In a fast-paced world, as we race through various stages of life, we often forget that seemingly small and insignificant things can affect our health in the long run.

Neglecting mental health, for example, can rob us of cognitive skills later in life. What would be the use of living a long life in terms of the body if we cannot register in our minds what is happening? 

Research suggests the decisions you make at different stages in your life can chart a course to healthy ageing, such as eating a healthy snack in midlife.

The decisions you make in life have a domino effect: they determine your overall life expectancy. This is because lifestyle factors influence your risk of a range of chronic diseases. Diet provides one of the strongest illustrations of this effect, with poor decisions raising your risk of heart disease – one of the gravest threats to longevity, writes Adam Chapman in Express.co.uk. https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1500900/how-to-live-longer-nuts-longevity

The role of diet and healthy ageing:

We are after all that we eat. There is no denying the role our diet plays in our physical and mental health. And nuts have been the toast of the dieticians and nutritionists who have researched healthy ageing. A new study published in the journal Hindawi claims that “Nut consumption may reduce age-related diseases and lead to better health and well-being in ageing.”

Nut consumption in midlife appears to have a knock-on effect, the researchers noted. From 1998 to 2002, the researchers administered food frequency questionnaires to assess nut consumption (peanuts, walnuts, and other nuts and peanut butter) in women in the Nurses’ Health Study in their 50s/early 60s.

The criteria to know who are the healthy agers:

Those who survived beyond 65 years with no chronic diseases, no reported memory impairment, no physical disabilities, and intact mental health were considered “healthy agers”. Of 33,931 participants at midlife, 16 per cent became “healthy agers”.

The key findings of the study were:

1. Women consuming nuts at midlife have a greater likelihood of overall health and well-being at older ages.
2. The researchers found “statistically significantly” higher odds of healthy ageing across peanuts, walnuts, and other nuts after age adjustment.
3. WALNUTS ARE KING: After full control for confounders, only walnut consumption remained associated with healthy ageing

The Mediterannean Diet:

The role of nuts has been highlighted by numerous studies earlier. Nuts can be enjoyed as part of a Mediterranean-style diet, which has been shown to provide heart-healthy benefits.

A Mediterranean diet incorporates the traditional healthy living habits of people from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, including France, Greece, Italy and Spain.

Though it varies according to the region, it is generally high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil. There is also a low emphasis on the intake of meat and dairy foods.

How to live longer: The snack to eat in ‘midlife’ that increases odds of ‘healthy ageing’

 

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a professional healthcare provider if you have any specific questions about any medical matter.