I’m going heavy on nutrition in today’s email, because of two really great info bombs I came across in the last couple days and they are a must share!

Also they will help satisfy your sweet tooth, which if you’re like me can be a constant problem.

In today’s email:

• Never too late to make the right decision: Lifestyle choices are important even in our later years.

• Let’s go on a date: Dates pack a healthy punch sugar and all.

• Big blue: The wonders of Blueberries.

TOP STORY

Healthy Lifestyle and the Likelihood of Becoming a Centenarian

For those who are mindful of their health, life expectancy at any given adult age is gradually increasing over time. Each generation can look forward to living a few years longer than the previous one. We live in an era of remarkable advancements in the life sciences, and medicine continues to make great strides, despite some challenges along the way.

That said, the choices we make can significantly influence our well-being. This open access paper(Healthy Lifestyle and the Likelihood of Becoming a Centenarian) highlights the long-term effects of lifestyle choices, such as maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smoking. These decisions can have a profound impact on our health and quality of life, regardless of the technological advancements around us.

In a study of individuals aged 80 and older, researchers assessed the impact of lifestyle choices on longevity, including 1,454 centenarians and 3,768 individuals who did not reach 100 years. They found that those with the highest healthy lifestyle scores, based on factors like smoking, exercise, and dietary diversity, were significantly more likely to become centenarians compared to those with the lowest scores. This study stands out because it focuses on an older age group, whereas most previous research concentrated on middle-aged or older individuals aged 60 and above.

A Healthy Lifestyle Score for 100 (HLS-100), ranging from 0 to 6, was developed, with higher scores indicating better health outcomes. Over a median follow-up period of 5 years, 373 individuals from the lowest HLS-100 group (scores 0-2) and 276 individuals from the highest HLS-100 group (scores 5-6) became centenarians. The adjusted odds ratio for the highest vs. the lowest HLS-100 groups was 1.61, indicating a strong association between a healthy lifestyle and reaching 100 years. This association held even when considering centenarians with relatively good health, as measured by chronic conditions, physical and cognitive function, and mental wellness (AOR, 1.54). The findings suggest that promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors is crucial for healthy aging and longevity, even at advanced ages.

This definitely demonstrates our exercise and nutrition choices are still important even if we are in our later years.

Dates are both sweet and healthy

Dr. Idrees Mughal after looking at several randomized studies found that even though dates are packed with sugar they do not seem to raise blood glucose levels. This is great news for diabetics, insulin sensitive individuals, or anyone wanting a sweet alternative to table sugar to add to recipes without the glucose spike.

This mainly seems to be true because of the high fiber and vitamin and mineral concentration.

So they are delicious, sweet, don’t mess up your blood sugar, and leave you feeling full. Woohooo!

The wonderful benefits of Blueberries

1 cup of polyphenol rich blueberries a day can pack a real punch in regards to brain health and movement function.

Biomedical researcher, Dr. Rhonda Patrick explains the benefits of blueberries after reading several meta-analyses.

These meta-analyses of people of all ages show that blueberries improve cognitive function, memory, processing speeds, reaction time, and fine motor coordination.

Polyphenols are also found in raspberries, however there is a greater concentration in blueberries.

Now I know blueberries can be a bit more expensive, but even eating a cup full 2-3 times per week may be doable even on a budget.

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