While there is no single food that can guarantee a long and healthy life, Dr. Michael Mosley shared that a food group can provide effective results for longevity. Dr. Mosley spoke with some of the world’s leading scientists who are researching ways to slow and even reverse the aging process. He concluded that genetics played a relatively minor role in aging and lifestyle was much more important.
HEALTHY EATING IS VERY IMPORTANT TO AGE WELL
The expert found that eating food for a healthy microbiome is crucial if you want to age well and survive far beyond the average lifespan. Your gut microbiome describes the collection of all genetic material from the microbes in your gut, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other small organisms.
CONSUME FRUIT AND VEGETABLES OF DIFFERENT COLORS
Previous evidence links a healthy gut to even greater benefits, from a strong immune system to lower inflammation levels. Dr. To boost your microbiome with “anti-aging” foods, Mosley recommended eating a diet that’s largely plant-based, rich in fiber, with lots of “different colored fruits and vegetables.”
THESE FOODS CONTAIN GOOD BACTERIA
In the case of bacterioides and other “good” bacteria, the doctor recommended eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi daily. On the other hand, sugar-rich foods tend to have the opposite effect on aging and your gut health.
HEALTHIER LIVING PEOPLE HAVE THESE BACTERIA
Researchers from the Guangxi Academy of Sciences in China compared the microbiomes of 1,575 people aged 20 to 100 years. Dr. Mosley explained that the findings reveal that the healthiest centenarians have particularly high levels of a type of bacteria called bacteroidet.
“This insect has been previously associated with thinness and is present in much smaller amounts in the guts of overweight people. Bacteroidetes seem to be less good at absorbing the fat we consume than other gut bacteria, so people who have more of them tend to expel more calories from their bodies.”