A diet based upon nutritious foods may help elongate your life. According to researchers and authors of "The Okinawa Program," Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox and Makoto Suzuki, a healthy diet is vital in enhancing overall health, preserving youthful appearance and optimizing your ability to recover from illnesses. Other lifestyle habits, such as regular exercise, not smoking and limiting alcohol, also promote longevity. For the best results, seek specified guidance from your doctor or nutritionist.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Fruits and vegetable provide significant amounts of antioxidants, which enhance your body's ability to defend itself from infections and diseases. Diets based upon fruits and vegetables are also associated with healthy weight management, which can reduce your risk for an array of serious medical conditions, including type two diabetes, heart disease and certain forms of cancer. According to Willcox, Willcox and Suzuki, the Okinawans, a culture in Japan who demonstrate more longevity than any other culture in the world, consume more than seven servings of fruits and vegetables per day. To reap maximum benefits from fruits and vegetables, incorporate various varieties into your meals and snacks on a regular basis. In addition to improving your nutrient intake, eating more fruits and vegetables at your meals can help you consume lesser amounts of foods denser in calories, such as meat, fats and starches.
WHOLE GRAINS
Whole grains, such as whole wheat, oats, barley, spelt, brown rice and quinoa, provide rich amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber. According to research published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2000, eating whole grains may help you live longer. In the study, 11,040 post-menopausal women followed either a diet based upon whole grain or a diet based on refined grains for the course of eleven years. At the end of the study, 17 percent fewer deaths occurred in the women who consumed whole grains. Since both groups of women consumed similar amounts of fiber, researchers speculated that whole grain foods provide more benefits than refined carbohydrates with added fiber. For optimum wellness and longevity benefits, replace enriched breads, pasta, rice, cereals and snack foods with whole grain equivalents most often. When buying whole grain-based foods, check food packaging to ensure that whole grains are listed as main ingredients.
FATTY FISH
Fatty fish provide rich amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids -- essential fats you must obtain from dietary sources. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Omega-3 fats may improve your heart health and brain function, reduce symptoms of depression and schizophrenia and help prevent forms of cancer, including breast, colon and prostate cancer. Fatty fish also play a significant role in Okinawans' diets. For improved wellness and longevity, consume fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, trout, halibut, mackerel, herring and flounder, routinely. If you do not consume fatty fish regularly, other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, walnut oil and canola oil.
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