Keri Gans New York – My philosophy is simple: diets don’t work! Keri Gans, RDN©
Keeping active with daily walks, even if they are as short as 30 minutes, will do wonders for your health. We know that staying active is one of the best ways to keep our bodies healthy. It encourages consuming mostly a plant-based diet, eating till full – not stuffed, being active, finding a purpose in life, and more.
But did you know it can also improve your overall well-being and quality of life?
Here are just a few of the ways physical activity can help you feel better, look better and live better. Because, why not?
It’s a natural mood lifter.
Regular physical activity can relieve stress, anxiety, depression and anger. You know that “feel good sensation” you get after doing something physical? Think of it as a happy pill with no side effects! Most people notice they feel better over time as physical activity becomes a regular part of their lives.
It keeps you physically fit and able.
Without regular activity, your body slowly loses its strength, stamina and ability to function properly. It’s like the old saying: you don’t stop moving from growing old, you grow old from stopping moving. Exercise increases muscle strength, which in turn increases your ability to do other physical activities.
It helps keep the doctor away.
Stand up when you eat your apple a day! Too much sitting and other sedentary activities can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. One study showed that adults who watch more than 4 hours of television a day had an 80% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Being more active can help you:
- lower your blood pressure
- boost your levels of good cholesterol
- improve blood flow (circulation)
- keep your weight under control
- prevent bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis
All of this can add up to fewer medical expenses, interventions and medications later in life!
It can help you live longer.
It’s true, 70 is the new 60… but only if you’re healthy. People who are physically active and at a healthy weight live about seven years longer than those who are not active and are obese. And the important part is that those extra years are generally healthier years! Staying active helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging. So active adults maintain their quality of life and independence longer as they age.
Here are some other benefits you may get with regular physical activity:
- Helps you quit smoking and stay tobacco-free.
- Boosts your energy level so you can get more done.
- Helps you manage stress and tension.
- Promotes a positive attitude and outlook.
- Helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
- Improves your self-image and self-confidence.
- Helps you spend more time outdoors.
The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. You can knock that out in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. And every minute of moderate to vigorous activity counts toward your goal.
So, this is easy! Just move more, with more intensity, and sit less. You don’t have to make big life changes to see the benefits. Just start building more activity into your day, one step at a time.
12 cheap foods with anti-aging properties that longevity scientists swear by
Story by hbrueck@businessinsider.com (Hilary Brueck)
Certainly! Aging gracefully is a common goal, and incorporating certain foods into your diet can help. Here are 12 cheap foods with anti-aging properties that longevity scientists recommend:
- Whole Grains: Rich in antioxidants and fiber, whole grains like oats, quinoa, and brown rice support skin health and overall well-being1.
- Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are packed with antioxidants that combat oxidative stress and promote youthful skin.
- Leafy Greens: Spinach, kale, and Swiss chard provide vitamins A, C, and K, essential for skin health.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds contain healthy fats and antioxidants.
- Avocado: Loaded with monounsaturated fats, avocados nourish the skin and reduce inflammation.
- Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, mackerel, and sardines support skin elasticity and heart health.
- Tomatoes: Lycopene in tomatoes protects against UV damage and maintains skin texture.
- Green Tea: Rich in polyphenols, green tea fights inflammation and supports skin health.
- Beans and Legumes: Chickpeas, lentils, and black beans provide protein, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Garlic: Known for its immune-boosting properties, garlic also supports skin health.
- Turmeric: Curcumin in turmeric has anti-inflammatory effects and may benefit skin.
- Water: Staying hydrated is essential for youthful skin and overall health.
Remember to combine these foods with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and proper skincare for optimal results! 12345
- Some of the best anti-aging hacks are remarkably simple.
- Leafy greens can boost nitric oxide, while asparagus can help improve glutathione stores.
- I met experts at a longevity conference who told me the 12 anti-aging foods they eat.
