5 easy principles for a diet supporting longevity.
The ultimate guide for mindful food choices to boost your focus and energy while effortlessly keeping the weight off
You’ve heard the saying: “You can’t outrun your fork”.
So you know that if you want to be able to carry your groceries up the stairs, without wishing you were dead, it comes down to what you choose to put in your body.
But if “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet”, what exactly is a bad diet?
Eating healthy can quickly become a headache. This diet or that diet, count this, stop that,… The number of contradictory advice, opinions, and even scientific evidence is overwhelming.
When you don’t have time to cook, what small shifts can you make for more energy, and make sure you don’t put on weight or even lose some?
All you want is the focus to add significant value to people’s life, run your business and have enough energy left at the end of the day to be there with your family.
You want to fuel your body and your mind to be able to make better decisions and do more meaningful work.
You want to go through the day without feeling like you’re ten years older than you are.
You can achieve all of that when you make key choices around food. And here, I am sharing 5 science-backed principles to help you take the guess work out.
These principles will give you the tools to put together a nutritional strategy that you can stick to, even when life happens.
Disclaimer:
I am not a nutritionist; I am not a dietitian, so I cannot make specific recommendations. Why should you keep reading?
I have PhD in health sciences and have extensively studied cellular biology, in particular in the context of aging. I also validated extensive functional health nutrition as part of my ADAPT-functional health coach certification.
This article does not constitute medical advice. In the case of a specific condition, seek support from a relevant licensed professional.
However, I have compiled here 5 principles that are easy to follow and supported by current research. Using them will help you be confident that you are making the right food choices for you.
Table of content
Principle #1: Prioritize whole foods vs processed food
5 ways processed foods limit your longevity
Best tips to prioritize whole foods for people on a busy schedule
Principle #2: Seek nutrient density
Why it matters
Signs of deficiency
Most nutrient dense-foods
Principle #3: Eliminate sugary drinks and control blood sugar
4 ways high blood sugar and sugary drinks affect your longevity
Best tips to control blood sugar
Principle #4: Be strategic with meal timing
Meal composition and timing
Optimal time restricted eating window for longevity
Evening fast may be more beneficial than morning fast
Principle #5: Nurture your gut bacteria
How our microbiome works for us
How to nurture a thriving gut bacteria
Bonus content: Your free Cheat-sheet
Principle #1: Prioritize whole foods vs processed food
Your health will benefit every time you prioritize real, whole food over anything that has been processed.
As a rule of thumb, if it comes in a bag or a box, it’s best to avoid.
As functional doctor Mark Hyndman put it: when shopping, ask yourself: “Did God make it or did man make it?”.
Processing transforms foods by adding salt, sweeteners and fat, usually to preserve or modify the texture and taste. Among sweeteners we find sugar, corn syrup or fructose, sometimes in high quantities, often in foods which are not traditionally made with sugar (Example: store-bought, sliced white bread versus artisanal sourdough).
Heavily processed foods aka ultra-processed also include artificial flavors, coloring to change the aspect, and chemicals that prolong shelf life and preserve texture. There is no data on the long term effects of consuming these chemicals on our health, but research suggests that 1 in 5 deaths around the world could be prevented by improving diet (1).
The food industry has carefully developed recipes to maximize palatability.
Palatability is the reward effect of foods, mediated by our natural opioid receptors, which activate specific parts of the brain in response to what we eat. Increased palatability is responsible for the “addictive” quality of certain processed foods.
5 ways processed foods limit your longevity
They tend to drive inflammation.
According to an article from health line reviewing 47 scientific sources, the top 6 most inflammatory foods are:
- sugar and high-fructose corn syrup,
- artificial trans-fat,
- vegetable/seed oils (soybean oil, sunflower oil and canola oil),
- refined carbohydrates (bread, pastries, pasta, cake, cookies, sugary cereals),
- excess alcohol and
- processed meats.
These are found in, and are, processed, packaged foods. (2)
Low systemic inflammation is associated with every chronic disease as well as accelerated aging, through damage at the cellular level (3).
Inflammation is caused by what we’re exposed to (air pollution, food, stress).
