Which type of diet helps us to live longer? A huge and contentious question! My feeling on this is let us learn from areas of the world in which people live well late into their years, and frequently over 100. Longevity hot-spots, known as the Blue Zones, include a collection of mountain villages in Sardinia, Ikaria (a Greek island), Okinawa, an archipelago of islands off the coast of Japan, Nicoya, an 80-mile peninsula just south of the Nicaraguan border (Costa Rica) and Loma Linda, California. Critics of the Blue Zones research on these long-lived regions suggest that these areas are simply favourable in terms of their gene pools.
So is longevity all about genetics, do we have no control over our health? This is untrue as demonstrated by the Danish Twin Studies, a population-based study of over 3000 Danish twin pairs born 1870-1900. The aim of this study was to explore, the nature and magnitude of genetic influences on inter-individual differences in human longevity. (1) The findings allow us to understand that only around 25% of our potential to live a long and healthy life is down to genes. Thereby, we have 75% control; to a major extent, the reigns are in our hands. The factors which were shown to be influential include: smoking, exposure to sunshine, depression and low socio-economic status. These are known to contribute to ageing, while being married, high social status, lack of depression and a low body mass index (BMI) all help preserve youth.
Research tells us that it is the length of our leucocyte telomeres, molecular biomarkers of ageing which reveal how capable cells are of replicating, as being key to the process of ageing. The shorter the length is associated with a range of diseases linked to ageing. Longer telomeres were linked to fewer health problems, extended life and retaining of full cognitive function for longer. Telomeres Telomeres are dynamic chromosome-end structures that serve as guardians of genome stability. They are known to be one of the major determinants of aging and longevity in higher mammals. (2)So, if the maintenance of long telomeres is the key to prolonged youth, what can we do to protect our telomeres? Firstly, choose a diet high in brightly coloured fruits and vegetables (aka antioxidants).
Why? Because free radical exposure shortens your telomeres. Free radicals are unstable molecules or atoms that can damage the cells in your body. Though free radicals are a normal by-product of oxygen metabolism, certain environmental and behavioural risks dramatically increase the number of free radicals in the body, which in turn significantly increases the oxidative stress on the body. Cigarette smoking is the most potent free radical generator in the body. Other driving factors include ongoing stress, chronic insomnia, consuming processed foods, overconsuming alcohol, pollution, social isolation and taking medications. Including high amounts brightly coloured fruits and vegetables offer you a protective amount of antioxidants. These are compounds which neutralize the effect of antioxidants and help protect the body from oxidative stress. Examples of antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E.
Alongside a plant-based diet, it is important to consider removing/reducing the foods and lifestyle factors which led to the ramping up of free radical production in the first place. But even if you do nothing else, then focusing on a plant-based diet is still going to boost your health outcome, according to this interesting study I came across based in Kitava. Kitava is one of the four major islands in the Trobriand Islands archipelago group of the Solomon Sea, located in Milne Bay Province of southeastern Papua New Guinea. Cardiovascular risk factors in a Melanesian population apparently free from stroke and ischaemic heart disease: the Kitava study: Traditional horticulturalists in Kitava, Trobriand Islands, Papua New Guinea, uninfluenced by western diet. This study tested 151 males and 69 females aged 14-87 years with 76% and 80% smokers over 20 years.
Description of the demographic;2,250 people live on Kitava. They are traditional farmers. Their dietary staples are tubers (yam, sweet potato and taro), fruit, fish, and coconut. They don’t use dairy products, alcohol, coffee, or tea. Their intake of oils, margarine, cereals, and sugar is negligible. Western foods constitute less than 1% of their diet. Their activity level is only slightly higher than in Western populations. 80% of them smoke daily and an unspecified number of them chew betel. The macronutrient composition of the Kitavan diet was estimated as 21% of total calories from fat, 17% from saturated fat, 10% from protein, and 69% from carbohydrates. Lindeberg’s Kitava study examined a sample of 220 Kitavans aged 14- 87 and compared them to healthy Swedish populations. They found substantially lower diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, and triceps skinfold thickness in the Kitavans. Systolic blood pressure was lower in Kitava than in Sweden for men over 20 and women over 60. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B (protein component of LDL) were lower in men over 40 and in women over 60. Triglycerides were higher in Kitavans aged 20-39 than in Swedes of the same age. HDL was not significantly different. (3) By no means I am suggesting that we just carry on with our unhealthy habits and eat plant-based foods hoping for a magic bullet but this is a great example of how a diet based on colourful carbohydrates and plant fibres eaten in season is beneficial in reducing cardiovascular disease. We also need to consider the potentially low stress levels and lack of pollution in this idyllic looking location.