While I didn’t set foot in the “Happiest Place on Earth,” I was bearing witness to another kind of magic at RAADfest — a longevity conference dubbed the “revolution against aging and death.” – Search (bing.com)
Whether you’re a longevity enthusiast, scientist, or just curious about the latest advancements in age reversal science, RAADfest promises an immersive experience where you can connect with like-minded individuals and explore groundbreaking research. 123
If you’re passionate about extending human lifespan and optimizing wellness,
this conference is definitely worth attending! 
Researchers were sharing their latest findings on anti-aging, and some of it felt like Magic Kingdom-level fantasy. Swiss stem cell treatments that were billed as age-reversing, yellowy young plasma injections that promised to cure all, and portable hyperbaric oxygen chambers were all on the menu for eternal life seekers to peruse.
There are plenty of ways to spend thousands, if not millions, of dollars seeking longevity.
But to me, none of these expensive (and potentially risky) regimens were as compelling as the simple, cheap foods I kept hearing about at the conference that we can all eat to live longer. I was amazed at how — once again — so many of the things that experts unequivocally say are longevity-promoters are sitting right in front of us, every day.
Here are 12 foods that I heard about at the conference:
Eating broccoli and leafy greens will help your body produce more valuable nitric oxide
Nitric oxide helps oxygen and nutrients move through our bodies. © Paquito Pagulayan/EyeEm/Getty Images
You may have heard that nitrates in processed meats and fertilizer are bad for us. Nitrates that build up in contaminated water, preserved foods, and even some of our drugs may contribute to cancer risk by converting into toxic nitrosamines inside our bodies, which can damage DNA and promote tumor growth.
Related video: Best Vitamins to Boost the Immune System (youtube.com)
But the nitrates in a stock of broccoli aren’t dangerous. In fact, they have an anti-aging effect, by improving our circulation and blood flow.
When we eat nitrate-rich vegetables like broccoli, our bodies produce nitric oxide, which is good for healthy aging. Nitric oxide helps oxygen and nutrients move throughout the body more efficiently. And, the antioxidants that are in fresh vegetables actually counteract the production of nitrosamines in the body.
If you don’t enjoy broccoli, other leafy greens like kale, spinach, or arugula, as well as beets, carrots, and raw cauliflower will each pack a big nitrous oxide punch for your system. Eating more antioxidant-rich broccoli can even lower your risk of developing cancer, among other age-related health issues.
“It’s just extraordinary how many nutrients we can derive from wonderful vegetables and how good they are for our bodies.” Baskin Robbins grandson Ocean Robbins, a veggie-loving plant-based diet advocate who never eats ice cream, previously told Insider.
What scientists have learned from studying people over 90 | 60 Minutes Archive (youtube.com)
Glutathione — vital to our healthy immune system — is plentiful in avocados and asparagus
Avocado toast is an antioxidant-rich breakfast choice. Getty Images©
Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that counteracts the stress our bodies go through day to day, helping stave off cancer and keep our immune system strong. Our bodies produce glutathione on their own, but there’s some evidence that as our bodies age, the level of glutathione in our blood may decrease, putting us at risk for more disease development.
Antioxidant supplements that promise to boost your glutathione levels don’t tend to work very well, and may even do some harm.
A group of several studies published in 2014 and 2015 from researchers in the US, Sweden, and Finland suggested that antioxidant supplements like glutathione pills may even contribute to increased cancer risk, in both mice and people.
But glutathione-promoting sulfur-rich foods like asparagus, avocados, green beans, and spinach are a cheap and simple, safer way to improve your glutathione stores.
SuperAgers eat foods rich in carotenoids.
They keep your brain and heart young.
Deep-hued carrots, raw parsley, leafy greens, and squash like pumpkin are thought to promote healthy aging due, in part, to the same chemicals that are responsible for their bright, vibrant colors.
Not only are these veggies great for eye health, carotenoid-rich diets have also been associated with lower rates of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular issues & dementia.