Being mindful of our food choices gives us a chance to take more control in reducing inflammation in our body.
It can result in adding quality years to our lives.
For example, in 2018, the results of a study (4) following more than 60,000 men and women between 45 and 83 years old, for a period of 16 years, found that people who had a diet limiting inflammatory foods were 18% less likely to die of all-cause mortality, 13% less likely to die of cancer and 20% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, compared to the participants who were consuming inflammatory foods.
In this study, foods were ranked according to an inflammation score based on their effect on blood markers of inflammation: serum C-reactive protein, TNF alpha receptor 2 and Interleukine-6.
This study was first to establish the impact of dietary choices on our life expectancy. It also showed that it’s even more important to choose an anti-inflammatory diet for people who smoke.
Those who never smoked, eating a diet limiting inflammation, lived 0.6 years longer than those who did not. Those who were currently smoking eating a diet limiting inflammation lived 1.7 years longer than those who did not.
The difference in survival between current smokers in the group with most inflammatory foods in their diet, and never smokers with least inflammatory foods in their diet was 4.6 years.
2. Ultra-processed foods were crafted to hack the pleasure centers in our brain.
If you can’t help but eat the whole bag, or if you find yourself craving it, that’s by design.
Instead of beating yourself up because you feel like you’re not in control, it may be better to avoid the transformed foods and pick more real foods. Strive to eliminate from your pantry. At least for 30 days.
By choosing wholesome healthy options, you can reprogram your food preferences.
Back when my energy was on the insulin roller coaster, I used to crash early afternoon and I would look for a boost with a cookie and a coffee. Now, just a bite of a cookie grosses me out. Something you crave now can become something you find repulsive. I have experience helping people make this very shift.
3. Transforming food can strip nutrients away and reduce the food’s nutritional value.
4. Ultra-processed foods are associated with higher risk of cancer.
A 2018 study in over 100,000 people found that consuming an extra 10% of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 12% higher risk for cancer (5) (dehydrated soups, baked goods, sugary cereals, processed meats, biscuits, and sauces were considered ultra-processed foods).
5. It wreaks havoc on your gut microbiota.
The effects of food additives, emulsifiers and sweeteners on the bacteria that live in our digestive track are not yet fully characterized. But the number of studies is growing (6).
Research suggests that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is causing changes in gut microbiota associated with obesity and metabolic disease (7). The overall impact of processed food on our health, through the response of our gut bacteria to it, is not fully understood yet. But there is growing evidence that it may have a devastating impact on how we feel and may be associated with the development of chronic disease.
The gut microbiome-mediated effects on our health seem to be far and wide: from auto-immunity to mental health (see principle #5 for more details).
Some of the chemicals used in processed foods can stimulate overgrowth of unwanted bacteria in the gut, which can result in weight gain, inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Other chemicals in processed foods elicit a response similar to the way our body would respond to pathogens: triggering an immune response as if under attack (8).
Some evidence also suggests that certain chemicals negatively impact the composition of our gut microbiome (see principle #5) (9).
Tips to prioritize whole foods when you have a busy schedule
After a long day of work, you are hungry and want something fast and convenient. Time is the #1 obstacle people bring up when it comes to eat more whole food.
This is why I share here my top tips to help you eat whole food without having to find hours every day.
Plan your meals
Keep things simple
Cook in larger amounts for leftovers
Do not keep processed food at home
Read the labels
I shared more about each of these tips in my weekly newsletter. You can read it here: https://jihanefarrellphd.ck.page/posts/top-tips-to-prioritize-whole-foods-when-you-have-a-busy-schedule
To get all the actionable tips I will be sharing for the 5 principles that will give you the tools to put together a nutritional strategy that you can stick to, even when life happens, make sure that you join this community of wealth builders.
Principle #2: Seek nutrient density
Nutrients are the beneficial molecules our body extracts from foods: vitamins, minerals, essential fats, amino acids from protein. They constitute building blocks for the cells in our organs. You literally are what you eat.
Different foods pack different amounts of nutrients per unit of weight: that’s nutrient density.
