The Healthy Living Diet for Longevity, Vitality, and Wellness

What is the healthy living diet? It is an easy healthy lifestyle diet that promotes longevity, vitality, and wellness. Best of all, you can enjoy this commonsense, research-backed way of eating for life. No matter your age, you can reap the benefits of this eating plan. It is not a 'this or that' diet plan that lasts a few weeks or months. Rather, it is a commonsense approach for health and longevity that meets the nutritional needs of many of us for the long run. It is easily tweaked for those who need to adhere to a more specialized diet.

Wouldn't it be great to put your food issues aside and make peace with your plate?

The healthy living diet will help you do that.

In addition to what to eat, you will also learn easy healthy eating habits and food preparation tips you can live with and feel good about. If you have pounds to lose, you may find that this plan makes it almost effortless for you to release excess weight and keep it off over time.

Note: The following healthy living diet tips are for informational purposes only. Adjust your food or nutrient intake to suit your special health needs. Always consult your doctor before making changes to your prescribed eating plan.

The Best Diet for Healthy Living and Longevity

The U.S News and World Report rated the Mediterranean Diet as the best diet for longevity and healthy eating. As of 2020, it has been number one for three years. It is one of the easiest plant-based diets to follow and rated tops for healthy eating and for individuals with diabetes. Overall, people living in Mediterranean countries enjoy longer lives and lower rates of memory loss, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than those living in western countries.

Based on health outcome data and meta-analyses from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, researchers discovered that people on a typical diet can add years to their lives by regularly eating more legumes, whole grains, and nuts and less processed and red meat. The younger you start, the greater your potential to add more years. For example, a 20-year old man can live up to 13 years longer while 80-year olds can add 3.4 years. These health and longevity gains are linked to a reduced risk of dying from heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Foods on the Healthy Living Diet

Advice about which foods to eat, when, where, how and why vary as widely as the experts sharing their advice. I've done my best to include common-sense principles that have the most support at this time. Having said that, listen to your body and make choices based on what makes you feel vibrant and healthy in body and mind (addictive cravings aside).

Eat a wide variety of food from the following categories to maximize nutrients and reduce your chances of developing sensitivities. Most people eat the same foods over and over in different forms. And these are often most problematic for many. Wheat, corn, soy, dairy, sugar and eggs are in many foods and are eaten at most meals.

Plant-based foods

Eat healthy plant foods in a rainbow of colors.

Plant foods form the foundation of the healthy living diet. Aim to fill at least half your plate with vegetables, pulses and legumes along with a complement of fruit, seeds, nuts and whole grains.

The natural color of food indicates some of the nutrients it contains.

For example, orange foods are a rich source of antioxidant carotenoids such as beta-carotene which converts to Vitamin A in your intestines. Purple foods contain resveratol and lutein. Dark green foods contain lots of alkalizing, oxygenating, blood building chlorophyll. Red tomatoes, especially when cooked, are a rich source of cancer-fighting lycopene.

Aim for five to nine servings of vegetables and fruit a day on the healthy living diet. Eat more vegetables than fruit. Pile your plate high so you fill up and get lots of micro-nutrients.

Favor green vegetables. Green food drinks are a great way to close the gap if you don't eat enough greens. Toss a handful of kale or spinach into a smoothie. You probably won't even taste it.

Eat at least 50% of your fruits and vegetables raw if your digestion can handle it. Raw doesn't mean cold. Some vegetables are best cooked like tomatoes and broccoli and mushrooms. Denser greens like kale or seaweed can be dehydrated.

Eat whole fruits and berries with the skin on if edible. Whole fruit is an important source of vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals that are needed for good health. It is healthier than over-processed juice which has little value and is therefore considered a junk food. Stick mainly with low-glycemic fruits like grapefruit if you are diabetic or want to lose weight.

Many super foods are colorful foods. Eat one or more at every meal and for snacks, too.

Have a few spoonfuls of cultured vegetables with a meal. Fermented foods are rich in probiotics and aid digestion. If you like sauerkraut, buy the refrigerated kind. Also try kimchi and cultured beets, radishes, carrots. They are often available in health food stores. You may have to make your own. Easy.

Garlic, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage help your body detox naturally.

For fun, choose a different fruit or vegetable to try on every shopping trip. You just may discover some new favorites.

Eat high-fiber complex carbohydrate plant foods.

Humans ate lower carbohydrate diets in their hunting and gathering days. In summer, when fruits and berries were available, the sugar was quickly burned off by lots of activity. The same principle is useful today. Active people can consume more carbohydrates without storing them as fat. Sedentary people need much less.

Fiber supports the workings of your gastro-intestinal tract, supports elimination, feeds good gut bacteria, and absorbs toxins.

Complex carbohydrates are absorbed slowly by the body so there’s less effect on insulin and blood sugar.

