Anti-aging diet? 15 questions to test whether your diet is anti-aging!

Aging is a topic that everyone cannot escape. As early as ancient times, people began to explore ways to achieve immortality.

From the ancients' "abundant food" health preservation to today's anti-aging diet, most of them emphasize the concept of "eating less". A new study found that the anti-aging diet model is not a one-time solution.

Do “anti-aging diets” really work?

Aging is the manifestation of degenerative changes and functional decline of the body, as well as decreased adaptability and resistance. Simply put, aging skin is an external manifestation, while gradual degeneration of organs and frequent illness are internal manifestations.

Scientists from the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Washington published a study in the top international journal Science, evaluating six popular anti-aging dietary patterns, exploring the commonalities of these dietary mechanisms, and analyzing their connection with anti-aging.

The anti-aging diets involved in this study are:

Calorie restriction: Generally requires a 30-40% reduction in total calories, but nutrient supplementation is usually required to maintain overall health.

Intermittent fasting: Periodically maintaining zero or very low calorie intake for a certain period of time, with the fasting time not exceeding 24 hours.

Fasting-mimicking diet: refers to a low-calorie diet that simulates the fasting state, combined with a moderate-carb, low-protein, and high-fat diet.

Ketogenic diet: refers to a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein, and high fat diet designed to induce ketosis or the production of ketone bodies.

Time-restricted diet: There is no need to restrict food types or food amounts (reasonable dietary range), as long as the eating time is controlled within a certain time (such as 12 hours) during the day, and no eating is allowed at other times.

Protein restriction and essential amino acid restriction: refers to reducing the total protein intake, or reducing the proportion of protein in the dietary structure while keeping the total food intake unchanged; restricting the intake of one or certain specific amino acids.

These diets are mainly divided into two categories: calorie restriction and isocaloric nutrient restriction.

Clockwise from the first picture on the left: Calorie restriction, time-restricted eating, protein restriction, and ketogenic diet

Among them, the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and fasting-mimicking diet are calorie restrictions; time-restricted diet, protein restriction, or amino acid restriction can relatively ensure the same calorie intake.

The effects of these diets can be partly attributed to calorie restriction, and while they can help with weight loss, the study did not find whether they are effective for fighting aging, and the effects vary from person to person.

The study pointed out that the effect of calorie restriction on lifespan is highly dependent on genotype and in some cases can lead to reduced survival of individuals. As of now, it is not possible to determine whether the above-mentioned calorie-restricted diet will affect human aging.

In addition, after analyzing factors such as the laboratory environment and genetic background of the experiment, the researchers concluded that it is difficult for humans to maintain a calorie-restricted diet evenly and continuously throughout the year.

Self-test: Is your diet anti-aging?

Three meals a day can not only replenish basic energy for life, but also help fight aging if the nutritional intake is reasonable.

Answer the questions in the table below to test whether your daily diet is conducive to anti-aging.

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1. Can you eat 200 grams of dark green vegetables (such as spinach, rapeseed, and lettuce) every day?

2. Do you try to eat vegetables at all three meals?

3. In addition to white rice and white noodles, does your staple food consist of half whole grains, beans or potatoes (such as potatoes, yams, taro, etc.)?

4. Can you eat half a pound of fruit every day?

5. Do you eat a tablespoon of nuts or oil seeds such as sesame and flax seeds every day?

6. Do you drink 1 to 2 small cups of live bacteria yogurt every day (excluding milk drinks and yogurt drinks)?

7. Do you eat tofu, dried tofu and other soy products more than 4 times a week?

8. Do you eat no less than 50 grams and no more than 150 grams of meat or fish every day?

9. Do you make sure to eat three types of food: staple food, vegetables and high-quality protein at every meal?

10. Can you eat three meals on time and in regular amounts, and make your breakfast nutritious and delicious?

11. Do you eat more than 12 kinds of food every day (excluding condiments and cooking oil)?

12. Do you replace a meal with biscuits, frozen dumplings, instant noodles, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. less than twice a week?

13. Do you always keep yourself 70% to 80% full, without overeating or feeling too hungry?

14. Do you cook your dishes at a lower temperature, prefer salads, stews and steaming, and do you rarely have excess oil on your dishes?

15. Do you drink more than 6 cups of water or light tea every day and avoid sweetened drinks?

All questions 1 to 5 are scored

This indicates that adequate intake of antioxidants can help fight the aging of skin and body tissues. Human aging often begins with fat oxidation.

Sufficient dietary fiber intake helps to remove waste from the body in a timely manner. Insoluble fiber can promote intestinal peristalsis and prevent constipation, while soluble fiber can combine with fat and cholesterol to reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia and fatty liver.

Scores for Questions 1, 6, and 7

It means adequate calcium intake, which helps maintain an upright posture and prevent osteoporosis.

You will get points for questions 6 to 9

This indicates that protein intake is sufficient, maintaining the body's repair ability and preventing sarcopenia. As we age, the body's synthetic ability decreases and catabolism becomes dominant.

Muscles need good synthetic functions to ensure their survival. If malnutrition occurs at this time, it can easily lead to sarcopenia, which is an important sign of aging and low metabolic levels.