Some foods pack calories - amount of energy – but little nutrients: that’s calorie density.
Empty calories provide energy but are devoid of nutritional value: added sugars and unhealthy fats in processed foods for example, or sodas, increase the calorie count but do not contribute in terms of nutrients.
Alcohol also brings empty calories.
One serving of beer adds 153 kcal, a 5-ounce glass of wine contains about 120 to 130 kcalories (10). Inside of my program Timeless, the members who cut down on drinking rapidly lose weight: up to 1LB per week.
Foods that bring empty calories without nutrients can lead to feeling full and temporarily satisfy hunger but do not nourish.
Studies have shown that many people with obesity have inadequate intake of iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, folate and vitamins A and B12, likely as a result of poor diet quality (11).
On a Standard American Diet, rich in processed and fast foods, we are “overfed and undernourished”.
Together, vegetable seed oils and sugar make for 36% of calories in the SAD and are mostly devoid of nutrients. It’s not surprising then, to find that one third of Americans are deficient in at least one nutrient (12).
Why nutrient density matters:
Nutrients fuel everything.
There are 40 micronutrients and they are involved in every biological processes in our bodies. A few examples:
- calcium is required to release neurotransmitters and contract muscles
- phosphate constitutes the energy currency of our cells (Adenosine tri-Phosphate, ATP)
- copper is required for detoxificiation from oxidative stress
- magnesium is involved in more than 700 enzymatic reactions including communication between neurons, heart rhythm and bone health
- there are 13 essential vitamins that are necessary for different function from immune response to bone density to our ability to think.
Nutrients are to our body what oil is to a car. Except we don’t come with something that tells them it’s time to fill up.
When nutrients run low, the reactions they’re involved in happen more slowly or incompletely.
The parts wear off and eventually cease to function.
Day after day, year after year, eating a diet that is nutrient poor leads to malfunction.
While on a nutrient-poor diet, our performance is suboptimal.
Over time, nutrient scarcity contributes to the development of life-threatening diseases.
2. Brain power
From focus to ability to think slow and fast, our brain relies on many nutrients to perform. We need nutrients to support neurotransmitters, neuron communication and memory formation.
Nutrient deficiency in omega-3 DHA and EPA, essential amino acids, B-group vitamins (B12, B6 and folate), vitamin D and minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron can lead to mental health problems, including depression and decline in cognitive performance (13, 14).
The American heart association recommends 2 servings of fish per week. The average level of intake in EPA and DHA (ESSENTIAL Omega 3 fatty acids involved in brain and heart function) is less than half the amount recommended by WHO and NIH.
The inadequate levels of Omega 3 essential fatty acids could be a significant contributor to depression being the leading cause of disability.
3. Slowing down aging
Nutrient deficiency accelerates aging through different mechanisms.
For example, it’s estimated that half of the American population is deficient in Magnesium and 35% of the Canadian population doesn’t get adequate intake.
Magnesium deficiency accelerates aging by decreasing our ability to repair DNA damage, contributing to a decline in cognitive function, and reducing immune response (15).
Similarly, around 40% of the US population is deficient in Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for our immune system, bone health and aging (16). Vitamin D deficiency is associated to shorter healthspan and lifespan: it has been linked to various health problems, including cognitive decline, depression, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer (17).
For a comprehensive picture of the importance of nutrient density for health and longevity, I recommend this conversation between Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Rhonda Patrick: https://hubermanlab.com/dr-rhonda-patrick-micronutrients-for-health-and-longevity/
4. Keeping the weight off
Nutrient deficiency can cause gain weight.
Low iodine intake impair thyroid function which can lead to gain weight
Low vitamin D may predispose for weight gain (18)
Are you eating all the time and yet always hungry?
This is a sign that your body is not getting the nutrient it needs. It could lead to weight gain as a result.
Signs that you may have nutrient deficiency:
Low energy
Feeling tired/depleted
Difficulty focusing
Difficulty recalling information
Low mood and mood swings
Difficulty coping with stress
Intolerance to exercise
Weight gain
Does any of that sound familiar? If so, use the list below to boost your energy, your focus and keep the weight off.
