{"id":1801902,"date":"2023-01-11T07:50:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T12:50:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1801902"},"modified":"2023-01-11T07:52:28","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T12:52:28","slug":"how-to-eat-mediterranean-to-live-to-be-100-years-old","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-to-eat-mediterranean-to-live-to-be-100-years-old\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Eat Mediterranean to Live to Be 100 Years Old"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-to-eat-mediterranean-to-live-to-be-100-years-old%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1801902&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47-->\n<p>How would it be possible to live to 100 if you changed your diet? It sounds too good to be true! Research proves otherwise. \u201cpass the olive oil.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>The Mediterranean Diet: A Prescription to Good Health<\/h2>\n<p>What is the Mediterranean Diet? It\u2019s been touted for years by doctors, researchers, and registered dietitians as an easy and healthy way of eating to promote well-being.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), defines the <a href=\"https:\/\/agclass.nal.usda.gov\/vocabularies\/nalt\/concept?uri=https:\/\/lod.nal.usda.gov\/nalt\/198807\">Mediterranean diet<\/a> as one that is \u201chigh in fruits and vegetables, cereals and bread, potatoes, poultry, beans, nuts, olive oil, and fish while low in red meat and dairy and moderate in alcohol consumption.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This pattern of eating comes with many potential health benefits; it can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/healthy-living\/healthy-eating\/eat-smart\/nutrition-basics\/mediterranean-diet\">prevent<\/a> heart disease and stroke, and reduce risk factors including obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.<\/p>\n<p>The term \u201cMediterranean diet\u201d was first coined by Ancel Keys, an American scientist specializing in biology and physiology. Keys conducted research on nutrition throughout his entire career. In the 1950s he began <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sevencountriesstudy.com\/about-the-study\/\">the Seven Countries Study<\/a>\u2014a study of middle-aged men living in seven different countries, including the United States. Keys observed that some countries had much lower rates of heart disease than the United States, suggesting that heart disease could perhaps be prevented.<\/p>\n<p>Keys and his colleagues in their research discovered that dietary patterns in the Mediterranean and Japan were linked with low rates of coronary heart disease and lower deaths due to any other cause (all-cause mortality). Their findings led Keys and other scientists to promote an eating model they discovered in Italy and Greece, which we now know as the Mediterranean diet.<\/p>\n<p>The second phase of the Seven Countries Study additionally found that a healthy Mediterranean-type diet and exercise could delay cognitive decline and reduce the risk of depression.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no coincidence that a lifetime of studying health and nutrition reaped benefits for Keys; Keys continued to work into his 90s and died two months short of his 101st birthday.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahajournals.org\/doi\/10.1161\/01.CIR.103.13.1823\">Lyon Diet Heart Study<\/a> assessed the benefits of a French version of the Mediterranean diet on patients who had already suffered from a heart attack. Researchers decided to include rapeseed oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acid, along with olive oil, to simulate a Greek diet. The study yielded a 50 to 70 percent decrease in recurrent heart disease-related events (such as heart attacks, stroke, blood clots, etc.), as well as a reduction in the number of <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9625397\/\">new cancer cases<\/a>.\u00a0This study resulted in a heightened awareness among the medical community regarding the potential health benefits associated with a Mediterranean diet.<\/p>\n<p>A Swedish <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0021915015301027\">study<\/a> published in 2015 concluded that following a Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and ischemic stroke. The researchers went on to say that the Mediterranean diet was considered \u201cbeneficial in primary prevention of all major types of atherosclerosis-related CVD (cardiovascular disease).\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Eating a Mediterranean Diet to Help Promote Longevity<\/h2>\n<p>Much research has been focused on Italian centenarians. A well-performing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3412734\/\">immune system<\/a> along with an elevated expression of anti-inflammatory and immunity genes have been identified as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-longevity\">longevity<\/a> markers in Sicilian centenarians.<\/p>\n<p>Although genes are an important factor in longevity, lifestyle factors such as nutrition and diet also influence health and the possibility of a lengthened lifespan.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers at the University of Palermo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3412743\/\">studied<\/a> centenarians living in the villages of the Sicani Mountains in central Sicily. Out of 18,328 residents, they discovered 19 men and women between the age of 100\u2013107. When researchers ran the math, they learned\u00a0that the percentage of centenarians living in the Sicani Mountain villages was greater than four times the national average.<\/p>\n<p>An assessment showed that these centenarians had followed a Mediterranean diet and consumed foods low on the glycemic index (foods that do not cause insulin levels to spike).<\/p>\n<p>The centenarians were given a physical exam and had fasting blood lab work done. Their height was also measured, and their weight was taken so that a body mass index (BMI) could be calculated. They were also given a nutritional assessment. They were assessed for competency with physical tasks (such as bathing, toileting, dressing), life management capacity (for instance, managing finances), sensory items (visual acuity and vision), and cognitive abilities (comprehension, ability to express self).