Secondly, we should look towards including polyphenols in our diets. Polyphenols are naturally occurring chemicals that have also shown positive effects on telomere length. Study conducted on a Belgian population demonstrated antioxidant properties of theaflavins, polyphenols found in green and black tea, as well as its negative association with biomarkers of inflammation.Elderly Chinese who are habitual tea drinkers have longer telomeres which correspond to an average increase of 5 years in life span as compared to their counterparts who do not drink tea as frequently. The types of tea we are looking at here are green or white teas as opposed to the milky tea with sugar which may be more typical in the West. Resveratrol is a polyphenol compound found in certain plants such as the skins of red grapes and in red wine that has antioxidant properties and has been investigated for possible anti-carcinogenic effects. In human studies, resveratrol has been reported to decrease oxidative stress and attenuate inflammation, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Fresh red grapes and blueberries would be wiser choices than relying on red wine. However, it is interesting that in the Blue Zone area of Sardinia a certain type of red wine is consumed. Dan Buettner, who identified The Blue Zone hotspots wrote that he found that the red wine ‘Cannonau’ in Sardinia made from garnet-red grenache grapes is traditionally drunk daily. The inhabitants of this areas offer their friends this toast: “A Kent’Annos”– May you live to 100!
In 2019, I visited this area myself and sampled their diet for a 7-day period. I feasted on fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese from grass fed sheep high in omega 3 fatty acids, goat milk and whole grain bread. The sun was shining, the pace of life was slow and overall, I found a buzz of happiness from the locals. On day two I decided to cut out the Cannonau wine and choose red grapes instead. Perhaps a personal thing, but red wine and a hot climate equal day time napping, and with only 7 days to play with this was not part of my plan. Interesting though as people who report napping at least 20 minutes, five days a week, have about a third lower rate of heart disease than people who resist sleep and power through the day. Napping is certainly well recognised in the Blue Zones as a positive activity. This makes sense, as human beings we are one of the only species to resist sleep.
In addition to the red wine found in Sardinia, polyphenols are plentiful in extra-virgin olive oil which have been associated with the cardio-protective effects of the Mediterranean diet. Consumption of EVOO is associated with a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers and molecules implicated in atherosclerosis as well as CVD incidence and mortality as well as other complications such as heart failure and atrial fibrillation. (4) We can also consider fats as important to telomere length. Omega-3 fatty acids have been recognized over the last decade as important molecules for well-being and in particular helpful for the cardiovascular system. It has been shown that there is a negative correlation between the blood level of marine omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids) in patients with coronary heart disease and the rate of their telomere deterioration over a 5-year period. A recent randomized controlled 4 months trial showed that it is not omega-3 itself, but rather the ratio between omega-3(n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids that is important, as telomere length increases with decreasing n-6:n-3 plasma ratios. Telomerase activity was unchanged during the study in these individuals but there was a significant negative correlation between telomere length and biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation, two factors that affect telomere shortening.
So, to sum up on fats and ageing we need to be concentrating on increasing our intake of omega 3’s by consuming well-sourced fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines), walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds and soybeans (beans as opposed to overly processed soya milk). greater benefits from simple nutritional intervention in the form of omega-3 supplementation.
Other food groups in studies I’ve come across include the consumption of seeds, nuts, legumes, seaweeds, and coffee being associated with longer telomeres. Dietary fibre specifically from cereals and whole grains, has a positive effect on telomere length and the intake of processed meats was negatively linked to telomere length. All pointing to a plant- based diet rich in fibre and low in processed foods.
Fasting
The practice of fasting can be considered part of out heritage and there is plenty of evidence to support the notion that fasting promotes longevity but why? Certainly, the benefits of calorie restrictions is exemplified by the great number of centenarians and the high average life span of Okinawa women who consumed 15%–20% less calories than mainland Japanese throughout their lifetime. This allows an understanding of moderate calorie reduction in combination with a well-balanced diet.
But how about intermittent fasting or juice fasting which is a step up from calorie restriction. They key word here is ‘autophagy’.