The most nutrient dense foods:
The list below present foods in descending density of nutrients, according to Harvard University chemist Dr. Mat Lalonde, who classified foods based on nutrient density, independently of caloric density (Full presentation here) and including essential nutrients: vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and essential fatty acids, but not including other compounds such as phytonutrients (like sulfurophane, flavonoids, polyphenols).
From his research, Dr. Mat Lalonde concludes that a diet centered on meat (especially when containing organ meat), vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds is very nutrient dense and can provide all essential nutrients in adequate quantities.
If you’re the kind of person who loves to eat foods from different culture and are up for a challenge, I invite you to go grab my recipe for “Liver a la moroccan”. I was incredibly lucky to grow up in a family that had organ meats regularly on the menu: a French grandmother that would make us tripe and tongue (and I actually loved it!) and a dad from Morocco who had the tastiest recipe for beef liver.
Principle #3: Eliminate sugary drinks and keep blood sugar under control
You cannot go wrong by removing sugary beverages from your life.
Sodas, fruit juice and energy drinks that are high in sugar (glucose, fructose and other forms) are associated to weight gain and spike your blood sugar. Sodas don’t bring nutrients and tend to increase calorie intake from food. In one study, it was found that people who drink sugary beverages consume an additional 17% of calories compared to those who did not (19).
A review established that sugary drinks carry a greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome compared to solid sugar (20).
Keeping blood sugar under control may be a key in slowing down aging and increase healthspan.
4 ways a high blood sugar affects longevity
1.High blood sugar: a marker of accelerated aging
A team from Stanford university has identified in a small study that people age along 4 pathways, including the metabolic pathway.
People who are metabolic agers have elevated hemoglobin A1c. Hemoglobin A1c is a blood test that gives an average of the last 3 months blood glucose level (21).
Another study analyzing data from over 12 million Korean adults (unusually large number) found that increased levels of blood sugar were associated with increased risk of death:
For glucose levels of 100-199 mg/dL:
Each 18 mg/dL (1 mmol/L) increase in fasting glucose increased mortality by 13%In individuals with fasting glucose levels of 100-125 mg/dL:
Each 18 mg/dL increase in fasting glucose was associated with a 30% increase in the risk for mortality in those aged 18-34 years,
a 32% increase in those aged 35-44 years,
and a 10% increase in those aged 75-99 years.The study found that fasting glucose levels associated with the lowest mortality were 80-94 mg/dL regardless of sex and age.
Fasting blood glucose measures glycemia before any food intake and is often used to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes.
The results from this study mean that when a 35-44 year old’s fasting blood sugar is WITHIN WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE NORMAL RANGE (90 to 150 mg/dL), they are 32% more likely to die than someone who has levels under the normal range.
This study concluded that a fasting blood glucose between 80 and 94mg/dL was ideal to reduce the risk of mortality (22).
It’s important to note that fasting blood glucose levels have been known to increase as we age.
2. Drinking sugary beverages is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease
When looking at the risk of heart disease in men, a study following 40,000 participants for 20 years found that those who drank 1 sugary beverage per day were 20% more likely to have or die from heart attack than those who rarely consumed sugary drinks (23).
3. High blood sugar is associated with increased risk of cancer
In a study including 600 people with type 2 diabetes over 10 years, it was shown that blood glucose control resulted in 60% reduction of risk of developing cancer (24)
Men who regularly drank sugar-sweetened beverages had a tripled risk of developing prostate cancer (25). People drinking 2 or more sugary drinks per week were 87% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer compared to those who do not (26, 27).
4. The link between high sugar intake and dementia
Alzheimer’s disease has recently been described as “type 3 diabetes” because of its association with insulin resistance. A study published in 2022 measuring blood sugar in more than 4000 people as young as 35, found an association with an increased risk of dementia decades later of almost 15% (28)
High blood sugar leads to glycation, a chemical reaction that adds sugar to proteins, fats and DNA. The accumulation of then-called AGEs (advanced glycation end) products is associated to age-related disease and the formation of wrinkles (29).