Question 10 score

This shows that we should pay attention to the quality of breakfast and have regular meals. This can help prevent problems such as gallstones and cholecystitis, and is also beneficial for preventing a variety of gastrointestinal diseases and delaying gastrointestinal aging.

Score for Questions 11 and 12

This indicates that the diet is of high quality and has a good degree of food diversity, which is conducive to preventing aging caused by nutrient deficiency, avoiding dependence on unhealthy foods made from a small amount of refined starch and oil, and reducing the risk of obesity and diabetes.

Excessively high levels of blood sugar and blood lipids after meals will accelerate the aging of body tissues.

Scores for Questions 12-15

This shows that good control of total food calories can help maintain a good figure. American research has found that exercise and weight control can offset the adverse effects of menopause.

Human aging has three "gears"

In life, you may hear people use "getting old all of a sudden" to describe the speed of aging. In fact, a study published in the journal Nature Medicine by the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center of Stanford University in the United States showed that human aging has three gears.

Around 34 years old

Although young people are in their prime, the number of cells and cell water in the human body begin to decrease continuously, and around 34 years old is the first turning point of body aging.

Aging of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system: After the age of 30, blood circulation in the brain slows down and blood flow decreases, affecting memory, coordination and brain function.

The human body's muscle mass reaches its peak at the age of 25 to 30, and then gradually decreases with age, affecting the body's metabolic rate. At around 35 years old, bone loss begins.

Aging of the heart and lungs: Starting at age 30, the ventricular walls and heart valves of the heart gradually thicken, and the heart conduction system begins to age. At the same time, lung capacity also begins to slowly decline.

Around 60 years old

People are at the end of menopause and are facing a change in lifestyle with retirement, which accelerates the aging process.

The circulatory, digestive and immune systems are the characteristics of aging in this age group. Around the age of 60, the cardiac conduction system continues to age, which can easily lead to problems such as insufficient blood supply and decompensation.

The functions of the oral cavity, esophagus, and gastrointestinal tract gradually decline, and the aging of the endocrine system is mainly reflected in the levels of various hormones and the sensitivity of target organs to them.

About 78 years old

All functions of the human body enter a stage of rapid aging:

Nervous system: decreased memory, easy fatigue, slow response to the outside world.

Urinary system: Renal artery sclerosis and decreased renal blood flow lead to decreased renal function.

Respiratory system: Problems such as decreased respiratory muscle strength and tracheal calcification occur, leading to increased airway resistance, decreased lung ventilation and gas exchange functions, and a gradual decrease in sputum excretion ability.

Circulatory system: Thickening of the ventricular walls and peripheral arteriosclerosis make it more likely to cause organ ischemia.

Cognitive function: A study published at the annual meeting of the American Population Association in 2018 showed that brain aging will have a period of partial cognitive impairment for about 4 years starting at the age of 73, and Alzheimer's disease or similar cognitive impairment may appear within the next one and a half to two years.

6 types of food to help your body "slim down"

The aging process can be fast or slow. Sometimes environmental factors, diet or disease can accelerate the aging process. If you pay attention to the details of your diet, you can delay aging.

Antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, fungi and algae

Fresh vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin C, carotene, anthocyanins, lutein and other nutrients, which can increase blood vessel elasticity and thus delay aging and disease.

Fungi and algae foods are rich in polysaccharides, which play a positive role in controlling the three highs and preventing cancer. Regular consumption can also clear out intestinal metabolic "garbage" in a timely manner.

Deep sea fish

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids play a positive role in preventing cancer and coronary heart disease and protecting eyesight. Deep-sea fish (tuna, bonito, mackerel, sardines, salmon, mackerel, etc.) are rich in this precious but easily oxidized fatty acid.

It should be noted that ways of eating fish such as dry frying, grilling, long-term stewing, salting and drying will cause oxidative loss of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Cereals and potatoes as staple food

Whole grains are rich in flavonoids, which are important nutrients for preventing cardiovascular diseases. Potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and are more conducive to controlling blood sugar, protecting cardiovascular system, preventing three highs and cancer than refined rice and white flour.

Foods rich in dietary fiber

Insoluble fiber can promote intestinal peristalsis and prevent constipation, while soluble fiber can combine with fat and cholesterol to reduce the risk of hyperlipidemia and fatty liver. The former is found in vegetables and whole grains, while the latter is rich in seaweed, mushrooms, and beans.

Dairy and soy products

Eating more foods rich in minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium can play a positive role in preventing osteoporosis and calcium deficiency in middle-aged and elderly people.

Soy products are also rich in soy sterols, which are beneficial for preventing and controlling hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes. Milk is also rich in calcium and is one of the preferred foods for calcium supplementation.

Meat is rich in protein, but it should not be consumed too much

Insufficient protein intake in middle-aged and elderly people can cause aging symptoms such as muscle atrophy, osteoporosis and visceral dysfunction. In addition to eggs, milk, soy products and aquatic products, poultry and livestock meat are basic guarantees every day, but they should not be consumed in excess, otherwise it will increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys.