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Diets low in sodium and fats and high in fruits and vegetables, particularly those high in fiber and antioxidants, help many people live longer and create weight loss. Studies indicate that people who regularly drink red wine, eat cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, almonds, walnuts and others who regularly eat certain kinds of fish live longer healthier lives.
It is difficult to decide what to eat and what not to eat with so many conflicting studies. Below you will find some recent information along these lines which I hope is not too confusing. I, for one, have been eating this way for some time now. Eat the right fish with a dish of tomatoes and wash it down with a glass or red wine.
A number of studies and research recently conducted suggest that eating certain kinds of fish is inversely related to the risks of stroke and heart attacks. Even if you eat fish as little as 2 or 3 times a month you may get some protection. Fish like tuna reduce the risk of coronary heart disease because of its content of omega-3 fatty acids.
On the other hand fish like swordfish, orange roughy, red snapper, shark and mackerel often have high mercury levels with can cause other medical problems. Foods that contain lycopene, like tomatoes, help to reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease according to some research and also help with LDL cholesterol.
Still other research has shown that drinking red wine, in moderation, decreases the production of a a protein that causes blood vessels to reduce the flow of oxygen to the heart
The U.S. advisory panel revamping the government's dietary guidelines recommend Americans eat at least 3 cups of dark green vegetables like broccoli or spinach; 2 cups of orange vegetables like carrots and squash; 3 cups of legumes like lentils and chickpeas; 6 cups of starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and green beans; and 7 cups of other vegetables like tomatoes, onions and lettuce.
As to losing weight the panel wrote: "The healthiest way to reduce calorie intake is to reduce one's intake of added sugars, solid fat and alcohol - they all provide calories, but they do not provide essential nutrients." Living longer and having a better quality of life is a subject addressed by countless experts and non-experts alike.
President Clinton comments on this as he wrote in "My Life" about a biology lesson at Georgetown University that stuck with him, and was later confirmed in a 2000 study. His professor claimed life was shortened by the body's inability to absorb and dispose of food. He recommended greatly lowering the quantity of food eaten by older people.
I suggest you go to this Website, http://www.beeson.org/ , and take the quiz. It's never too late to start changing bad habits, habits that can shave years off your life, says Daniel Perry of the Alliance for Aging Research of Washington, D.C., a non-profit group that developed the online quiz based on research conducted by the New England Centenarian Study.
While doing research on how seniors can help avoid heart attacks I came across a several studies which spoke about risk factors and they all seem to agree with cardiologists who recommend that you should.
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Lower your cholesterol with proper diet, exercise and medication if necessary
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Avoid abnormal obesity with proper diet and exercise
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Avoid depression
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Avoid excess stress
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Quite smoking
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Bring your blood pressure down
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Avoid diabetes and if you have it make sure to treat it under doctor's orders
If you can change your lifestyle to avoid these risk factors you should certainly be less likely to have a heart attack. In many cases the advice of a physician or specialist will be helpful or necessary to assist you.
For additional information and to find a local diet & nutrition provider click here. Four Kinds of Fat
- Best fat sources are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, most nuts, olives and avocados.
- Second best fat sources are corn, soybeans, sunflower oils, walnuts and most mayonnaise and salad dressings.
- Bad fat sources are saturated fats including butter, cream and whole milk, sour cream, cream chese, cheese, bacon and high fat meats.
- The worst fat sources are trans fats including stick margarine, baked goods, fried foods and many packaged food mixes.
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