Tips to eliminate sugary drinks and control blood sugar
1.Get clear on how much you’re really having.
What gets measured gets managed. Start tracking. Don’t forget to include your sugar-sweetened coffee.
2. Cut down on sugary drinks
Make a goal to first reduce and progressively move to sweet beverages-free days.
3. Substitute kombucha for one sugary drink
Yes, technically kombucha is a sugary drink! But it’s also fermented and great for your gut. So that could be a great alternative to your usual soda. Check the label and choose one with a lower sugar content.
4. Choose non-sugary carbonated drinks
Take advantages of all the options for flavored carbonated waters that are now available!
5. Read the labels
Look out for fructose, molasses, corn syrup
6. When eating something high in sugar, have some protein and fibers to dampen the peak in glycemia
Principle #4: Be strategic with timing
Because our metabolism is controlled by hormones that respond to the time of the day through the circadian rhythm, meal composition and time of eating greatly impact our energy and body weight.
Focus and attention also follow daily patterns. Additionally, neurons are highly sensitive to variation in blood sugar. What we eat and when we eat impact energy, weight and mental performance.
Peak time of biological processes and hormone levels relative to sleep-wake cycle
Source: Circadian rhythms: influence on physiology, pharmacology, and therapeutic interventions (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10928-021-09751-2)
Meal composition and timing
Blood sugar regulation is key to enjoying high and stable levels of energy and focus through the day.
When blood sugar is not stable, you ride an energy roller coaster: feeling hyper and full of energy when blood sugar is high, but feeling tired, unmotivated, and low mood when it crashes down.
This crash is due to the release of insulin, which rapidly draws sugar out of the blood stream into cells for use or storage.
Neurons are also highly sensitive to the presence of glucose for energy. With big lows in blood sugar suddenly following big highs, neurons are left scrambling for fuel. This explains brain fog and difficulty thinking.
Evidence shows that a breakfast rich in protein (40 grams) and healthy fats helps regulate appetite and blood sugar all day (30).
In other words, bacon and eggs is a better way to start the day than bagel and orange juice.
Timing carbohydrates intake for weight loss and physical performance is frequently discussed. But according to a healthline article that reviewed the scientific literature, there is no evidence pointing to a specific timing leading to a specific outcome.
This doesn’t mean that there is no benefits in timing carbs intake. Indeed, people frequently report a better workout (power, energy, performance) when fueling it with carbohydrates before.
There is also anecdotal evidence that eating carbs for dinner, rather than earlier in the day, is more beneficial for focus as it can induce drowsiness and support better sleep.
There are high degrees of individual variation in the effects of carbohydrates timing. Experimenting with it is part of creating a nutritional strategy that serves you.
Optimal time restricted eating window for longevity
Dr. Valter Longo who has researched the effects of fasting on the immune system and developed the fasting mimicking diet shares in his book “The longevity diet” that a 12 hour period of fasting and a window of 12 hours of eating is the sweet spot for time restricted eating.
He indicates that a 16-hour fast with skipping of breakfast is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and overall mortality.
Evening fast may be more beneficial than morning fast
Research by circadian rhythm expert Dr. Satchin Panda revealed in a small cohort that most people eat all throughout the day and that most of the food intake (more than 35% of calories) happens after 6pm.
Numerous studies have shown that eating late participates in excess weight and metabolic dysfunction (12 references cited in this review: reference 31).
In the same study, Panda and his team developed a visual tool to help people practice Time Restricted Eating (TRE). They switched from eating for 14 hours or more, to a shorter window of time of 10-11 hours for 16 weeks. These conditions led to weight loss and participants reporting higher energy levels and improved sleep. These benefits persisted for a year (32).
For obese and overweight people, the timing of meals may be even more critical than for those with a healthy BMI.
A study published in 2022 comparing a group of obese individuals practicing TRF with evening fast (eating from 6am to 1pm) to a group of obese individuals practicing TRF with morning fast (eating from 12pm to 6pm) found that an evening fast improved 6 metabolic markers (blood pressure, mean glucose, fasting insulin, insulin resistance, leptin, and thyroid axis activity) while a morning fast improved only one (leptin) (33).