<\/p>\n<p>Not surprisingly, the centenarians were physically active and had normal BMIs. The assessments showed that the centenarians were \u201cmoderately independent\u201d with physical and life management tasks. All the centenarians lived in a family home, usually with relatives, making it possible for loved ones to fill in any gaps in self-care.<\/p>\n<p>The study subjects did not have any cardiac risk factors or significant age-related diseases such as heart disease, severe cognitive or physical impairment, clinically evident cancer, or renal disease. Most lab test results, including cholesterol and triglycerides, were within normal limits.<\/p>\n<p>Of note, the centenarians\u2019 lives revolve around socialization, appropriate physical activity, and small amounts of food containing small amounts of carbohydrates and meat, and copious amounts of seasonal fruit and vegetables divided among three meals.<\/p>\n<h2>What\u2019s for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner?<\/h2>\n<p>So what would someone who would like to follow a Mediterranean diet eat in terms of actual meals? Registered dietitian Kelly Bakes advises clients to try to follow a diet comprised of whole foods as much as possible and incorporate more vegetables into all three meals.<\/p>\n<p>Since the Mediterranean diet is big on whole grains, Bakes says oatmeal is a good breakfast option. For those who prefer eggs in the morning, adding some vegetables and some whole-grain toast can also be a healthy choice. Greek yogurt or kefir (unsweetened) and fruit, or even Cheerios, are also foods that could be eaten for the first meal of the day.<\/p>\n<p>For snacks, Bakes suggests eating yogurt with fruit, seeds, and nuts.<\/p>\n<p>At lunch, Bakes says she has \u201csuper motivated clients\u201d make bowls comprised of quinoa, farrow, or barley and vegetables, such as spinach, an undressed coleslaw or broccoli slaw mix, arugula, kale, tomatoes, and cucumber.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you don\u2019t have to do an animal protein, beans or lentils is going to be healthier,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re not feeling super motivated, however, steaming a bag of broccoli with lunch or incorporating some rinsed, low-sodium chickpeas are some foods that can make your meal a little more nutritious. For sandwich lovers, a sandwich made with freshly cooked chicken (or even deli chicken or turkey) on whole grain bread is fine\u2014just add some vegetables on the side to complete the meal.<\/p>\n<p>According to Bakes, a dinner might include a protein (such as fish or seafood), roasted vegetables, and maybe a grain or starch at night\u2014for instance, a small sweet potato or some butternut squash.<\/p>\n<p>Weight loss is an inevitable result of those following the Mediterranean diet,\u00a0even if that is not the goal, since foods that might otherwise be eaten are replaced by low-calorie, high-fiber foods.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re eating five cups of vegetables, that is going to displace other foods you would be eating,\u201d says Bakes.<\/p>\n<p>Eating a lot of fiber comes with benefits, says Bakes. Fiber \u201ckeeps things moving\u201d in your gastrointestinal system and contains prebiotics which help feed healthy gut bacteria.<\/p>\n<p>Bakes\u2019 clients report their energy level is improved and that they have less bloating, and \u201cfeel thinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Down the road, cholesterol and blood sugar levels also improve.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have had many clients completely go off cholesterol medications, go off diabetes medications.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some with inflammation in their joints and other places also see a decrease in inflammation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey just feel better,\u201d says Bakes.<\/p>\n<h2>Stepping Into the \u2018Blue Zone\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Dan Buettner, the bestselling author of \u201cThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/t-blue-zones\">Blue Zones<\/a> Solution,\u201d has studied research on the diets, eating habits, and lifestyles of communities that he calls \u201cblue zones\u201d\u2014places with the oldest and healthiest residents in the world. Blue-zone locations include Okinawa, Japan; Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Costa Rica\u2019s Nicoya Peninsula; and Loma Linda, California.<\/p>\n<p>Through his research, Buettner discovered that blue-zone residents followed a unique Mediterranean eating pattern referred to as the Blue Zones Diet. These people, particularly Ikarians (Greece) and Sardinians (Italy), ate a diet that included lots of vegetables, olive oil, small amounts of dairy and meat products, and moderate amounts of alcohol, explained Buettner in an email to The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>What set these areas apart from places in other regions, according to Buettner, was its emphasis on certain foods. These foods include potatoes, honey, legumes (especially garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, and lentils), wild greens, some fruit, and relatively small amounts of fish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTheir diets are predominantly (90\u2013100 percent) plant-based,\u201d explained Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>Blue-zone residents also eat little to no dairy, fish, or eggs, and rely heavily on beans, greens, nuts, and whole grains for nutrition, said Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSourdough bread and red wine are also staples of four of the five blue zones,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n<h2>Not Just a Diet, But a Lifestyle<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/089826439901100103\">Danish Twin Study<\/a> established that roughly 20 percent of longevity is based on your genes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat leaves 80 percent for you to impact through your eating, moving, environmental, and social habits,\u201d said Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>Buettner notes in his book that it\u2019s not just what blue-zone residents are eating, but how a Mediterranean-type diet is lived.