As our society ages, the interest in maximizing our longevity it grows. In fact, Spain is the country with the highest life expectancy in the entire European Union: Spaniards live an average of 84 years, followed by Italy (83.8 years) and Malta (83.6 years). Even so, it is not enough for us to aspire to live until we are 100 years old, because we want to get there well, enjoying good physical and mental health.
This is why anti-aging medicine or antiaging It is in a moment of popularity. He Dr. Iván Ibáñez He is an expert in longevity, preventive nutrition and treatment of overweight and obesity through metabolic medicine. Furthermore, it is director of the Longevity Clinic in Girona and member of the Spanish Society of Anti-Aging and Longevity Medicine (SEMAL). In an interview with Infobae Spainthe doctor has explained what role nutrition plays in our life expectancy.
It is important to keep in mind that “longevity is influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. This is what is called epigenetics. Genetics only influences, in general, 20% and epigenetics or Lifestyle 80%. While we cannot change our genetics, we can significantly influence our life expectancy through our daily choices. Healthy habits like a balance diet“, regular exercise, stress management, adequate sleep and avoiding risky behaviors such as smoking or excessive alcohol consumption can increase our life expectancy and improve its quality.”
If we start from that base, we can understand how diet plays a crucial role in aging. And it does it in every meal of the day that we eat. Therefore, if we take this into account, we can increase our life expectancy by incorporating small changes to our plates, starting with breakfast. As recommended by Dr. Ibáñez, breakfast should “be nutritious and balanced, incorporating proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats”. Proteins can be found in eggs, nuts or Greek yogurt, while complex carbohydrates are in oats and fresh fruits. In addition, we can complete our breakfast by adding avocado or seeds, rich in healthy fats.
Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can reduce the risk to suffer certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. “Antioxidants present in many plant foods fight oxidative damage in cells, which can slow the aging process. Additionally, a balanced diet helps maintain a healthy weight, reduce inflammation, and improve immune system function. The objective apart from having a nutrition without deficiencies is to inhibit insulin spikes. So I always recommend eating the protein first and then the carbohydrate or fruit, vegetables, salad… If we eat a piece of fruit mid-morning or mid-afternoon, first the ideal would be to eat a handful of nuts to prevent the glycemia peak,” explains Dr. Ibáñez.