Similarly, some research indicates that lunch timing can impact how much weight we can lose, with people eating lunch before 3pm showing more reduction in weight than those who eat lunch after 3pm (34).
These studies point to the fact that it may be more beneficial to eat earlier in the day.
However when it comes to meal timing, individual genetics can affect the body’s response. Something called chronotypes. Additionally, the number of meals per day and timing for eating can be leveraged differently depending on weight goals.
If you are someone who has tried time-restricted feeding and felt like a miserable grouch skipping breakfast, you may want to try and skip dinner instead.
It can be more challenging culturally and socially, as dinner is often the family meal, but there is compelling evidence that earlier calorie intake is more aligned with our biology.
Principle #5: Nurture your gut bacteria
Even though the Greek physician Hippocrates, father of modern medicine, stated more than 2000 years ago that “All disease begin in the gut”, we seem to be rediscovering this ancient truth.
“All disease begin in the gut”
Indeed, our gut is populated by hundreds of millions of bacteria from many different species (300 to 400 different species). This constitutes an entire ecosystem.
These organisms can digest foods our cells can’t, notably fibers, and metabolize different compounds in a way that benefits us.
They then produce molecules (called metabolites) that get into our blood stream and affect multiple systems. For example, it is estimated that 95% of our circulating serotonin and 50% of dopamine, originate in the gut. These microbes affect our feeling of happiness and motivation or contribute to depression.
And who knows how many other molecules influencing our behavior may come from these bacteria.
Nurturing a beneficial community has a profound impact on our wellbeing.
Did you know that your food cravings could be coming from your gut microbiota?
It is not too farfetched to say that the bacteria in our gut drive some of our actions.
In mice (we don’t know how much translates to human’s behavior), it has been shown that the gut microbes can induce anxiety-like behavior or affect how explorative animals are (fear/curiosity behaviors)(35).
In humans, species diversity seems to be an important element of gut health, and the host’s health overall, although the research is not yet conclusive on the most beneficial combinations.
For example, one study reported frail elderly and those with cognitive dysfunction having lower diversity in gut microbial composition (36).
The importance of the bacteria’s functionality is also emerging from research. Indeed, we only have 4 to 40% of common gut bacteria species between individuals, while the thousands of metabolites they produce are 80 to 95% conserved (37).
In recent years, functional medicine has championed gut health. Experts in functional health argue, like Hippocrates, that an unhealthy gut flora is at a root cause of many chronic diseases.
Prebiotics are what we feed our gut bacteria.
Probiotics are the active species in our guts.
Postbiotics are the health-promoting compounds they produce.
Source: What You Need to Know About Postbiotics: Current Research, Potential Benefits, and More https://fullscript.com/blog/postbiotics?ckc=granted
How the gut microbiome works for us
Beneficial bacteria produce a number of chemicals that are involved in biological processes, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). The most abundant are butyrate, acetate, propionate (95% of the SCFAs in the body) and glutarate. These molecules have anti-inflammatory properties, in particular in the brain, and are involved in key metabolic functions like blood sugar management.
They seem to promote weight loss (38).
Their roles are not fully known yet. We also have not fully characterized how the thousands of metabolites contribute to our overall health.
Because of the neural network found in our bellies, the gut nervous system is sometimes referred to as the second brain. There is a strong line of communication between the digestive system and the central nervous system.
According to the American psychological association, our gut bacteria also “produce hundreds of neurochemicals that the brain uses to regulate basic physiological processes as well as mental processes such as learning, memory and mood.” (39).
The quality and functionality of the bacterial community we nurture, directly influences our brain function. When unhealthy, it contributes to depression and anxiety. Research is also starting to uncover links between gut health and autism (40).
When healthy, our gut microbes contribute to a functional intestinal barrier which prevents pathogens and toxic molecules to enter our blood stream. (41).
The bacteria in our digestive track operate at the interface between the outside and the inside of our body in a way that informs immune function.
They are an important gate keeper in our immune system and act as a physical barrier to infections. They also act as a molecular barrier by producing metabolites that strengthen the immune system.
