Can supplements help you live longer?

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Cher once famously stated, “If it came in a bottle, everyone would look like this,” emphasizing the importance of putting in the effort for physical fitness.

The message was clear: real change requires real work. This principle applies to physical fitness, health, and longevity.

Many companies have marketed supplements as a path to better health, often highlighting all-natural ingredients sourced from real foods and herbs.

However, the fundamental truth remains: optimal health and longevity require consuming nutritious and delicious foods.

Recent research published in Nature Food, based on data and analysis from the United Kingdom, reinforces this message.

The study aimed to quantify how changes in food intake could increase life expectancy across various age groups, focusing on what they call “longevity-associated dietary patterns.”

The researchers created a tool to estimate the impact of changes in food choices on life expectancy.

Their findings showed that individuals aged 40 with an average adherence to a longevity-associated eating pattern could extend their life expectancy by three years through dietary improvements.

Those with the unhealthiest eating habits could potentially gain ten years by transitioning to the longevity-associated eating pattern.

For 70-year-old men and women, switching from an unhealthy diet to a longevity-promoting one could add approximately three to four years to their life expectancy. The key takeaway here is that it’s never too late to make positive changes.

Unsurprisingly, reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats, while increasing intake of whole grains and nuts, yielded the most significant improvements in life expectancy.

In summary, while supplements may promise health benefits, the core of achieving health and longevity lies in the foods we eat.

Cher’s message about physical fitness resonates with this principle: real results come from making healthy dietary choices and putting in the effort for long-term well-being.

If you care about wellness, please read studies about how ultra-processed foods and red meat influence your longevity, and why seafood may boost healthy aging.

For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.

The research findings can be found in Nature Food.

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