The world’s 5 blue zones & what can we learn about longevity and happiness (almafides.com)
Blue Zones Diet: Tips for a long life | Your Super EU
The longevity diets of SuperAgers described by Buettner in his book The Blue Zones:
living in Loma Linda, California, Okinawa, Japan, and other Blue Zones around the world are all effortlessly carotenoid-rich.
What Are Carotenoids, and What Foods Are Richest in Them? | Well+Good (wellandgood.com)
Ikaria (Greece): Blue Zone is an island in Greece where people eat a Mediterranean diet with lots of olive oil, red wine and home-grown vegetables.
Sardinia’s Scenic Splendor: A Drone’s Eye View of Paradise | Watch (msn.com)
Ogliastra, Sardinia (Italy): The Ogliastra region of Sardinia is home to some of the oldest men in the world. They live in mountainous regions where they usually work on farms and drink a lot of red wine.
Okinawa (Japan): The oldest women in the world live on Okinawa. They eat a lot of soy-based food and practice Tai Chi, a meditative form of exercise.
Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica): Drone View
Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica): The diet of the Nicoyan’s is based on beans and corn tortillas. The people in this region are still regularly active in sports into old age and have a certain sense of life, a “plan de vida”.
Loma Linda, California (USA): Drone View)
Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California (USA): The Seventh-day Adventists are a group of very religious people. They eat a strict vegetarian diet (and follow the example of the BibleI) and live in close-knit communities.
Dr. Gary Fraser, a cardiologist and diet researcher at Loma Linda University, told Insider he suspects that the carotenoids play a vital role in the healthy aging trends of the vege-heavy Blue Zones.
In these destinations, the focus of a new Netflix series, wellness isn’t a conscious goal, but an ancient way of life. As the modern wellness trend continues its march, more travelers are incorporating health-focused activities, from yoga retreats to vegan food tours, into their trips.
Yet there are a handful of destinations around the world where wellness isn’t a conscious goal, but an ancient way of life, and whose inhabitants live remarkably long and happy lives.
They’re called Blue Zones. And they’re the subject of a popular new docuseries on Netflix, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, hosted by author, educator and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner.
Comparing Mediterranean Diet and Blue Zone Diet – Search Videos (bing.com)
The turquoise blue ocean of Okinawa, Japan, © Ippei Naoi / Getty
What is a Blue Zone?
Buettner has extensively studied the world’s Blue Zones – there are only five in the world – and drawn some simple if surprising conclusions about these far-flung areas.
“I have found that most of what people think leads to a long, healthy life is misguided or just plain wrong,” says Buettner in the series, dismissing the fitness obsessions and health crazes we’re all too familiar with. “The fact of the matter is that most of us are leaving good years on the table.”
What’s the secret to the Blue Zones?
The answer varies, though residents in all five Blue Zones share several characteristics. Their community members tend to live an active lifestyle, surrounded by friends and family. In general, they are religiously observant, or adhere to a shared belief system. Their diet tends to be plant-based – with a glass of wine or two to unwind.
Yet each has unique characteristics that you need to experience in person (or at least via Netflix) to fully understand. Here is a short introduction to the world’s five Blue Zones.
Tending to their vegetable garden contributes to the longevity of Okinawans © courtesy of Netflix
Okinawa, Japan
With an aging population and millions of people living alone, Japan is experiencing a loneliness epidemic, which is linked to higher rates of depression, dementia and heart disease. But on the island chain of Okinawa, tight-knit communities are bucking the trend – and living ever longer as a result. More people here reach the age of 100 than almost anywhere else on earth.
What’s their secret?
Some put it down to moai, traditional social groups formed in childhood and continued throughout adulthood through regular meet-ups. These networks provide lifelong friendship, as well as practical, spiritual and financial support. Centenarians also credit ikigai, or a sense of purpose, as a driver of longevity. They achieve such purpose is achieved by, for example, growing their own vegetables such as sweet potato, goya (bitter melon) and kabocha squash, all known for their health benefits. Diet-wise, the mantra “hara hachi bu”– eat until you’re 80% full – may also be a factor.
