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Saturday, October 3, 2009?
10 foods for longevity
According to USA Weekend.com, Science says these 10 can help you live longer, better.
1. Tomatoes.
These are a major source of the strong antioxidant lycopene. Lycopene reduces the risk of cancer by 40% -- notably prostate, lung and stomach cancers -- and increases cancer survival. Tomato eaters function better mentally in old age and suffer half as much heart disease. Concentrated tomato sauces (pizza, pasta sauces) have five times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes. Canned tomatoes have three times more than fresh.
2. Olive oil.
It's a major part of a Mediterranean diet, shown to help reduce death from heart disease and cancer. Heart-attack survivors on a Mediterranean diet had half the death rates of those on an ordinary low-fat diet, recent research shows. A famous researcher, Ancel Keys, once declared olive oil the main dietary reason for remarkably low mortality rates among Mediterranean populations. Olive oil, unlike other vegetable oils, is high in antioxidant activity.
3. Red grapes, including red grape juice and wine.
Red grapes have moderate antioxidant power. But purple grape juice tops other juices in antioxidant activity, having four times more than orange or tomato juice. Red wine (but not white) has about the same antioxidant capacity as purple grape juice or tea. French research shows that drinking wine, primarily red, in moderation increases longevity. Caution: Excessive drinking cuts life short, so limit alcohol to one or two drinks a day. Drink grape juice
4. Nuts.
These are one of our early evolutionary foods and ultra-compatible with survival. Recent Harvard University research found that eating more than 5 ounces of nuts a week cut heart-attack deaths in women by 40% and helped prevent deadly irregular heartbeats in men. Almonds and walnuts lower blood cholesterol. Nuts are high in fat, but most is good-type monounsaturated and/or omega-3. Best bet: unsalted nuts.
5. Whole grains.
The more whole grains you eat, the lower your odds of death, a new University of Minnesota study suggests. Middle-aged women who ate slightly more than one whole-grain food per day had a 15% lower death rate than women eating lots of refined processed grains. That calls for more whole-grain dark bread and cereals such as All Bran and "old-fashioned" oatmeal. Whole grains contain anti-cancer agents and help stabilize blood sugar and insulin, which may promote longevity.
6. Salmon and other fatty fish.
Contains high amounts of the type of fat -- omega-3 -- that performs miracles throughout the body, fighting virtually every chronic disease known. Without it, your brain can't think, your heart can't beat properly, your arteries clog, your joints become inflamed. How much? You need at least an ounce a day, or two servings of a fatty fish a week. Both red and pink canned salmon are rich in omega-3. Other fish high in omega-3: sardines, mackerel, herring and tuna.
7. Blueberries.
One of the highest foods in antioxidants, say Tufts University researchers. Blueberries are so powerful in retarding aging in animals that they can block brain changes leading to decline and even reverse failing memory. How much? The human equivalent used in animal studies: a half-cup of frozen or fresh blueberries a day.
8. Garlic.
It's packed with antioxidants known to help fend off cancer, heart disease and all-over aging. Garlic has prolonged cancer-survival time and extended animal lifespans by about 5%, which in humans might add about four years, German researchers have found. A tip from researchers at Penn State: Let crushed garlic "rest" about 10 minutes before cooking it, to preserve disease-fighting agents.
9. Spinach.
This super health-promoter is second among vegetables only to garlic in antioxidant capacity. It's also rich in folic acid, which helps fight cancer, heart disease and mental disorders. In animals, it protects aging brains from degeneration, according to studies at Tufts. New University of Kentucky research shows folic acid may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Both raw and steamed spinach have strong antioxidant activity.
10. Tea.
Green and ordinary black tea pack the same amounts of antioxidants and have equal benefits, experts say. Harvard researchers recently found that drinking 1 cup of black tea a day cut heart-disease risk in half. Be sure to make ice tea from loose tea or tea bags; instant tea and bottled teas contain minimal antioxidants, tests at Tufts University show.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children
Grace and Peace 6:26 PM