Foods to Keep Your Heart, Brain, and Bones Healthy

Diet is one of the most important contributors to longevity and a healthy life. Here are some of the foods that doctors have found can be quite beneficial.

Dark chocolate - believed to lower blood pressure and improve the flexibility of blood vessels.

Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which act as antioxidants, protecting the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body.

To make sure you are getting the highest concentration of flavonoids in your chocolate, choose bars that list cocoa solids or cocoa mass first or choose a bar with a high percentage of cocoa (70 percent or more).

Because dark chocolate tastes good, it stimulates endorphin production (which produces a feeling of pleasure). It contains serotonin (which acts as an anti-depressant), and it contains caffeine and other stimulants.

Coffee - A growing number of studies suggest that coffee may have several surprising health benefits, including lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of age-related mental decline.

A Finnish study found that people who regularly drank coffee during their middle-aged years were significantly less likely to suffer dementia and Alzheimer’s later in life. Those who drank three to five cups daily had a 65 percent reduction in risk.

Red wine - Red wine can raise HDL (good) cholesterol and prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from forming. Red wine may help prevent blood clots and reduce the blood vessel damage caused by fat deposits. A compound in red wine may slow some of the ravages of aging such as bone loss, the formation of cataracts and balance problems, and may improve liver and muscle function.

But be advised: alcohol consumption may increase triglycerides (a bad blood lipid) and may be associated with cancer risk. So, don’t start drinking if you don’t already and if you do already, do so in moderation. Many fruits and vegetables and regular physical activities offer the same benefits for heart as seen in alcohol, without the risks.

There are those who are argue that the real benefits of drinking wine, whatever its color, aren't nutritional. When it’s a ritual shared with family or friends, the social experience itself supports emotional health and well-being.

Fruits and vegetables - Plant-based foods are abundant in fibre and many vitamins and minerals. Packed with nutrients, they’re also relatively low in calories. Studies consistently show that diets plentiful in fruits and vegetables help people maintain a healthy weight and protect against cardiovascular disease.

Raw fruits and vegetables contain the necessary enzymes for breaking down each main food type (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) and they also contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre binds with cholesterol and helps eliminates it, insoluble fibre acts as bulk and helps eliminate all waste quickly.

Berries and other antioxidant-rich fruits protect against age-related changes in the brain that lead to memory loss and even dementia. The antioxidants fight free radicals and can also help remove toxic residue from the system, which is often the cause of chronic fatigue and low energy.

Whole grains - Rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, whole grains also contain hundreds of natural plant compounds including antioxidants which have been linked to lower cancer risk.

Nuts and seeds - Nuts contain low levels of saturated fats and high levels of unsaturated fats, which protect against heart disease. Though the reason for this is unclear, the cholesterol is lowered by a larger amount than would be expected just from the favourable fatty acids. Nuts are good sources of fibre, vitamin E, folic acid, copper, magnesium and the amino acid arginine, each of which is believed to help prevent heart disease

Pine nuts, pecans and pumpkin seeds are particularly rich in zinc, which promotes prostate health. (Leafy greens, whole grains, wheat germ, citrus fruits, carrots, and mangoes all have vitamin B6 which aids in the absorption of zinc.)

Fish - the fatty acids such as DHA and EPA found in fish and shellfish have been shown to protect against irregular heart rhythms that can lead to heart failure and may offer a defence against depression and age-related memory loss. Research also suggests these same fatty acids may reduce the risk of macular degeneration.

Soy products - tofu, soy milk and edamame (soy beans) contain lecithin, which keeps the arterial lining free from cholesterol.

Wheat germ, avocados, broccoli, eggs, olive oil and carrots - all contain vitamin E to increase the oxygen supply to the heart and improve heart function and to promote estrogen production during menopause. Vitamin E also acts as an antioxidant.

Kelp, seaweed, and fish - all contain iodine, to help prevent hyperthyroidism, a condition commonly associated with fibrocystic breasts.

Friendly bacteria - found in raw, natural yogurt and kefir. These include lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus, which aid digestion and keep the gastrointestinal tract healthy by discouraging the growth of unfriendly bacteria such as Candida albicans.

Water - hydrates your GI tract and keeps food moving through your system at an appropriate pace. Water prevents constipation so your bowels can easily remove waste and toxins from the body. It also helps your liver and skin do the same. Hard water rich in calcium and magnesium relaxes the arteries and builds bone strength.

Low-salt foods - Researchers have known for years that less salt in the diet means lower blood pressure. Now new evidence suggests that keeping blood pressure down may also protect brain cells and decrease the risk of age-related memory loss and even dementia.

High blood pressure can damage the vasculature that supplies the brain with oxygen and nutrients, which may explain why people with chronic hypertension seem to be at higher risk of developing age-related cognitive impairments.

Nourish Your Psyche

Obviously a healthy diet rich in nutrients is important to longevity. So is enjoying what you eat, especially when it means finding joy in sitting down to meals with family and friends. Studies of centenarians the world over suggest that social connections are crucial to longevity, which makes a good argument for making meals a time to connect with others.

Enjoy your food, whatever you choose to eat – you’ll digest better if you’re happy!