Remember that old adage: You are what you Eat? Well it is true, that your health, disposition, abilities and even attitudes are representative of what you eat. What we eat does in fact determine how long we will live; this is the long and short of it!
These foods will probably shorten your life span:
Nutritionists have been shouting from the rooftops about the unhealthiness of fast foods and other packaged and convenience foods. Alas they are right! It may taste great to eat that whopping great burger, those greasy fries, washed down by the sugar laden fizzy drink topped by that calorie laden ice cream in the end.
But these things not only have very little nutritional value, they also are actually bad for you: typically fast food chains use trans fats to cook their food which are the worst possible things for your body. They clog up your arteries, increase your cholesterol and risk of heart disease and stroke. Weight gain and the feeling of lethargy that comes from eating a heavy but nutritionally low quality meal are other downsides.
Packaged and convenience foods are typically also prepared in and stuffed with trans-fats to increase their shelf life and make them palatable. They often contain very high degrees of sugar and may be prepared from highly refined products again to increase shelf life and palatability. High levels of sodium are something else that makes these foods extremely unhealthy.
Foods that will help in Living a Longer, Happier Life:
Rule of thumb for healthy eating is that you should eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. The less refined, the less processed, the fewer additives, preservatives, sweeteners the better. There are many foods that are very good for you, some even though they are high in calories:
Nuts and Oily Fish: These contain good quality and nutritionally beneficial oils such as Omega3 fatty acids etc. which the body requires and cannot manufacture on its own. Nuts are high in calories so should be consumed in moderation, but are extremely good for health and for optimum working of the body. Fish such as mackerel, salmon and tuna are also fish that it is recommended should be consumed twice a week for optimum benefits to accrue.
Eggs: Eggs have in the past received a bad rep being high calories and supposedly laden with cholesterol. Now however the benefits of eating eggs have been seen to outweigh its demerits; again when consumed in moderation and prepared in a healthy way (boiled rather than fried etc.). They come packed with vitamins and other essential nutrients and for convenience and versatility, you can’t beat eggs!
Whole grains, Veggies and Fruits: again these are foods good for you because they are as close to their natural state as possible, unrefined and unprocessed. These give sustained and slow release of energy, which is beneficial, and the additives and preservatives such as trans-fats, refined sugars and extra sodium which are the villains of the food group are all absent!
So let’s wind up with another oft quoted adage: Eat Healthy to Stay Healthy!