Eating for longevity

When asked what the secret to longevity was, Sophie Tucker, the "last of the red hot mommas," replied: "Keep breathing."

Good advice. But there is much more we can do to keep ourselves young biologically as we grow older chronologically.

Like: Keep eating.

The U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health would agree. It found that 60 percent of women's cancers, 40 percent of male cancers and an impressive 75 percent of cardiovascular diseases are related to diet and nutrition.

That's enough to get my attention, lift my head out of a bucket of Ben and Jerry's and put in a call to John La Puma, co-author of "The Real Age Diet: Make Yourself Younger With What You Eat."

His contention is that we can definitely make food a part of a plan to increase our healthspan.

The FDA is increasingly adopting this point of view. Notoriously conservative in giving their stamp of approval, they are starting to recognize certain foods as having claimable health benefits.

Nuts -- for example, walnuts, almonds and pecans -- are approved in moderation for their healthy fats. Omega 3 Fatty Acids -- like that found in salmon, lake trout and tuna -- have also made the cut for their heart healthy and alzheimer-prevention qualities.

And most recently, olive oil has been given the FDA stamp of approval. The official recommendation is two tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil daily. The good monounsaturated fat in this oil has been proven to reduce the risk of coronary disease.

I asked Dr. La Puma what else should go on our "longevity shopping list?"

"Fish," was his immediate reply. "Not only for its Omega 3 content but also for its other health benefits. It's an excellent source of lean protein."

Soy is another recommendation from Dr. La Puma. It is a perfect heart-healthy food because it has zero cholesterol, is very low in saturated fat and provides a source of high-quality protein. The American Heart Association suggests we eat three or more servings of soy protein a day in order to lower cholesterol.

And according to Dr. La Puma, this is something that we need to get from whole foods, not supplements. Lentils are another pick of the day for the doctor.

They are a primary source, along with dark, leafy greens, for folic acid (vitamin B9). This helps our genes make proteins that prevent gene breakage. Definitely good for longevity as it can fight infections as well as fight off the threat of cancer, specifically colon cancer.

Dr. La Puma also recommends highly the lowly tomato. Tomatoes are a principal source of lycopene, which retards the rate of growth of prostate cancers and seems to reduce exercise-induced asthma in men and women.

Lycopene is four times more readily absorbed when tomatoes are accompanied by a healthy fat like the newly FDA-approved olive oil. "That is why a hearty marinara sauce and cooked tomato-based salsa are both tasty and good for you," Dr. La Puma says.

Does anyone but me remember Catherine Deneuve languorously proclaiming "I love blueberry" on a Channel television ad?

It turns out that Ms. Deneuve isn't just a pretty face. Blueberries emerged as the top antioxidant capacity fruit among 40 fruits and vegetables tested at the USDA -- all good for the war on aging.

So our shopping list is blueberries, tomatoes, lentils, olive oil, walnuts, salmon, perhaps some soy sauce.

Personally, I'm waiting for peanut butter to make it onto the FDA-approved list.

Check out Dr. La Puma's informative Web site for more information and some free RealAge Diet recipes: www.drjohnlapuma.com.

Dr. Michael O.L. Seabaugh, a Cape Girardeau native, is a clinical psychologist who lives and works in Santa Barbara, Calif. Contact him at mseabaugh@semissourian.com.