Complex carbs to eat often:

whole fruits and berries with the skin on if edible.
vegetables
beans of all kinds - if using dried beans, soak them for several hours or overnight in water with a tablespoon of vinegar or baking soda. Pressure cooking is the best way to neutralize lectins in beans.
seeds - chia, ground flax, sesame, sunflower, hemp
whole grains and grain-like foods such as quinoa and buckwheat. Enjoy a serving of slow cooked oats or other whole grains. Grains milled to a fine powder are absorbed quickly. Look for stone ground and actual pieces of the food. Do not confuse multi-grain with whole grain. Whole grain cereals may be called groats. They still have the cereal germ, bran and sometimes the hull. Don't overindulge on grains if you want to lose weight.

healthy living diet foods buckwheat groats and greens

Limit the following foods: white flour, white rice and sugar. The jury is still out on potatoes. They do contain nutrients and keep you full longer. Eat them with the skin on and avoid fried french fries.

Check the fiber and sugar content on packaged food. If the amount of sugar is over 5 grams (one teaspoon) a serving and the fiber is less than 3 grams choose something else unless the total carbohydrate count is less than around 10 grams.

Season foods with herbs and spices

Season animal and plant foods generously with herbs and spices.

It is easier to stick with the healthy living diet when your foods taste good.

Season foods generously with turmeric, thyme, oregano, rosemary, pepper, garlic, celery seed, fennel, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cumin and other herbs and spices you like for flavor and a myriad of natural health promoting properties. Turmeric, for example, is a powerful anti-inflammatory spice. Fennel and dill aid digestion. Pepper aids absorption.

Unrefined salt is an important seasoning. Your body needs some real salt to be healthy. Do yourself a favor. Throw out the over-processed, chemical laden white salt and season your food with Celtic salt, Himalayan salt or Redmond's real salt. Unrefined salt contains dozens of minerals your body needs. Most people can safely consume a teaspoon or two a day to support your body processes and improve the taste of food.

Protein and Fats

Include quality protein with most meals and snacks.

Protein is vital for tissue building and repair. The body cannot store protein, so you need to supply it during the day. Protein needs vary. The average 150 pound adult needs about 55 grams per day.

Your body can make most, but not all of the amino acids you need.

Some foods contain all the amino acids you need. Many foods contain some, but not all the amino acids you need. When eaten together, some foods combine to make complete proteins, such as beans and rice.

The following foods contain all the essential amino acids, or complete protein, your body needs:

quinoa - not a grain, gluten-free
amaranth
soybeans (for health reasons only eat fermented soy, such as tempeh)
buckwheat, also known as kasha (not a wheat and gluten-free)
hemp seeds
spirulina and Klamath Lake blue-green algae
plant-based protein powders
animal and fish flesh, dairy and eggs. An ounce of meat or a large egg provides approximately 7 grams of protein.

Note: Animal foods are pro-inflammatory, cause acidity in the body, and raise blood sugar. It is best to limit your diet to no more than 14 percent animal food in total. If you choose to eat meat and fish for protein, a 3-5 ounce serving once a day or less is plenty. Organic, wild or pastured sources are better than factory farmed meat and fish for humane and health reasons.

Cook protein-rich animal and plant foods slowly over low heat (250 degrees) to avoid damaging the proteins.

Consume healthy fats

Don't be afraid of healthy fats. On the healthy living diet you are encouraged to consume natural fats, including saturated animal fats in moderation. Approximately 30-40% of your calories should come from fat.

Fats are important for good health and human development. They are necessary for healthy cell membranes, a healthy brain, and hormone production. Healthy fats help lower inflammation, promote longevity, and increase your absorption of fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Plus they keep you feeling full longer and slow sugar absorption into the bloodstream.

Good sources of healthy fats include:

nut oils and nuts-soak for a few hours before dehydrating or roasting to enhance flavor and digestibility. Walnut, almond, and macadamia oils are healthy fats.
seeds - flax, hemp, and unrefined sesame oil
coconut and MCT oil
olives and olive oil
avocados and avocado oil
meat, dairy, and eggs, preferably from pastured animals
organic tallow, duck and chicken fat
fatty fish such as mackerel, sardines, herring, tuna and wild-caught salmon are good sources of Omega 3 fats

When purchasing oils, choose cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils. Coconut oil and avocado oils are good for cooking over higher heat. A little sesame seed oil for lower heat cooking tastes good with vegetables. Do not let oils reach their smoke point. Olive oil and nut oils are nice on salads and cooked greens.

If you use flax seed oil, keep it refrigerated. It goes rancid within 20 minutes of being left out. It is probably safer to grind the seeds. Use immediately or freeze for later use. This way, you get all the benefits of the seeds, including the soluble fiber.

Avoid trans-fats and vegetable oils such as corn, soy and canola. Most are over-processed, too high in Omega 6 fatty acids, and deodorized to cover up the fact that they are rancid. Yuck! Ditch the hardened vegetable oil when baking. Avoid health-harming trans-fats like the plague.

Healthy Snacks

Snacks can be a great way to get additional nutrients during the day. Prepare them ahead of time for easy healthy eating when you get the munchies.

