How to Boost Your Health and Life Expectancy with Food

“You are what you eat”, you’ve probably heard about this saying before. Well, it’s true much more than you think. If you eat quality foods with a high content of nutritious elements, you can expect to feel amazing and strong. On the other hand, if you just eat “junk food”, well…To improve the way you feel and look and to boost your health and life expectancy, here are a few foods that should find their spot on your table every day:

Turn your plate into a color palette

If you don’t want to think about the nutritional value of your meals or use any sort of calculations, you don’t have to. As long as you aim to put as many different colors on your plate as you can, you’ll achieve a great thing. For instance, you can opt for dark leafy greens, orange sweet potatoes, red peppers and tomatoes, purple onion and cabbage, etc. Brightly colored veggies are healthy for many reasons: orange veggies are rich in beta-carotene, avocados are full of healthy fats, tomatoes contain lycopene, and so on. If you just create a rainbow on your plate every day, you will ensure you take in all the necessary nutrients for a healthy and long life.

Eat fatty fish

All omega-3 fatty acids are good for you, but not all of them carry the same benefits. EPA and DHA, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are especially important for brain health and the normal functioning of the heart in the long run. These long chains of omega-3 found in fish can also reduce the risk of dementia and heart disease. And if you don’t eat fish and seafood, supplements might be a great idea. According to studies, DHA omega-3 fatty acid supplements are so powerful that they can counteract the damage to the neural system caused by sugar and a junk-food diet. And if you’re vegetarian or vegan, these beneficial omega-3s are also found in algae, so you can enrich your diet this way.

Snack on nuts

If you’re big on snacks while you watch TV or take a break from work, try to replace unhealthy chips and chocolate bars with something much better—nuts. Nuts have all sorts of benefits for your body from improved heart health to reduced inflammation and premature mortality. Walnuts and other nuts also have omega-3 fatty acids (a little bit less effective version than fish) and are full of essential vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. Plus, it’s easy to find nuts in your local store or online health food store and get them ready for your snack time. These nuts come pre-packed so you can just toss them into your bag or pantry and have them at hand whenever you feel peckish.

Add cruciferous plants to your diet

When you don’t know what to put on your table as a healthy side dish, cruciferous plants are also a great idea. These plants like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, radish, kale and cabbage are brimming with nutrients, especially vitamins C, E, K and folate; potassium, calcium, selenium; carotenoids and many other beneficial ingredients. However, the biggest benefit of these veggies is the presence of glucosinolates. These substances give cruciferous veggies their recognizable pungent flavor, but also regulate stress and inflammations in the body. They have many antimicrobial properties and some are also studied in the hope that they can bless humanity with a cancer cure.

Think fermented

When we say fermented foods, most of us think yogurt, but this food category is very broad. All of the foods in this group contain beneficial bacteria that’s good for our microbiome, i. e. our gut health. Misbalance in the microbiome can cause everything from stomach issues to obesity and even cancer. The obvious fermented food you should take more in 2022 and the future is yogurt because it’s full of good bacteria. But foods like kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh and pickles are great for gut bacteria as well, and more suitable for consumption with a wide variety of meals.

Drink your coffee

If you’re a regular coffee drinker, you can rejoice. In the past 10 years, all the research concerning coffee and its effect on the body has been positive. One of the biggest positive effects of coffee is its ability to improve brain health—it keeps us alert, reduces risks of depression and even minimizes the possibility of getting Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. There are also findings that people who drink coffee might live longer than those who avoid caffeine. However, make sure to stick to black coffee without too much sugar, cream and syrups because they can add a ton of calories to your drink and reduce the positive effects of coffee.

Are you ready to make 2022 the best year of your life, at least health-wise? These foods will not only boost your metabolism and supply your body with beneficial nutrients, but also improve your immune system, mental health and attitude towards food.


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