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Foods
To Eat
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Foods
To Eat
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Olive
Oil:Four decades ago, researchers from the Seven
Countries Study concluded that the monounsaturated
fats in olive oil were largely responsible for
the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the
Greek island of Crete. Now we know that olive
oil also contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants
that may help prevent age-related diseases.
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Yogurt:In
the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was rumored to have
more centenarians per capita than any other country.
Reports at the time claimed that the secret of
their long lives was yogurt, a food ubiquitous
in their diets. While the age-defying powers of
yogurt never have been proved directly, yogurt
is rich in calcium, which helps stave off osteoporosis
and contains 'good bacteria' that help maintain
gut health and diminish the incidence of age-related
intestinal illness.
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Fish:Thirty
years ago, researchers began to study why the
native Inuits of Alaska were remarkably free of
heart disease. The reason, scientists now think,
is the extraordinary amount of fish they consume.
Fish is an abundant source of omega-3 fats, which
help prevent cholesterol buildup in arteries and
protect against abnormal heart rhythms.
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Chocolate:The
Kuna people of the San Blas islands, off the coast
of Panama, have a rate of heart disease that is
nine times less than that of mainland Panamanians.
The reason? The Kuna drink plenty of a beverage
made with generous proportions of cocoa, which
is unusually rich in flavanols that help preserve
the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining
youthful blood vessels lowers risk of high blood
pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and
dementia.
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Nuts:
Studies of Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious
denomination that emphasizes healthy living and
a vegetarian diet) show that those who eat nuts
gain, on average, an extra two and a half years.
Nuts are rich sources of unsaturated fats, so
they offer benefits similar to those associated
with olive oil. They're also concentrated sources
of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals,
including antioxidants.
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Blueberries:In
a landmark study published in 1999, researchers
at Tufts University's Jean Mayer Human Nutrition
Research Center on Aging, fed rats blueberry extract
for a period of time that in 'rat lives' is equivalent
to 10 human years. These rats outperformed rats
fed regular chow on tests of balance and coordination
when they reached old age. Compounds in blueberries
(and other berries) mitigate inflammation and
oxidative damage, which are associated with age-related
deficits in memory and motor function.
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