Junk foods may give you a quick pick me up but will soon have you looking for more to eat. Empty calories don't supply your body with the nutrients or water it was looking for. Certain foods, like those containing high fructose corn syrup, can even stimulate your appetite. Your favorite goodies and 'soul foods' are not forbidden on the healthy living diet or it would never work. But you do want to limit them to the occasional treat.

Enjoy a variety of good-for-you snacks and junk food alternatives when you have a long stretch between meals. Healthy satisfying snacks include protein, vitamins and minerals and healthy fats. These healthy snacks are easy to prepare and good to eat:

an apple or a banana with nut butter or nuts.
whole grain crackers and cheese
trail mix
vegetable sticks with hummus
a low-sugar smoothie made with berries, yogurt, greens, and other superfoods
an ounce of dark chocolate with a few nuts
unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries

Beverages on the Healthy Living Diet

Hydrate with water and nutritious beverages.

Water is the most essential nutrient of all. It's a vital part of the healthy living diet or any meal plan. Here's how to make sure you get enough:

Drink a tall glass of fresh pure water first thing in the morning to re-hydrate yourself. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon or lime for flavor and a Vitamin C boost, if you want.

Sip water, herbal teas, and other healthy beverages throughout the day.

Healthy smoothies are great for between meal munchies and even make a quick meal on the go.

Juicy fruits and melons are up to 90% pure water and a good source of antioxidants and nutrients. They make for simple, hydrating, delicious healthy eating.

If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Red wine, and dark grape juice, contain resveratrol. Dark beer brewed with hops contain B vitamins and relaxes you. Always drink extra water when you drink alcohol. It is dehydrating and toxic to the brain and liver, meaning it causes damage and kills cells. Any amount of alcohol greatly increases the risk of breast cancer in susceptible women. Avoid alcohol altogether when risks outweigh benefits.

Did you know that food is your body's main source of water? That's why thirst sometimes masquerades as hunger. Have a glass of water instead of reaching for food. That will save you hundreds of unneeded calories a day. Then, in 20 minutes, if you still feel hungry, have something to eat. Smoothies, green drinks, and juice also hydrates you, but not as quickly as water because they have to go through the digestive process first.

How to know if you need more water? Except for your first trip to the bathroom in the morning, urine should be light yellow. If urine is dark, you probably need more water. If it's clear, ease up.

Supplements and Healing Foods

Choose supplements wisely.

When you primarily eat nutritious food and follow the suggestions in the healthy living diet, you will not need to take many supplements.

Vitamin D3 is helpful if you don't get enough sun, or are over 40 and don't manufacture through your skin well anymore. The average adult needs about 4000 I.U. daily for maintenance. Have periodic blood tests to make sure your levels stay in the safe range.

Another important supplement is Omega 3 fatty acids if you don't eat fatty fish regularly.

Many adults are deficient in magnesium because of depleted soil and too much stress. A night cap of magnesium citrate powder (or other easily assimilated form) might be just what you need to relax mind and muscles. Helps with elimination, too.

Emphasize healing foods.

Food can be your medicine or your demise. A good plant-rich diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, helps you live a long, healthy, vibrant life. The nutrient-rich foods on a healthy living diet promote a healthy mind and body.

In addition, certain foods, herbs, and spices can help you heal and improve specific conditions. For example, dill and fennel aid digestion. Turmeric, ginger and other spices quell inflammation. Many studies show that cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli are superstars for aiding your natural detoxification system and preventing and fighting cancer.

If you have physical wellness challenges, choose healing foods that are specific to your needs as part of your daily healthy living diet.

Summary

On the healthy living diet, you mainly eat clean whole foods, mostly from plants. Like the Mediterranean diet, this makes it one of the best diets for longevity, vitality, and optimal health.

In addition...

Habits of healthy eating and proper food preparation practices help you get the most benefit from the food and beverages you put in your body.

For example, in the Mediterranean region, meals are about what you eat and how you eat. Long, leisurely meals of legumes and green vegetables along with moderate amounts of fish, seafood, whole grains, pasta, nuts, unpasteurized cheese, and olive oil are often enjoyed with family and friends. Shoppers walk or cycle to the market on a daily basis to buy fresh food for their meals.

When you follow the guidelines of this healthy lifestyle diet, along with other healthy living habits, you promote healing, vitality, longevity, and a lifetime of good health in mind and body.

Enjoy!

The Best Diet for Weight Loss

Top Ten Superfoods

Nutritious Drinks

The Healthy Living Diet page updated 03/2022

Sources:
Estimating impact of food choices on life expectancy: A modeling study
Is the Mediterranean Diet the Best Diet on the Planet?
The 10 Best and Worst Foods for Longevity

For Educational Purposes Only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Please consult with your health provider before using natural remedies and/or complementary therapies if you are pregnant, nursing, or you are being treated for a medical condition. Be aware that certain herbs and supplements interact with medications.