A few small changes are enough to live longer according to her.
Eating a balanced diet is essential to keep our body healthy. But it’s not always easy to know what our body needs. However, by improving our eating habits now, we can improve our health today and tomorrow. This is the idea defended by Dr Federica Amati, professor of nutrition: “80% of chronic diseases are preventable with diet and lifestyle changes. Our bodies naturally evolve, change and adapt as we age, but we expect our diet to stay the same” she explains on Instagram.
However, as we age, the absorption of nutrients and their use in our body becomes more and more difficult: “In general, we become more resistant to insulin. And insulin is a really important hormone for the absorption of all nutrients into cells, which is why it’s recommended to consume more protein for older people .” But this is not enough.
Based on the work of Professor John Mathers, the scientist explains that it is possible to add 10 to 11 years to your life expectancy by simply changing your diet from the age of 40. Professor Mathers’ study looked at the dose-response relationships between the consumption of fifteen food groups and mortality. His team then observed that certain dietary changes were associated with gains in life expectancy of 5 to 10 years for participating women and men aged 40. “40 years is not a magic number, you can add 11 years to your life at 40 but you can also add up to 6 years at 70” emphasized Dr. Amati.
So what should we do to live longer? “Basically add more fruits, more vegetables, more legumes, more nuts and more seeds” replied the nutritionist. Which amounts to following the principles of the famous Mediterranean diet. “Make sure each meal contains a very good source of plant-based protein, eggs occasionally or fatty fish, prepare meals beans, lentils and whole grains. These foods are great for nourishing us and naturally hydrating which can really improve a person’s quality of life, especially as they age.”