Dr Valter Longo, a nutrition and cancer expert, has highlighted lifestyle changes based on long-lived people around the world
A nutrition and cancer expert has spotlighted ‘superfoods’ that he believes are essential for living a long, healthy life – even up to 110 years. Dr Valter Longo, a specialist in nutrition and cancer, has detailed how a nutrient-rich diet combined with controlled fasting can play a pivotal role in warding off serious illnesses and health conditions.
He also suggested that eating the right foods could reduce the likelihood of developing cancer and aid in its treatment if it does occur. Dr Longo has devised what he terms the ‘Longevity Diet’, primarily consisting of vegetables, which he claims has demonstrated anti-tumour and anti-ageing effects, as reported by Telecino.
He has previously expressed his ambition for people to reach the age of 110, stating: “I want to optimise the chance for people to make it to 110 healthy. That’s it. So, to make it to 110 healthy, you have to solve it all, and it’s a very ambitious plan. And of course if you get cancer or you get diabetes or you get Alzheimer’s, that’s not going to happen. So then the focus, of course, is on healthy longevity for the sake of reaching that goal.”
This diet, inspired by the eating habits of centenarians worldwide, is low in sugars and starches, high in fibre and omega-3, and moderate in proteins. Interestingly, the nutritionist always has Spanish olives stocked up in his pantry.
The diet also completely avoids red meats and processed foods, which are associated with a higher risk of cancer and other diseases. Other innovative strategies proposed include intermittent fasting and the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD), reports Surrey Live.
The main components of this diet include:
- Vegetables: Rich in antioxidants and fibre, vegetables are fundamental to the longevity diet.
- Fruits: Consumed in moderation to avoid excess fructose.
- Olive Oil: A source of healthy fats contributing to cardiovascular health.
- Legumes and Whole Grains: Provide proteins and complex carbohydrates.
- Fish: Consumed regularly but not daily to ensure omega-3 intake.
- White Meats: Consumed in small quantities.
- Dark Chocolate: Included as a healthy pleasure, rich in antioxidants.
- Intermittent Fasting and the Fasting-Mimicking Diet
- Intermittent fasting restricts food intake to a specific period – for instance, a 12-hour window. So, if breakfast is at 8 am, the last meal should be before 8pm.
This practice not only enhances sleep quality but also lowers insulin levels and improves sensitivity to this hormone, crucial factors in cancer prevention. The fasting-mimicking diet involves cycles of 4 to 5 days where very few calories, proteins, and sugars are consumed, but healthy fat intake is increased.
These cycles should always be conducted under professional health supervision but have proven effective at reducing cancer cell proliferation while protecting healthy cells from chemotherapy’s harmful effects. .
Despite this, he acknowledged that altering one’s habits can be a significant challenge: “The reality is 90 percent of people are never going to change what they eat. Neither the quantities, nor the type. They may make small changes, but they’re not going to make big changes in the long run. They could make big changes for six months, for 12 months and then they’d go back. That’s a reality, right? We have a million studies showing that. So then people should start dealing with that reality.”