How do I stay healthy in small ways?

1 – Limit your consumption of red meat as much as possible

It is best to avoid red meat, even lean, in any case, because cattle are usually saturated with the hormones and antibiotics used by factory farms , especially because it takes longer to raise a cow or a pig than a hen. In addition, this meat is often high in cholesterol, and there is a risk of prion infection, due to mad cow disease.

At worst, eat organic red meat, but try to favor white meat and fish rich in EPA/DHA, especially salmon. Take the organic ones if you can.

2 – Choose good fats

That is, Omega 3 and Omega 6 rather than saturated fats and the bad unsaturated fats (for an explanation of what saturated and unsaturated fats are, see Chapter 6: Fats and Proteins of Will We Be Immortal? ).

Focus on the following foods in order to consume the good fats:

Nuts _

Fish rich in EPA and DHA, especially salmon (wild salmon contains more than farmed salmon) and with low mercury levels

Extra-virgin olive oil (this last point is very important)

Naturally pressed flaxseed and flaxseed oil

vegetables _

Tofu _

Lean meats, especially white meats ( chicken, turkey ). Obviously, it is preferable to select free-range poultry raised without hormones and without antibiotics.

And absolutely avoid the following fats and habits:

Saturated fats from fatty meats , butter, milk and other animal products.

Commercial cooking oils (always prefer extra-virgin olive oil).

The hydrogenated fats of margarine or vegetable fats , and almost all commercial pastries.

To fry in a fryer . It's best to sauté over high heat using extra-virgin olive oil, and it's best to put water in a wok, add a small amount of oil, and cook for a short time at medium or moderate heat.

Readers of this article also read: Blue Zones: Where do we live best and longest?

3 – Chewing well is very important for our health

This is because swallowing too large pieces before they have been properly ground up, and mixed with saliva, forces the digestive tract to secrete greater amounts of powerful digestive enzymes, which can cause excess gas. and bloating, and over time damage the stomach. So take your time when eating. (I also invite you to read 5 Great Reasons to Eat Slower .)

4 – Eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day

Here is the key advice given by the official program of the Ministry of Health, Manger Bouger , with good reason.

The benefits of consuming fresh, natural, low-starch vegetables are countless: they contain a myriad of valuable nutrients and fiber, and have a low glycemic index and calorie density. However, be careful not to overcook them: overcooking them will cause them to lose their vitamins, phytochemicals and other nutrients. The ideal is a light steaming , or raw consumption for some of them.

Be careful, these are 5 servings of fruit and vegetables: eating 3 radishes and two grapes will obviously not be enough! And it is quite possible to eat 10 servings: 5 is the recommended minimum. Tip: Rather than counting the number of fruits and vegetables you eat, which can be a pain, just think about making half of every meal vegetables or fruit.

Remember to consume well-colored products: By eating a whole series of naturally colored vegetables, you get a whole series of vital nutrients.

You can also drink freshly squeezed vegetable juice: by putting fresh, natural and low-starch vegetables in an electric juicer, you get one of the healthiest drinks there is, low in calories, very rich in vitamins and minerals. The best vegetables for this are celery, cucumber and fennel, and you can use small amounts of red or green leafy romaine, endive, escarole, spinach, parsley or kale. Avoid vegetables high in sugar like beets or carrots.

5 – Drink tea instead of coffee

How to be healthy and live long?

Many constituents of tea are good for health. A recent study published in the journal of the American Hearth Association found that drinking two cups of tea a day reduced the risk of death from myocardial infarction by a remarkable 44% ( Tea consumption and mortality after acute myocardial infarction ). This discovery applies to black tea and green tea, but not to herbal teas. Tea also contains L-threonine, which lowers cortisol levels and promotes relaxation.

The most beneficial tea is green tea , with added antioxidants that lower the risk of heart disease or cancer. Always take your tea as it is, without milk and/or sugar (see next tip).

A good diet for good health contains very little sugar , this is a certainty today. When we eat a meal containing a lot of sugars, the level of blood glucose rises quickly and the pancreas reacts by immediately secreting a lot of insulin , which regulates glucose, in particular helping to pass it into the cells. This keeps blood glucose under control, but these temporary insulin spikes often overshoot and drive blood glucose levels too low, leading to a more intense craving for sugars – a vicious cycle!

Over time, continued abuse of this cycle causes cells in our body to develop a lower sensitivity to insulin . This insulin resistance is one of the main causes of metabolic syndrome , and can also lead to type 2 diabetes, which means that no matter how much insulin the body produces, blood glucose always remains too high.

Many problems are caused by excessive levels of blood glucose , such as an inhibition of the immune system, the promotion of the growth of pathological cells such as fungal infections and cancers, competition with vitamin C which uses the same transport system, and who is thus hampered in his mission to fight against infections and the development of body tissues, etc.

It is therefore necessary to avoid foods that are too rich in sugar as much as possible and to favor those with a low glycemic index (GI). For example, you can consult the table of foods on the La Nutrition site .

7 – Eat Anticancer

Here are the recommendations of the authors of Will we be immortal? in order to prevent as far as possible the appearance of cancers, which are very similar to those of doctor David Servan-Schreiber in Anticancer.

The 7 lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of cancer:

Drink vegetable juices Start your day with a 225 to 350 ml glass of freshly squeezed vegetable juice as part of your breakfast. Mix in the juice of a few cucumbers, broccoli, kale, cabbage, a carrot (but no more to avoid excess sugar) and other green vegetables. This will bring you almost half of your needs before you even leave your home. Of course, preferably choose organic vegetables.

