If you are looking for some easy dietary swaps to help improve your health and wellbeing, you have come to the right place! Utilizing some of the helpful information we have been able to learn from the world’s blue zones, areas with longer average human lifespans than other places, we have put together a list of changes that you can make in your diet to promote wellbeing and help you live longer. Let’s go ahead and get started with some of the top easy dietary swaps to live longer:
1. Replace Refined Grains with Whole Grains
One of the top easy dietary changes that you can make to follow blue zone recommendations is to replace refined rains with whole grains. Through the refining process, grains lose certain healthy components, including some of their fiber content and other various nutrients. When you consume whole grains, you are getting the full range of nutrients that the grains have to offer, which can be an easy way to improve your health and potentially extend your lifespan.
2. Replace Some Meat Products with Beans
Another of the dietary swaps that you can make to benefit your health is to replace some meat products with beans. Some types of meat, especially red meat, contain high levels of saturated fat, which can put you at an increased risk of heart disease and other health issues. On the other hand, beans tend to be much lower in fat and calories, while providing a great source of protein and fiber.
3. Replace Side Dishes with Vegetables
Yet another of the changes that you can make in your diet to help promote a long lifespan is to substitute certain side dishes with vegetables. Certain sides, such as fried foods and salty items, can make an otherwise healthy meal considerably less good for you, which is why replacing these items with something like a salad or another collection of vegetables can be so beneficial. Not only are you sparing your body the unhealthy content of fried dishes, you are also giving it a collection of valuable nutrients that can promote overall wellbeing.
4. Replace Sugary Drinks with Water
Last, but certainly not least on our list of dietary swaps to live longer is replacing sugary drinks such as sweetened juice and soda with water. Water is vitally important to almost all of the body’s processes, which is why supplying water directly to your body can be so helpful. And, when you eliminate the sugar intake that you would have when consuming soda, it can help you to lose weight and reduce your risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. You can try keeping a refillable water bottle nearby to make it easy to drink lots of water throughout your day!
When you utilize some of these helpful dietary swaps to live longer, you will be following the steps that have helped to allow people in blue zones to have the longest average lifespans of anyone in the world. By making some of the simple changes in your diet, you can give your body the tools it needs to promote optimal health and wellbeing, and lead a long, healthy life! If you want to find out more about the dietary advice we can offer here at AIM for Wellbeing, you can learn about our nutritional counseling services right here.