Mel Walsh: The ‘no spring chicken’ diet

I should have figured it out by now — what things to eat. I should have noted what our mammal relatives eat in a state of nature: plants. And then, I should have noticed where God put Adam and Eve when they were starting out. It wasn’t the Corral of Eden or the Pig Farm of Eden, it was the Garden of Eden. That ancient story is a massive PR boost for those who think we should eat mostly plants, not pork butt.

And lately, knowing I am in the part of life where my expiration date may come up at any time, I’ve been reading a lot. That’s what I do when I get nervous. Other people drink, take drugs, run half-marathons or watch re-runs of MASH. I read. Maybe I think books will protect me from mortality. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, my library card will protect me.

And I’ve been reading about longevity, about groups of people the world over who live long, vital lives, about folks who are still bopping around in their 90’s, with little or no heart disease or high blood pressure. These folks live in Okinawa, Greece, Italy, rural China and in the mountains of Pakistan.

Note they do not live in the USA, which ranks a poor 45th, behind Bosnia, when it comes to longevity — which means we have a lot to learn, especially when we spend more than any other country on heath care. As a clue to a better way, here’s what these long-lived groups have in common when it comes to eating.

Kitchen secrets of the really old

These recommendations for what to eat are a semi-consensus about diet from doctors and nutritionists looking at the effect of food on health and longevity. But some nutrition experts say no oils or fats at all (Dean Ornish), while those in favor of the Mediterranean Diet think olive oil is good. Then still others say no animal food at all. As usual, make up your own mind while keeping to the main findings, the ones experts mostly agree on. Here’s their basic advice to Americans:

Enjoy many more veggies, fruits, salads and whole grains. Cut back on cows and other animals.

Here are the specifics of a longevity diet, gathered and condensed by nutritionist Sally Beare:

n Five to 10 servings of plant-based food a day, mostly vegetables and some fruit. (Just for laughs, how many plants did you eat today?)

n Three to five servings of whole grains — brown rice, whole wheat, oats, etc. (This part is easy — oats for brekkie, a sandwich for lunch and brown rice or whole wheat pasta for dinner.)

n Protein: three to five servings a day. Vegetarians can eat tofu, lentils or legumes. Also recommended: small servings of live yogurt, 3 or 4 organic eggs a week, lean meats in small to moderate amounts (one small serving 3 to 4 times weekly), fish (two or three times weekly.) Note no burgers or trips for a bucket of fried chicken.

n Essential fats: a handful of nuts or seeds, or 1 TBSP cold-pressed nut and seed oils, or fish oil supplements (daily), or oily fish (twice weekly).

n Drinks: Eight glasses of water daily, plus 1 to 5 cups green tea.

n Eat only until you are 8 parts full. Stop before stuffing.

Also, if you wonder what a serving is, imagine a half-cup of sliced strawberries. That’s just four big strawberries equaling a serving of fruit, so the plant-eating goal is not as hard as it sounds.

The other heavy hint from the various longevity studies is to move, move, move. These survivors work outside, garden, walk a lot, and go up and down the steep steps of their village. The village is the gym.

Here are more readings for the curious:

“The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health,” by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell.

“50 Secrets of the World’s Longest Living People,” Sally Beare.

Next column: how to actually get more plants into your system without undue suffering, self-righteousness or your burger buddy leaving home for the stockyards of Kansas in order to find someone who understands him.

Mel Walsh is a gerontologist and author. Her book of advice for older women, Hot Granny, is available at The Book Seller in Grass Valley and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Mel at www.melwalsh.com .