Eat the Mediterranean Diet Low in red meat and prioritizing whole grains, fish and fresh fruits and vegetables, it has been linked to many benefits, including a reduced risk of cancer. The Mediterranean diet also calls for generous amounts of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cooked tomatoes.

Avoid the White Satan: White Sugar – Cancer cells are very greedy consumers of this sugar, and you can inhibit the formation of cancer by avoiding foods with a high glycemic load.

Be physically active – Physical activity has been associated with a lower incidence of cancer, unlike a sedentary lifestyle. Adults should engage in moderate activity for a minimum of 150 minutes per week, obtained in any possible combination, with a minimum of 10 minutes per session. Children and adolescents should engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day.

Avoid pesticides – Exposure to agricultural chemicals has been linked to many cancers. Farmers have a risk of stomach cancer increased by 40%, rectum by 50%, larynx by 40% and prostate by 40%. It is therefore important to eat organic food.

Lose excess weight – Being overweight or obese is an independent factor for various types of cancers.

Avoid Tobacco - Sounds obvious, and it is. The list of diseases linked to cigarette smoke reads like the little black book of the Angel of Death. Smoking increases the risk of cancer in all the tissues affected by tobacco smoke at the level of its entry routes (lungs, mouth, throat, larynx), its exit routes (kidneys and bladder) and various places between these tract (cervix, pancreas). Smoking also dramatically increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death and stroke. And smoking significantly increases the risk of lung problems like emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etc. And this is only an incomplete list! The authors therefore recommend, if you smoke, to immediately engage in a smoking cessation program.

To go further, you can download the accompanying Anticancer booklet, Anticancer reflexes on a daily basis , or read the Anticancer book (or the audiobook if you don't have time to read 😉 ).

8 – Exercise regularly

How to be healthy and live long? Play sports

Here are the various benefits of practicing a regular sporting activity:

Reduced risk of disease

Reduction of blood pressure

Increased strength of ligaments and tendons

Reduces stress and helps healing and depression

Sleep improvement

Reduced risk of more types of cancer (including colon, prostate and breast)

Improved physical appearance

Improved self-confidence

Strengthening bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis

Increase in energy

One study showed that the overall death rate of a group that engaged in moderate physical activity was 60% lower than that of the sedentary control group.

The best thing is to practice regular aerobic physical activity (with oxygen) . This speeds up the rate of your heart and breathing, and increases air consumption. This type of activity includes sports such as walking, swimming, cycling, rowing, and cross-country skiing . A key aspect of this type of activity is that it involves at least 20 minutes of continuous, rhythmic effort of the most important muscles, in all parts of the body. Although our heart also benefits from the significant but brief effort required in certain sports such as tennis or basketball, these are not optimal forms of aerobic physical activity.

9 – Massage and get massaged

How to be healthy and live long?

Stress leads to stimulation of the adrenal cortex, which produces a hormone: cortisol. Cortisol causes a very large but temporary increase in energy, and stimulation of the brain's memory centers to work faster. Other hormones are secreted during stress, including adrenaline and noradrenaline.

These hormones are very powerful: they almost stop the digestive process, increase blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, fibriogen levels, the rhythm of heartbeats and breathing. This mechanism exists to counter a sudden physical danger. It is still useful from time to time, but its continued activation is a major factor in several unhealthy conditions and diseases. These hormones can cause heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and accelerated aging.

Readers of this article also read: Will we be immortal?

There are many ways to combat stress, and massage is one that is probably not used enough in our society.

Receiving massages brings many recognized positive effects:

Soothes and calms

Relieves pain

Improves sleep

Increases breathing capacity

Improves digestion and reduces constipation

Increases blood and lymphatic circulation resulting in better oxygenation and better elimination of toxins

Improves skin health

Increases awareness of one's emotions

Increases self-esteem and personal worth

Contributes to open-mindedness and resistance to stress

You can indulge yourself by offering yourself the services of professional masseurs, and of course do this “as an amateur”, with your spouse. You can even practice self-massage: for example, massage your shoulders by reaching for your shoulder blades with your fingers, and yawn while you give yourself this massage. This little self-massage that can be done in any circumstance is very relaxing. It will allow you to relax easily in almost any situation.

10 – Meditate regularly

Meditation - How to be healthy and live long? Meditate

Another royal way to fight against stress is meditation. As I point out in my column for The Art of Meditation , many scientific studies – like this one (Harvard University), this one (University of Montreal) (see also Mind & Life Institute lectures or any of these other studies ) – have found or proven many benefits to the practice of meditation , such as:

A considerable reduction in stress

A reduction in anxiety, anger tendencies, and depressive tendencies

Significant strengthening of the immune system

Reinforcement of positive emotions and attention faculties

A decrease in blood pressure in hypertensives

etc

Read The Art of Meditation or the chronicle to learn how to meditate, then practice. It is better to have small regular sessions (10 to 15 minutes for example) than large irregular sessions.

Conclusion

If you manage to put these habits in place on a daily basis, the studies are clear: your chances of living a long , healthy, happy and relaxed life will be greatly improved , and your chances of dying prematurely from a serious illness such as cancer or heart disease will be greatly diminished. It's up to you ;). But above all don't forget: “Everything in moderation, including moderation”. If you fall off your horse, get back on the saddle right away. Many programs have been abandoned by discouraged people after a temporary failure. Get into the habit of doing small deviations. As long as you have a good diet for good health, the hard part will be done.