The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. - Lucille Ball
Actually Lucille is right about the eating slowly but I can't vouch for the lying of one's age. People are now resorting to all kinds of surgeries and beauty products just to appear younger.
The following statistics come from a 2005 American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery News Release:
The most sought after surgical procedure was the liposuction. About 455,489 women did a liposuction in 2005 and I'm sure the number is much higher now. About 3,294,782 in the USA alone did a botox to make them much more beautiful.
Increasing one's life span can actually be achieved without any procedures. Here are 5 "secret foods" to increase your life expectancy:
The following foods have anti-aging properties and can prevent your cells from aging prematurely.
1. Spinach
Spinach is loaded with nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C. Popeye took the spinach to boost his strength but he was actually protecting himself against diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis. Among its many health benefits, Spinach improves your eyesight and your mental capabilities. Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron, a mineral that is particularly important for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency. Boosting iron stores with spinach is a good idea, especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well-known source of iron, spinach provides iron for a lot less calories and is totally fat-free.
2. Tofu
Termed as the "elixir of longevity" of the japanese, Tofu is a highly nutritious, protein-rich food that is made from the curds of soybean milk. It contains a lot of tryptophan, manganese, iron, protein and selenium. Tofu, made of soy, is a powerhouse of protein. 4 ounces of tofu provides 9.2 grams of protein, that's 18.3% of the daily value for protein, and it comes virtually free of saturated fat (less than 1 gram), and at a cost of only 86 calories. Most types of tofu are enriched with calcium and thus, prevents osteporosis. Selenium is needed for the proper function of the antioxidant system, which works to reduce the levels of damaging cells in the body.
3. Blueberry
Everybody by now knows that blueberry is a powerfood. But do you know why? Actually blueberry is not a powerfood but an antioxidant powerhouse. As described above, antioxidants help prevent the destruction of cells in our body that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer. In addition to that, Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily. In laboratory animal studies, researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Researchers found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to much younger ones.
4. Avocado
The avocado is colloquially known as the Alligator Pear, reflecting its shape and the leather-like appearance of its skin. Avocado contains a monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid. Monounsaturated fat actually lowers cholesterol level in our body. One cup of avocado has 23% of the Daily Value for folate, a nutrient important for heart health. Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Association has authorized a health claim that states: "Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke."
5. Garlic
Garlic is a popular food known for its culinary properties but relatively unknown for its health benefits. Garlic acts as an anti-coagulant in the blood, which reduces the risk of strokes, and also increases survival time in cancer patients by helping to destroy cancerous cells. In order to maximize the health benefits of garlic, it is suggested to wait 15 minutes between peeling and cooking garlic to allow the enzymatic reaction to occur to retain some health benefits of garlic.