<\/p>\n<p>He said that there are nine commonalities practiced in all the blue zones that may be behind their inhabitants\u2019 longevity. These are known as the \u201cPower 9\u201d:<\/p>\n<h3>1. Move Naturally<\/h3>\n<p>Living a lifestyle that naturally encourages movement is a major component of the blue-zone lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe world\u2019s longest-lived people don\u2019t pump iron, run marathons, or join gyms,\u201d explained Buettner. \u201cInstead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>2. Purpose<\/h3>\n<p>Having a sense of purpose is worth up to <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/gerontologist\/article\/54\/6\/1064\/565962\">seven years<\/a> of extra life expectancy.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Down Shift<\/h3>\n<p>Stress leads to chronic inflammation, which associated with every major age-related disease. \u201cEven people in blue zones areas experience stress, but they have daily routines to shed that stress,\u201d explained Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, by creating a strategy for relieving stress, disease processes could be reversed.<\/p>\n<h3>4. 80 Percent Rule<\/h3>\n<p>It is important to eat mindfully and stop when 80 percent full.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe 20 percent gap between not being hungry and feeling full could be the difference between losing or gaining weight,\u201d said Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>People living in blue zones eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon or early evening and then don\u2019t eat any more the rest of the day.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Plant Slant<\/h3>\n<p>Adding more fruits and veggies to your plate can add years to your life. Beans, including fava, black, soy, and lentils, are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Wine at 5<\/h3>\n<p>For people who have a healthy relationship with alcohol, enjoying a glass of red wine with good friends each day during dinner is part of a blue-zone lifestyle.<\/p>\n<h3>7. Belong<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cResearch shows that attending faith-based services four times per month will add <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6125071\/\">four to 14 years<\/a> of life expectancy,\u201d said Buettner.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Loved Ones First<\/h3>\n<p>Centenarians in blue zones put their families first.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Right Tribe<\/h3>\n<p>\u201cThe world\u2019s longest-lived people also choose\u2014or are born into\u2014social circles that support healthy behaviors. Research shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious. The social networks of long-lived people favorably shape their health behaviors,\u201d\u00a0said Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>It has been suggested that by 2050, the number of centenarians will approach <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3412743\/\">3.2 million worldwide<\/a>, representing an 18-fold increase from the last century.<\/p>\n<h2>If You Can Only Do One Thing<\/h2>\n<p>For the average person who may not be willing or for some reason is unable to fully change their eating habits, what small daily actions can one take to increase his or her chance of living to 100 years?<\/p>\n<p>Buettner says just making a small effort to eat more plant-based meals during the week can have a huge impact.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaybe having a few meals a week where there is no meat or it\u2019s simply a side would be a great start,\u201d said Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>Bakes agrees with Buettner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor every client, I always say, if you hear nothing else I say, eat more vegetables,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosmedicine\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pmed.1003889\">meta-analysis<\/a> that followed hundreds of thousands of people for decades found that switching to a blue-zones-type diet (from a standard American diet) can add an average of a little over 10 years of life for women, or 13 years for men.<\/p>\n<p>For those people who are not ready to change their diet quite yet, implementing aspects of the Power 9 can help promote the chance of longevity.<\/p>\n<p>Get more natural movement each day, volunteer, eat less, and enjoy time together with friends and family.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAdding small nudges each day adds up over time,\u201d said Buettner.<\/p>\n<div class=\"author_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"one_author_block round\">\n<div class=\"top_row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/author-heather-lightner\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/themes\/eet\/images\/default-user.png\" alt=\"Heather Lightner\"   style=\"display:none\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>Heather Lightner is a health reporter for The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How would it be possible to live to 100 if you changed your diet? It sounds too good to be true! Research proves otherwise. \u201cpass the olive oil.\u201d The Mediterranean Diet: A Prescription to Good Health What is the Mediterranean Diet? It\u2019s been touted for years by doctors, researchers, and registered dietitians as an easy &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1899634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[5696,5458,14028,6146,13166,3819],"class_list":["post-1801902","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report","tag-5696","tag-bongino","tag-eat","tag-live","tag-mediterranean","tag-report"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801902","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1801902"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801902\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1899634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1801902"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1801902"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1801902"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}