, fish, fruits and vegetables to help stretch your life-span a bit further. Growing older is an inevitable part of life. Our diets have a powerful impact on growing older and the aging process. By choosing the right foods getting older does not have to mean feeling older. Knowing how to counteract the effects of aging through a healthy diet can help you maintain youth, add some years to your life span and give you a renewed sense of well being.

Here’s To Your Good Health!

Happy Anti-aging!

Gayle and Chuck

Resources

webmd: Weight Loss Clinic, and The Anti-aging Diet

longevity.com

health.com

aarp.org staying healthy

Defy Aging Newsletter

Prevention Magazine January 2005, Your Recipe To Living A Long Healthy Life

Forever Young, by Catherine Winters, WWN Sept/Oct, 2006

You Staying Young. By Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.Simon & Schuster 2007