Longevity

The foods that promote longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and joy; are juicy, smooth, substantial, and agreeable to the stomach. ~Bhagavad Gita

 

Longevity

I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want to live a long, healthy life. After all self-preservation is a kind of built in mechanism for most humans. But a 2011 study from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis (shout out to my birthplace!) found that women who take multivitamins don't live longer than those who get their nutrition from food alone. The study even suggests that women who use vitamins appear to have a slightly higher early death rate. (1) 

 

I have a terrific imagination which often wanders off on "what if tangents" and so I sometimes think about people who are over zealous in their need to eat right. You know the type. Never shall sugar or fat or anything remotely delicious pass their lips. I imagine them dying early and getting to heaven (or whatever afterlife scenario you prefer). Then I imagine a the pearly gates conversation going something like this:

 

"St. Peter, I think there's been a mistake. You see I've been a very good girl. I've eaten a completely raw (or insert any kind of health craze) diet of only twigs, nuts, and berries for the last 40 years. I've sacrificed and been a slave to clean living. So you see I'm much too young to die, if you could just send me back..."

St. Peter would then furrow his brow and say, "Well that's too bad. You were put on the earth to learn and experience all kinds of things. That was part of the point of being there and you blew it!"

Don't get me wrong. I do believe in eating healthy. But I also believe in moderation. Anything taken to the extreme can have reverse effects. What good is a healthy long life if it's not happy and well-rounded? Food is not only a way to experience pleasure but also learn about other places and cultures.

 

When we eat foods that please us our bodies release the endorphin, dopamine that makes us feel good. Likewise when we share food in a social setting our bodies also produce more of the happiness chemicals. A study in the 2011 journal Applied Psychology reviewed more than 160 studies of animal and human subjects and found that "happy people tend to live longer and experience better health than their unhappy peers." (2) So consider the fact that once in awhile it is all right to indulge. It just may help you live longer!

Foods of Interest:

The following are all foods which are in some way linked to longevity. Many of them as you will see are high in antioxidants. These little lifesavers or rather life-prolongers help block free radicals which can damage our cells.

Blueberry bush in Maine. Photo by Erika Celeste.

Blueberries are extremely rich in antioxidants. I did a story on them a couple of years ago for Voice of America. As with many of my stories, this quickly went viral with dozens of other media outlets picking it up. Here's one of the versions that ended up on Media for Freedom http://www.mediaforfreedom.com/readarticle.php?AID=15039

Carrots are said to carry masculine energy the Chinese say they are good luck due to the slightly red color.

Fennel was sacred to the Greek God Dionysus. The Greeks believed those who ate it were purified and healed.

Kale is another super food rich in antioxidants.

Lemons didn't become widely used until the Middle Ages. But when they became popular it was thought that they increased longevity.

Maple syrup is alchemically associated with long life because the syrup is said to carry the spirit and strength of the trees from which it comes.

Mushrooms are known to have anti-viral properties and strengthen the immune system. Therefore, they earned their magical attributes way back in Biblical times as a longevity food. Later, in Victorian times, they were believed to indicate the presence of magical little people like fairies and elves.

Pineapples get their name from pinecones. That's because when Europeans first saw them in the 16th century they reminded them of pinecones. Pineapples are often used as symbols of welcome and luck--which might explain how they came to be associated with longevity. After all, those who live long lives are thought to be lucky.

Rosemary has antibacterial properties that not only work great for cleaning dirty surfaces, but also help preserve other foods they're mixed with--thereby extending longevity. It was also believed in the Middle Ages that rosemary created happy feelings. Science has since proven that optimists and those who have happy dispositions live longer lives. 

Longevity spinach is actually an herb which goes by many different names including Daun Dewa, Akar Sebiak, Kelemai Merah, Mollucan Spinach, Googoolipid, Bai Bing Ca, Nan Fei Ye and Scrambling Gynura. It is easy to grow, looks a great deal like baby spinach leaves, and is said to have many healing properties from lowering blood pressure to helping treat cancer.

Sweet potatoes are a healthy fiber that help with digestion. As one of the staples of the Okinawan diet they have been classified by the University of The Air Okinawa Study Center as a longevity food.

Recipe

I've adapted this week's recipe especially for longevity. (Heck, you'll see that I adapting most recipes to increase the powers of the attribute we're focusing on.) I came up with the fennel recipe about a year ago for another special dinner my husband and I hosted for charity. However to amp up the longevity I've added rosemary and carrots to the dish.

Fennel au Gratin. Photo by Erika Celeste.

Fennel Au Gratin

2 large fennel bulbs

1 carrot (regular)

1 medium sweet onion

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup half and half

1T granulated chicken broth

½ rosemary

4 T butter (pulgra)

2 T flour or corn starch

¼ Swiss (grated)

¼ parmesan reggiano (grated)

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Cut the stalks off the fennel. Wash the bulbs and slice in half then slice the two halves into eighths. That should give you several little cup-like pieces. Pull the layers apart. Slice the onion in the same manner. Slice the carrot in long thin strips--more ribbon like in texture. (You may want to use a vegetable peeler.)  If you cut them too thick, they won't cook down as quickly as the rest of these tender roots and will be too crunchy. Add the carrots to  a pan with the butter and sauté until tender, then add the fennel and onions.

 

In a bowl combine sour cream, half and half, granulated chicken broth, rosemary, flour, and the cheeses. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly.

 

Lightly spray a 2 quart square/rectangle baking dish. Pour the mixture into the dish. Add french fried onions on top. Cover.  I sometimes switch and pour the au gratin into individual baking dishes for special occasions. These bake more quickly and must be watched until they brown. Usually about 10-15 minutes.

 

Place in a preheated 375-degree oven for about a half hour, until golden and bubbly. (You may have to take the lid off for the last few minutes in order to brown.) Serves 6 as a main dish and 8-10 as a side dish.

 

 

 

1-Joelving, Frederik. "Multivitamins Don't Help US Women Live Longer." Http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/11/idUSL3E7LB07P20111011. Reuters Health, 10 Oct. 2011. Web.

2- Yates, Dinana. "News Bureau | University of Illinois." Study: Happiness Improves Health and Lengthens Life. N.p., 1 Mar. 2011. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. <http://news.illinois.edu/news/11/0301happy_EdDiener.html>.