Health experts point out that longevity and health depend more on choosing high-quality foods that bring joy, rather than strictly following dietary rules. They emphasize that eating is an emotional behavior rather than purely a chemical calculation, making the quality of food sources more important than the variety itself.
Registered dietitian Kelly Springer told Fox News that joyful eating can effectively reduce stress, improve digestion, and support a healthy relationship with food. Swiss longevity expert Simon Feldhaus and functional medicine doctor Amy Hornman both emphasized to Fox News that selecting minimally processed ingredients with higher nutritional density is crucial, as the body’s cells are built from these foods.
Experts have recommended six types of foods that can bring joy and support long-term health:
– Focus on high-quality sources of fats and proteins such as yogurt, rather than limiting to just milk.
– High-quality dairy products are rich in calcium, vitamin D, and high-quality proteins, with a calcium-phosphorus ratio beneficial for absorption, vital for building and maintaining bone health (especially in children and the elderly) and muscle repair after exercise.
– The key is food sourcing and quality, with locally sourced and nutrient-dense meats being preferred.
– Choosing meats from reliable sources (such as local farms) generally ensures minimal use of growth hormones or excessive antibiotics during breeding, maintaining the high nutritional density of the meat itself and reducing unnecessary additives intake for the body to receive better fuel.
– Harvesting during nutritional peak periods results in better taste, helps to enrich the variety of vitamins, and maintains the body’s natural rhythms.
– Opt for high-quality, slow-digesting carbohydrates such as whole wheat, rye, to avoid insulin spikes.
Real rye bread or sourdough bread belongs to low glycemic index (GI) foods, with more soluble fiber and resistant starch, significantly slowing down glucose release and helping maintain satiety and stable blood sugar levels over an extended period.
Foods like eggs (especially egg yolks rich in phospholipids) and fatty fish are crucial for brain function, emotional improvement, and anti-inflammatory purposes.
Omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA, have powerful anti-inflammatory effects, can regulate neurotransmitter functions such as serotonin and dopamine. Research confirms that adequate intake of Omega-3 can significantly improve emotional symptoms like depression, anxiety, and enhance cognitive functions.
These uncommon sugars provide low glycemic energy, but due to controversial research, experts recommend cautious intake, primarily obtained through high-quality dairy products and seasonal farm produce naturally.
In summary, the path to longevity lies in consistency: choosing high-quality foods, enjoying the eating process, nourishing the mind and body, is the foundation for achieving lifelong health.