Sometimes you don't have to go far to find the fountain of youth. If you really want to feel younger and fight disease, consider looking no farther than your plate.
"Our diet plays an important role in our lives from birth, through the lifespan and into aging," says Rosanna Lee, a nutrition educator and community health promoter based in Toronto. "As we get older, we may have reduced appetites, chronic diseases, and physical symptoms that make it challenging to eat healthy."
Last time we rounded up the best exercises you can do for the rest of your life, and this week we've tracked down some of the healthiest foods and drinks that everyone should eat at least once a day.
"Choose foods with minimal fat, sugar or salt added. More emphasis should be made on these foods during meals and snacks," Lee says. "As we get older, we may not be able to eat as much or as frequently as we used to so it is important to select foods with higher amounts of energy and nutrition."
Eating a well-balanced diet also increases our quality of life. Unsurprisingly, studies have even shown people with poor eating habits or who are overweight have a higher chance of developing deadly diseases like cancer and heart disease.
Lee says if you're getting tired of the same old palette, adding new spices to your meals also works. She recommends a combination of the Mediterranean diet, the Japanese diet, and the French diet — cuisines that are low in fat and high in nutrients.