You can learn about the art of endurance at a homestay in the rural Okinawan village of Ogimi, where you can witness the locals’ laid-back approach to timekeeping and hear the elders’ life stories. Sit down for lunch at Emi No Mise, famed for its longevity bento set, or go in search of the fountain of youth on a hike to one of the region’s many waterfalls.
Visit Sardinia to find out how a balanced yet joyous lifestyle helps people live longer © courtesy of Netflix
Sardinia, Italy
For Sardinians, longevity is in the genes – the M26 genetic marker, to be precise. There are nearly 10 times more centenarians per capita here than in the US, but experts think that this comes down to more than just biology.
In the mountainous province of Nuoro, Sardinia’s traditional lifestyle prevails: people take gentle exercise every day; eat fresh, seasonal food including lots of whole grains and little meat; and consider older generations a valued part of society. Locals ascribe their long-lasting health in part to physical labor, while the strong island winds which keep the air they breathe clean. Then there’s the wine – the grape variety cannonau (a local grenache) has two to three times more artery-friendly flavonoids than other wines, and is usually taken in moderation with both lunch and dinner.
Want in? Immerse yourself in nature by volunteering on an organic farm through organizations such as WWOOF, where you will live alongside local people, eating home-cooked meals and spending your days working the land. If you’re short on time (after all, we won’t all live to 109) visit Sella & Mosca vineyard, or learn to make minestrone and other death-defying recipes at a cooking class. There’s even a Longevity Tour for would-be nonagenarians.
The Nicoya is a place where relaxation comes naturally © Matteo Columbo
Nicoya, Costa Rica
Beans, beans, the magical fruit – the more you eat the more you…get out of life? It would appear so in Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, home to the longest-lived people in all of the Americas, and where the health-boosting triumvirate of squash, corn and beans known as las tres hermanas (the three sisters) grow in harmony to provide the perfect balance of carbs, protein and fibre. Corn is still prepared the traditional Mayan way: by soaking it in slaked lime or ash before grinding, which releases the corn’s niacin, reducing toxins and allowing the body to absorb more calcium, iron and minerals.
Having a sense of purpose (plan de vida), an optimistic outlook, strong family ties and regular exercise are all said to contribute to longevity here. Throw in a healthy dose of vitamin D (aka sunshine), nutrient-packed tropical fruits, calcium-rich water and widespread spirituality and it would appear you have the recipe for a long, happy and healthy life. Brave the crowds the week before Easter to witness locals’ faith in action at Semana Santa festivities, or de-stress on the beach in Santa Teresa or Montezuma. Learn to make your own corn tortillas at a homestay or cooking class – and don’t forget to eat your beans.
Perhaps it is the years of isolation or the fact that it is blessed by Dionysos that make folks in Ikaria live a very long time © Alexandros Dedoukos / Getty Images
Ikaria, Greece
A third of the population of Ikaria makes it to their 90s. Dementia is practically non-existent. So what is it about this lesser-known Greek island that keeps people living longer?
Years of isolation may be a factor. Strong winds meant fewer sailors came ashore in centuries past, ensuring that traditional cultures were preserved and the people self-sufficient. Occupied by Germans and Italians during the Second World War and later used as a place of exile for communists, a culture of solidarity emerged, embedding strong social bonds. All this paired with a healthy Mediterranean diet – olive oil, red wine, homegrown organic vegetables, local honey (rather than refined sugar) and goat’s milk – and a relaxed pace of living has seen life spans stretch further.
