GP Dr Tim Lebens highlighted how you can extend your life by making a few simple adjustments to your diet. First, Lebens addressed the obesity crisis here in the UK – giving tips on how you can get rid of excess weight. “Obesity [is] responsible for many chronic diseases, “began Lebens. A fundamental principle for leading a healthier lifestyle is” stop eating when you are 80% full “.
“Eat more slowly and use smaller plates,” advised Lebens. “It takes 20 minutes for your gut to tell your brain when you’re full.”
“If you eat slowly, you will be satisfied with less,” promised the doctor.
In addition to portion control, it is recommended to eliminate sugar from the diet.
“Sugar is one of the biggest silent killers,” said Lebens. “The taste can take a few weeks to adjust, [but] you will notice the benefits of a sugar-free diet. “
Dr. Lebens proposed to enrich his natural intestinal bacteria with probiotics and prebiotics – both available as supplements.
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Referring to the Blue Zones – geographical locations where longevity prevails, such as Sardinia – the diets are heavily based on vegetables.
Vegetables such as lentils, peas, nuts, soy and chickpeas are nutritious, containing “essential nutrients, proteins and carbohydrates”.
Blue Zones rarely eat meat, but if you like red meat, Dr. Lebens suggested limiting your intake to up to three times a month “like a treat”.
“White meat may be better, but it is still not ideal,” commented De Lebens.
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When preparing a dish, “follow the rainbow” – a colorful dish of food is likely to contain a large proportion of healthy vegetables.
Good fats are also part of a healthy diet; examples include “nuts, oily fish, olive oil and coconut and avocado oil”.
“Try not to add salt to your diet,” added Leben. “In total, an adult should not eat more than one teaspoon of salt per day (6g).”
Leben said: “You would be surprised at how much is added to snacks and prepared foods.”
In addition to food, the diet also involves paying attention to the fluids you consume.
“Drinking tea and coffee has benefits,” said Leben, like green tea, which has antioxidant properties.
“However, more than four cups of coffee a day can cause undesirable effects.”
Unwanted side effects include anxiety or high blood pressure, with any coffee ideally consumed “before noon”.
“Coffee can affect natural melatonin and the sleep cycle,” he explained.
Keeping yourself well hydrated involves getting two liters of fluid a day.
Still, alcohol is the best off the menu – most of the time. “Try to have at least three ‘no alcohol’ days a week,” advised Leben.
If you risk drinking more than one glass of red wine (or two for men) a day, Leben said “you better not drink at all”.