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As of 2010, the United States had approximately 53,364 living centenarians (people above the age of 100). What’s even more impressive is the fact that 39 people across the globe have lived to, or are currently, 115 years old!
Now, you may have read stories of centenarians who owe their longevity to drinking a beer a day, but these individuals should be viewed as rare cases.
So before I get your hopes up, this article is not about a secret diet pill or detox kit that’s guaranteed to make you live longer.
Rather, I’ll be showing you a combination of foods to help you become a full fledged centenarian yourself.
Antioxidants
For starters, in order to surpass the double digits, you’ll need to protect yourself.
Environmental pollutants, harmful food additives, and certain medications are just a few foes working against your long lifespan. These result in the creation and spread of free radicals in your body.
Free radicals are essentially “highly reactive atoms” that set off chain reactions inside of us. These reactions have a domino-like effect so the response spreads to nearby cells. The problem is that free radicals damage our DNA and cell membranes, and as a result, our cells don’t function as they should. They can even die from this process.
That’s why antioxidants are such a lifesaver. You can think of antioxidants as powerful little ninjas that spend their days karate-chopping and fighting off free radicals.
By definition, antioxidants are “chemicals that can prevent or slow cell damage. An ‘antioxidant’ is actually not a substance; it’s a behavior”.
Antioxidants are not a magic pill that you take each day like a multivitamin – you must consume them in the foods you eat on a regular basis. Trust me, loading up on antioxidant-rich foods will solidify your spot in the forever-young centenarian squad. You literally cannot beat the longevity-boosting health benefits antioxidants provide.
These bad boys stop free radicals in their tracks and terminate the reactions before they lead to a health scare. Meaning your cells suffer less damage and keep on being healthy.
I’ve outlined some of my favorite antioxidant-rich foods in this superfoods article, but as a quick recap, here are a few foods to keep on hand at all times:
- Berries such as blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries
- Dark, leafy veggies like kale, spinach, and mustard and turnip greens
- Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, oregano, basil, thyme, and cumin
- Nuts like walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts
- Green tea
You’ll want to incorporate these foods into your daily meals starting today. Yes, today! Don’t put off protecting your cells another minute longer.
The good news is that foods packed with these wonderful antioxidants taste better than junk food.
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