Ikaria’s Blue Zone inclusion has drawn visitors from all over the world, and it’s easier than ever to get here – yet this rugged island remains unspoiled. Come to soak in the healing waters of spa town Therma, or rediscover your zest for life with a skinny dip on nudist-friendly Nas beach. Indulge in afternoon naps, drink wine linked to longevity (after all, Ikaria is known as the birthplace of Dionysos, God of wine) and join panigyria (traditional feast days) for local food, live music and dancing, where even the oldies are likely to stay up until the wee hours. One tip: leave your watch at home.
People in Loma Linda often enjoy at least a decade more of life than counterparts from other US cities © Animaflora / Getty
Loma Linda, California
Los Angeles might be known for SoulCycle, smoothie joints and Lululemon-clad joggers – but you’ll need to head east to find California’s wealthiest people. In Loma Linda, a population of around 9000 Seventh-day Adventists are known to live around a decade longer than other US citizens, most likely due to their plant-based diets and religious practices.
Churchgoing and Bible-study groups create dependable social circles, while observing the Sabbath allows time to unwind. Avoiding alcohol, taking regular exercise and eating plenty of fresh vegetables and whole grains keeps disease at bay, too.
Get a taste of the good, long life at Loma Linda farmers market (which sells no meat, poultry or seafood), or take a gentle hike in Hulda Crooks Park, named after longtime resident and mountaineer nicknamed Grandma Whitney, who scaled hundreds of peaks between the age of 65 and 91 and lived until the grand age of 101.
This article was first published Nov 23, 2019 and updated Sep 14, 2023.
The longevity secrets of Singapore, is the 6th blue zone city: where people are living the longest, happiest lives. Buettner was first intrigued by Singapore in 2005 when he wrote a cover story for National Geographic on happiness, he tells Fortune. Since then, he’s met with residents and pored over data, analyzing the island’s health metrics. The life expectancy has grown by 20 years since 1960, and the number of centenarians doubled in the last decade, Buettner writes in his book.
Hunza Valley Pakistan – Search (bing.com) Those who have heard of the Hunza are likely familiar with the legendary rumors that this secluded people have a life expectancy of 120 years, with some living up to the age of 150. Meanwhile, the average life expectancy in Pakistan is only 67 years.
Most Residents Of This Mountainous Area Live Beyond 100 Years | Gaia Whether Hunza longevity is exaggerated is up for debate, but what is undoubtedly true is that their isolation and quality of life have some interesting characteristics that would certainly make one healthier. It is also highly likely that their average life expectancy is somewhere around 100 years old.
BONUS: 15 Places Where People Live the Longest : Wellness & Renewal : HGTV | HGTV
List of countries by life expectancy – Wikipedia
If you want to skip our discussion on the factors contributing to the longevity of people globally, you can go directly to the 5 Places Where People Live The Longest in The World. There are many places across the world that have gained attention for their unique lifestyle factors, healthcare systems, and cultural practices that contribute to the longevity of their residents. One of the key factors contributing to high life expectancies in these places is the effectiveness of the healthcare systems.
The global healthcare market size 2023 has reached $8,348.44 billion and is anticipated to expand to $8,963.64 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4%. The market is expected to grow further to $10,908.9 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 5.0%. This positive trend is attributed to various factors, including advancements in medical technology, an aging population, increased health insurance coverage, government healthcare initiatives, and the integration of AI and technological innovations in the medical field. Taiwan and Belgium rank among the top countries with the best healthcare systems in the world. Meanwhile, Singapore and Vatican City are among the places where people live the longest in the world.5 Countries where people live the longest (bbc.com)
I’m 85 and still do strength training 3 times a week. Here are my top tips for longevity. (msn.com)
‘Biologically younger’ people who defy their real age often have 5 things in common (msn.com)
12 cheap foods with anti-aging properties that longevity scientists swear by (msn.com)
You can also check out the 40 Cities with the Highest Life Expectancy in the US.
9 Superfoods to Eat When You Want to Feel Healthier (msn.com)
Source: Countries Where People Live the Longest – WorldAtlas