FOODS FOR LONGEVITY

This article is about foods with anti-aging benefits that can extend our lives in many different ways.  This can happen by boosting energy, rejuvenating the body's cells and in many other ways.  I have a list of a few of those foods that are readily available from grocery stores and health food stores.


This information was taken from a book called 'Power Juices, Super Drinks' by Steve Meyerowitz who also wrote 'Juice Fasting And Detoxification'.  Juices concentrate all of the benefits of whatever fruit or vegetable you are juicing which allows you to consume a greater quantity of those benefits just because of the lack of filler you would normally consume through normal eating of said produce.


Natural Healing that can happen through the consuming of natural vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants can be propelled immensely with juicing because of the concentrating ability of juicing.  You can drink the juice of a pound of carrots quite easily and your body will love it.  However, your jaw muscles will tire long before you get halfway through eating a pound of carrots, nevermind the full stomach.


I highly recommend juicing and I do it myself.  It will give you a rejuvented feeling immediately.  Therefore I do recommend your looking into buying the books mentioned above.  Pick your ailment or condition and then page through the contents section to find a totally natural recipe for a power juice to help relieve that discomfort.


The foods I am recommending today are not in juice form but were listed in the book as well as herbs, seeds, organic foods and the importance of drinking plenty of pure clean water.  OK, now for those 'Longevity Foods'.



BEE POLLEN:  a mixture of plant pollen, plant nectar and bee saliva.  It's like a super multivitamin and mineral supplement designed and manufactured in nature's laboratory by some of out hardest workers - bees.

Bee polen contains an extensive collection of nutrients and offers a long list of benefits that can extend our lives by building the blood, boosting energy and rejuvenating the body's cells.  High in antioxidants, bee pollen counteracts the effects of aging both mentally and physically.



ROYAL JELLY:  Another bee food.  It contains components that can smooth the wrinkles in aging skin.  It is so valuable that it is fed exclusively to the queen bee.  It is credited with maintaining the queen's larger size and extending her life.  Queen bees live four to five years compared to worker bees, who live approximately 40 days.  Imagine what it might do for us!



SPROUTS:  Alfalfa, radish, broccoli, clove and soybean sprouts contain concentrated amounts of phytochemicals (plant compounds) that can protect us against disease.  The anti-aging benefits of the plant estrogens in these sprouts are similar to those of human estrogen but without the side effects.  They increase bone formation and density and prevent bone breakdown (osteoporosis).  They are helpful in controlling hot flashes, menopause and fybrocystic breast tumors.

Sprouts are in the process of rapid growth and tremendous enzyme activity.  Proteins, vitamins, minerals and other plant compounds are multiplying at a ferocious rate.  Sprouts also contain an abundance of highly active antioxidants that prevent the destruction of DNA and protect us from the ongoing effects of aging.



BREWER'S YEAST:  One of the top protein foods on the planet and our finest source of chromium, phosphorous and potassium.  It is the food of choice for most of the B-complex vitamins, including the elusive B12.  As a major immune-enhancing food, brewer's yeast protects against diseases that shorten life.  Brewer's yeast contains a skin respiratory factor (SRF) that conteracts the aging of skin by bringing more oxygen to the tissues.



GRAPES & BERRIES:  These foods contain a wealth of bioflavonoids and anthocyanidins which, are superb antioxidants.  Found in vascular plants like black currants, blueberries and grapes, bioflavonoids can protect blood vessels and capillaries from oxidative damage and strengthen connective tissue in the body which, weakens with the passage of time.  Grapeseed extract protects us against free radicals that age our vision.




GARLIC:  Garlic and aged garlic extract offer many anti-aging benefits such as improved memory and learning abilities, prevention of atherosclerosis and lower blood pressure.  Animals fed aged garlic extract lived longer than animals fed a placebo.



WHEY:  This is the liquid that separates from the curds during the manufacture of cheese.  Whey protein is absorbed very easily.  The body retains a very high percentage of the protein eaten.  Whey protein contains a growth factor that, when fed to mice, extended lifespan by 30% over those fed milk protein or standard diets.  I have noticed that most, if not all, of the protein powders and mixes in health stores are made from whey.




Clearly there are many more foods that are beneficial to extending life and that also battle the effects of aging.  I will be doing an article on vitamins for longevity, herbs for longevity, nutrients and maybe some other beneficial foods.  The main thought to keep in mind is that although many conditions a person has could be attributable to heredity it doesn't mean you have to take that lying down.  It just means that this person's body doesn't hold onto, or use as efficiently, a certain nutrient.  You can combat that dificiency by taking more of that nutrient than you normally would.  Some cars use a little more oil than others, just do what you have to do equalize the situation.  Keep it running smooth!



Thanks for visiting,
Adam