Japanese cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2016 for his research on how cells recycle and renew their content, a process called autophagy. Fasting activates autophagy, which helps slow down the aging process and has a positive impact on cell renewal. (5)
What is Autophagy? During starvation, cells break down proteins and other cell components and use them for energy. During autophagy, cells destroy viruses and bacteria and get rid of damaged structures. It’s a process that is critical for cell health, renewal, and survival. Therefore, following the ritual of intermittent fasting which involves taking a day or 2 days per week in which we reduce our calories to under 800 could well be an additional strategy to enhance the changes of living well into our later years.
On top of this, we could visit a ‘cleanse’ retreat once of twice a year in order to reset of calorie expectations and to establish or remind ourselves of the importance of selfcare. I am a huge advocate a yearly cleanse and my cleanse retreat of choice if Amchara Gozo. Each year (pandemic permitting) I take a group of cleanse clients over to this retreat and we follow the principles set out above. We reduce the production of free radicals and flood our bodies with antioxidants in the form of organic juices and broths.
Simultaneously we work on other telomere influencers such as exercise. Two yoga sessions per day, regular rustic cliff walks and bike rides along quiet country lanes. Correlation between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and telomere length has been extensively studied. Physical activity is a factor that is positively associated with greater leukocyte telomere length among healthy individuals and twin volunteers while sedentary behavior is negatively correlated with telomere length (2).
Taking yourself away to cleanse in Amchara, Gozo also involves reducing stress exposure and improving sleep patterns. There is also a positive correlation between accelerated telomere shortening and psychological disorders like depression and high phobic anxiety. Also, sleep deprivation (less than 5 hours) shortens telomeres by 6% compared with subjects sleeping 7 hours or more. Sleep quality is one of the most important factors to consider when working on healthy ageing, something we do not give enough attention to in our fast-paced Western lives.
At Amchara we also meditate: optional, but consider the benefits below. Meditation Improves mental health and greatly contributes to better physical health. There are a few studies that directly link meditation and positive psychological change with telomerase activity showing that mental health is an adjustable factor associated with telomere length. In a pilot study of yogic meditation for depressed dementia caregivers, 23 subjects in the meditation group were randomized to practice Kirtan Kriya and 16 subjects in the relaxation group listened to relaxation music for 12 minutes per day for eight weeks. Telomerase activity was measured pre- and postintervention. The meditation group showed a 43% increase in telomerase activity, accompanied by improved mental and cognitive functioning and lower levels of depressive symptoms compared with a relaxation control group. This increase in telomerase activity can be associated with a lower level of stress-induced cellular aging. (2)
To sum up, there is no one exact diet which will make you live happily and healthily into your later years. Health and happiness can be found in a multitude of ways and is about a number of individual factors. But what we do know is that we have a certain level of control. We can choose to work on our happiness levels, we can set out on the path of feeling validated by life and we can bring into our diets an abundance of colour with a focus on polyphenols, we can choose to exercise and live more at one with nature, we can surround ourselves with like minded people who have similarly healthy habits and we can make a promise to ourselves to make time for self-care and look after our bodies, as we only have this one and there is no time like the present to incorporate a few healthy changes.
It is a very empowering choice.
For more information on the Gozo trip cleanse experience see my ‘New Events’ page. Dates are later in September 2021. If you would like to talk it through please drop me an email to arrange a time.
bellenutrition@gmail.com
References:
1. The heritability of human longevity: a population-based study of 2872 Danish twin pairs born 1870-1900 A M Herskind 1, M McGue, N V Holm, T I Sørensen, B Harvald, J W Vaupel
2. Telomeres, Nutrition, and Longevity: Can We Really Navigate Our Aging? Nikolina Škrobot Vidaček, Lucia Nanić, Sanda Ravlić, Mary Sopta, Marko Gerić, Goran Gajski, Vera Garaj-Vrhovac, Ivica Rubelj
3. Cardiovascular risk factors in a Melanesian population apparently free from stroke and ischaemic heart disease: the Kitava study S Lindeberg 1, P Nilsson-Ehle, A Terént, B Vessby, B Scherstén
4. Olive Oil-related Anti-inflammatory Effects on Atherosclerosis: Potential Clinical Implications Tanakal Wongwarawipat 1, Nikolaos Papageorgiou 2, Dimitrios Bertsias 3, Gerasimos Siasos 3, Dimitris Tousoulis 3