What You Eat: Diet and Nutrition

"I have heard that in the days of old, everyone lived one hundred years without showing the usual signs of aging. In our time, however, people age prematurely, living only fifty years. Is this due to our environment or is it because people have lost the Way?" asked the Yellow Emperor.

Qibo, his court physician, replied, "In the past, people practiced the Way. They understood the principle of the balance of yin and yang. Thus they formulated practices such as meditation to help maintain harmony with the universe. They ate balanced diets at regular times, arose and retired at regular hours, avoided overburdening their bodies and minds, and refrained from overindulgences of all kinds. They maintained well-being in body and mind, thus it is not surprising that they lived over one hundred years.

"These days, people have changed their ways. They drink wine like water, indulge in excessive eating and other destructive behavior, drain their essence, and deplete their energy. Seeking emotional excitement and momentary pleasures, people disregard the natural rhythm and order of the universe. They fail to regulate their lifestyle and diet, they sleep improperly. They don't know the secrets of conserving their energy and vitality. So it is not surprising that they look old at fifty and die soon after."

This conversation between the Yellow Emperor, the first ruler of China, and his court physician took place some 4,700 years ago and is just as relevant today. As modern science has proven, the quality and quantity of the food you consume will have a lasting impact on longevity.

After examining the diets of approximately a hundred centenarians, I analyzed the data and correlated it with current anti-aging research. Not surprising, the diets and the studies dovetailed with the court physician's observations. The majority of centenarians lived by modest means, undereating was the norm among them, and some, due to circumstances more often than intent, practiced fasting for periods of time.

What the centenarians consumed, for the most part, was a variety of legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Heavy carnivores were the exception - most ate a semivegetarian diet. These sound nutritional practices have been confirmed by Western science to contribute to health and longevity in a variety of ways.

You are what you eat, so eat well:

• Eat Less - Live Longer
• Smaller Meals - More frequently
• Eat like a King by Day - Like a Pauper by Night
• Weekday Vegetarian - Weekend Carnivore
• Stay Alive - Stop Eating Dead foods
• Sweet Potatoes and Yams - Not Just for Holidays
• Less Salt - More Years
• Tea Party - Benefits All Guests
• Ginger Gives - You Snap
• Little Wine - Big Win
• Go Fish for the Omega
• The Heart - Happy Apple
• Brown Rice for Long life
• Berry, Berry - Good for You
• To Slim Down - Fill Up with Soup
• Chew It Up
• Nuts and Seeds Keep You Young
• Honey - The Natural Antibiotic
• The Cancer - Fighting Tomato
• Sea Salt for Essential Minerals
• Liquid - Longevity
• Broccoli for Breathing
• Bulk Up Bones with Orange Juice
• Eat Your Spinach for better Eyesight
• Artichoke: First Aid for Your Liver
• Chicory for a Strong Heart
• Asparagus Spears: Natural Weapons Against Aging
• Eat Your Sea Vegetables

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