Would you like to live to 100 years old, especially if you can keep the quality of life and continue being active? From antiquity to today, doctors applied their best knowledge and practices to keep people healthy and slow down aging. And for centuries, they’ve used diets for longevity. Recently, with the advancement of science, we made many discoveries in animal models, learning what makes animals live longer. We also have some insights from observational studies of the longest-living people around the globe. In addition, research at the cellular and DNA levels shows lots of promise in anti-aging science. This article overviews what we know about longevity and how to use food to our advantage.
Longevity advise from the first physicians
Since Hippocrates, doctors have noticed that “gluttony leads to disease,” and obesity contributes to premature aging. So the appropriate treatment was apparent to physicians. They promoted low body weight to delay the aging process for centuries. They also recommended gradually reducing food intake in old age, even for normal-weight people.
Over the last two thousand years, doctors and scientists had many theories about why and how we age. However, the primary approach to longevity remained the same. They emphasized the danger of overeating for premature aging and disease.
Observations of the centenarians
Dan Buettner, a National Geographic fellow, spent ten years traveling around the world and studying areas with the highest concentration of people who live to 100. He then published the results of his research in his book The Blue Zone Solution, focusing on five locations. His team interviewed people from small communities in Greece, Japan, Italy, California, and Costa Rica. They collected data on the lifestyle and diet of people who live the longest and are also free from diseases. Here are some key points that were common for all locations.
The lifestyle of centenarians:
- Physical activity. Not that they go to the gym or pump iron. No, instead, they walk, garden, and do household chores.
- Social connections. Whether it’s a faith-based community they belong to, family circle, or friends, they spend a lot of time with others.
- Life enjoyment. They engage in activities that help them stay positive, relaxed, and happy—for example, spending time outdoors, napping, meditation, or happy hour.
What do centenarians eat?
Although the diets differ depending on the region, there are also some similarities:
- Mostly unprocessed foods. They cook their meals with fresh plants and herbs from the garden or the forest.
- Animal protein intake is relatively low. And they eat lots of vegetables and beans.
- They don’t shy away from alcohol. However, the key to drinking seems to be moderation – 1-2 glasses per day. The wine drinkers in Sardinia live longer than non-drinkers.
- And most importantly, they don’t overeat. Most of the longest-living people stop eating before they are full.
Average life expectancy around the world
Dan Buettner’s research is probably the most comprehensive study of the world’s longest-living people. Unfortunately, he doesn’t specify how he decided only to include these five locations. And there are many more regions where people live and thrive well into their golden years. For example, the average life expectancy in Monaco is 89.4 years, Japan and Singapore 85.3, Hong Kong and Iceland 83, Korea, Israel, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and Italy 82.5, France, Sweden, and Norway around 82, and US 78.6 years.
Animal studies confirm the benefits of eating less
In the last 100 years, we have studied the effect of caloric restriction on the longevity of all kinds of animals. From fruit flies to fish, rodents, and monkeys, the research shows an increase in life duration and the reduction of age-related degenerative diseases. We learned that 30% caloric restriction increases longevity in animals compared to animals who eat to their heart’s content. Unfortunately, it’s tough to conduct similar research on humans. We can’t put people on a calorie-reduced diet for the duration of their life, can we?
Biochemistry of anti-aging for humans and animals
As the development of science marches on, we can now explore what happens on the cellular level when we age. We can look at changes in blood markers and gene expressions associated with aging. We can compare the changes on the cellular level before and after an anti-aging intervention.
E.M. Mercken and his team explored the effect of calorie restriction on aging in rats and humans and then compared the results. They learned that long-term caloric restriction makes our cells more efficient at maintenance and repair activities in both humans and rats. Multiple biochemical changes associated with the slowdown of aging were present in rats and humans. They saw similar improvements in inflammatory markers, modifications in “longevity genes” responsible for stress resilience, antioxidants, DNA repair, etc. Oxidative stress – the hallmark of inflammation and many chronic diseases – is higher in old age. Restricted food intake can counteract the damaging effect of oxidation and reduce cancer risks.
In conclusion
Getting healthy, slowing down aging, and living to 100 are great goals. And there are many lifestyle practices that will help us improve the quality and extend the duration of our life. You might already have many of them in place, and if not, here are some to consider:
- Stay physically active
- Keep social connections strong
- Engage in activities that bring you joy
As for dietary modifications, here is what I recommend based on the mounting evidence:
- Reducing overall caloric intake and avoiding overeating.
- Avoid processed foods and focus on eating homemade meals.
- Try intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting is a subtype of fasting that is short-term and relatively frequent. You can reduce the window when you eat and extend the time of the day when you fast. For example, you fast for 14 hours overnight and eat within a 10-hour window. You can practice it every day or a couple of times a week. There are many other ways to practice intermittent fasting, and as a nutritionist, I can help you find the style that best suits your needs.