What to Eat for Improved Health and Longevity
Explore the Connection Between Food, Mental and Brain Health, and Disease Risk, According to Experts
It’s true: you are what you eat.
What you consume plays a critical role in preventing chronic disease like heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes as we age by helping to prolong lifespan and reducing inflammation.
Chronic low-grade inflammation is increasingly recognized as a factor in the development and progression of several mental disorders, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease.
But what diet is best for improved health and longevity? And what do the experts say?
Research has consistently shown that the best diets for physical and cognitive health are ones that are heart healthy and anti-inflammatory. Alternatively, diets high in processed foods, refined carbohydrates, sugar, salt, and saturated fats have been associated with increased inflammation and a higher risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders and death.
How Plants Fight Inflammation and Disease
Plant-based diets strengthen your immune system and reduce disease-causing inflammation, according to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), who validates that anti-inflammatory diets may be your best bet for brain health. A study published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology found that people who consumed an anti-inflammatory and omega-3 heavy diet that included more fruits, vegetables, beans, and tea or coffee, had a lower risk of developing dementia later in life.
According to Frank Hu, MD, PhD, MPH, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, adopting one's eating patterns to include diet patterns such as the Mediterranean Diet, healthy plant-based and whole foods diets, or the Okinawan Diet, have been linked to reduced disease risk and improved longevity.
A study of 120,000 people over three decades whose results were published in JAMA Internal Medicine confirms this school of thought. Analyzing 75,230 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1984–2020) and 44,085 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2020), Harvard-led investigators found a significant association between four types of healthy eating patterns and a 20% risk reduction of early death. The findings were consistent in different racial and ethnic groups, including Hispanic, Black and white people, the study stated.
Dr. Hu and colleagues analyzed four eating patterns over 30 years recommended by standard dietary guidelines: the healthy eating index 2015 (HEI-2015), alternate Mediterranean diet (AMED) score, healthful plant-based diet index (HPDI), and alternate healthy eating index (AHEI).
Researchers concluded that people “who more carefully followed any of the healthy eating patterns—which all share a focus on consuming more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes—were also less likely to die from cancer, cardiovascular illness and respiratory and neurodegenerative disease.”
The Gut-Regulating Diet and Brain Health Connection
The gut also plays a major role in brain health, and there is evidence that supports the role of anti-inflammatory foods in improving gut-driven health in those with neurodegenerative disorders.
According to a 2024 study, beneficial foods that support gut and brain health include fruits and vegetables (especially berries and leafy greens), coffee, green tea, whole grains, legumes, ginger, fatty fish rich in omega-3, nuts (particularly walnuts), olive oil, and fermented foods, in particular fermented dairy containing live bacteria, as well as pickles, tempeh, and sauerkraut.
The study states that this type of diet supports the regulation of the gut microbiota and the gut–brain axis, the regulation of inflammatory pathways, a reduction in oxidative stress, and the promotion of neuroplasticity, leading to improved cognitive function. The study also reinforced the findings that ultra processed, sugary, and salty foods and drinks, as well as alcohol (yes, even red wine), have a negative impact, particularly due to their effect on the gut, and should be avoided in order to improve mental and brain health.
Omega-3s, ALAs, and Improved Mental and Physical Health
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), omega-3s “provide energy for the body and are used to form eicosanoids,” which affect the body’s cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune, and endocrine systems.
There are three primary types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
In humans, dietary deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids are significantly associated with an increased risk of developing various psychiatric disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, dementia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism. In particular, EPA and DHA have been connected to improved mental health.
A 2023 study published in Aging found that those taking omega-3s supplements—regardless of gender, age, or body mass index—saw slowed-down biological aging by up to four months. And the combination of omega-3, vitamin D, and strength training was even more effective at increasing longevity. The NIH also states diets high in omega-3s are linked to lower rates of cancer, a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and a reduction in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition to supplements, some sources of omega-3s include flaxseed oil, soybeans, canola oil, certain wild-caught fish, including salmon and tuna, and chia seeds.
Walnuts are also rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), melatonin, and contain more polyphenols than other nut types and have also been associated with increased health and longevity. Olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, has also been found to have positive effects on mental health and aging.
Coffee: An Anti-aging tool?!
Some might be surprised that coffee has been linked in multiple studies to an increased lifespan. A 2022 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine analyzed data about coffee consumption from more than 170,000 people from the United Kingdom who did not have cancer or cardiovascular disease and found that people who drank 1.5 to 3.5 cups of coffee each day, even with a teaspoon of added sugar per cup, were up to 30% less likely to die during the study period than those who didn't drink coffee.
But there can be too much of a good thing: a 2020 study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that moderate amounts of coffee is best for protecting against heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, but too much can cause problems like anxiety, nervousness, and insomnia. It is not recommended to consume more than 400 mg of caffeine a day.
Eating for Longevity: How to Get Started
Dr. Marily Oppezzo, RD, PhD, an educational psychologist at Stanford University, emphasized in a Stanford Medicine article that “following a plant-forward approach does not require you to become a vegan or a vegetarian.” She states that, to get started, instead of banning all carbs and eliminating all of your favorite foods, it’s better to set up a gradual plan and make one change to your diet per week: “challenge yourself to swap a sugary beverage for herbal tea, remodel your fridge to have the fruits and vegetables front and center, or add one new nutritious food to your grocery list.” It’s important to stay focused and follow a plan gradually so as not to become overwhelmed.
A good way to start is to find easy and delicious meals to make and focus on what you can enjoy rather than on what you can’t. Check out some recipes at Forks Over Knives or Delish and dive in!
Read More:
The Promise of Wearable Health and Fitness Tech
We Got the Beat: How Music Impacts Health and Fitness
Explore the Benefits of a Plant Heavy Diet on Heart Health
The Science-Backed Benefits of Indoor Cycling and Spin Classes
Yoga 101: Benefits, Types, and Frequently Asked Questions
Barre Explained: The Benefits of Low Impact Fitness
Additional Reference:
Firth J., Marx W., Dash S., Carney R., Teasdale S.B., Solmi M., Stubbs B., Schuch F.B., Carvalho A.F., Jacka F., et al. The Effects of Dietary Improvement on Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Psychosom. Med. 2019;81:265–280. doi: 10.1097/PSY.0000000000000673.