Indeed, 80% of all immune cells live in the gut. As far as we know now, gut bacteria act both as gate keeper and trainer for the immune system: they protect us from pathogenic bacteria (unfriendly microbes such as helicobacter pylori, involved in ulcers, or salmonella) and teach T-cells how to recognize intruders.
How to nurture a thriving gut microbiome
Eat plenty of plants and limit simple carbohydrates
A diet rich in fiber and low in simple carbohydrates is key to feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut.
In particular, soluble fibers such as starch and pectins are fermented into SCFA. Sources of fibers are vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
The requirements for fibers are 38 grams per day for men and 25 grams per day for women.
A few years ago, researchers at the American Gut project found that people who ate 30 plants per week (including not just vegetables but also nuts & seeds, and spices) had a more diverse gut microbiome than those who eat 10 or less (42).
This research inspired headlines and health gurus alike, to push for the “30 plants per week” type of recommendation and challenges.
2. Add fermented food
According to expert Dr. Heather Zwickey, “the only thing better for your gut than eating 30 plants per week is to add fermented food to your diet” (37).
Consuming fermented food is a way to replenish this vibrant ecosystem. In a study published in 2021 by leading experts Justin & Erica Sonnenberg, it was found that fermented foods (6 servings per day), but not a high fiber diet, increased the microbiota diversity (43).
People in the fermented food group also showed reduction in 19 markers of inflammation as well as a decrease in the activation of four types of immune cells.
So if you struggle to get 30 plants per week on your plate, eating more fermented foods like sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables, kimchi, kombucha, vegetable brine drink, kvass, yogurt and kefir is the way to go.
Add kimchi to your stir fry for flavor and gut health or use kefir in your smoothie for a simple way to add fermented food in your diet. Aim for one to three servings of fermented food per day.
Conclusion
Eating with intention and limiting inflammation can make all the difference between a life to the fullest and a life spent managing chronic condition.
It is very clear that avoiding the standard American diet (SAD) will always create positive outcome.
You can’t ever go wrong with prioritizing whole foods over processed food, seeking nutrient density, keeping sugary beverages out of your diet, being strategic with meal timing and nurturing the health of your gut bacteria with fermented food : 5 easy principles for a diet that supports longevity.
So with these principles in hand, you can now navigate food choices and can be confident that you’re maximizing healthspan.
Easy doesn’t mean simple though…. Incorporating these principles into your life takes some shifts.
First, becoming aware of how the food you eat affect your performance, energy and mood is key to optimizing your diet.
These 5 principles also require more intention around food. More cooking and preparing foods are important if you don’t want rely on convenience.
Inside of my program Timeless, I guide the members through creating a mindfulness practice to increase awareness first, then I help them make key shifts in their food habits to turn these 5 principles into a lifestyle.
Through coaching, my client TE developed awareness in the moment to make choices supporting what she truly wanted for her life. While addiction courses failed for her, coaching changed her relationship to sugar.
For my client AW, the program helped him quit drinking and lose 14 LBS. Better yet, he now has a way to eat he can stick to, even when life happens.
My clients now enjoy more freedom and more control around what they eat. Better than a diet, they have the tools to make food choices that support their energy, mood and weight.
Bonus content
This was a lot! Thank you for reading this article. I hope you found it helpful. If so, you may enjoy having a summary of the principles, the tips, the top 10 most nutrient-dense foods and short list of fermented foods all in one place. So grab here your cheat-sheet in PDF form, so you can keep it on your fridge.
References cited in the article:
1 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)30041-8/fulltext
2 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-foods-that-cause-inflammation
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3340492/
5 https://www.health.harvard.edu/cancer/eating-highly-processed-foods-may-raise-cancer-risk
6 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jgh.14976
7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835660/
8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872783/
9 https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(21)03728-8/pdf
10. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calories-in-alcohol/
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29980762/
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537775/
13. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/06/150608081759.html
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140638/
15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7912123/
16. https://www.foundmyfitness.com/topics/vitamin-d#recommended-dietary-allowances-for-vitamin-d
17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4399494/
18. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3466912/
19. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10878689/
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