Less than 10% of people age "healthily" - this is what they eat

Before we dive in, here are a few ways I can support you:

Join the Community: The Balanced Body Reset
1:1 coaching: Message me on Instagram @nutrition.by.helena

...

Today we're unpacking a huge 30-year study exploring what people eat in midlife and whether it predicts "healthy ageing."

Healthy ageing in this study meant:

Living to at least 70
Free from 11 major chronic diseases
Maintaining cognitive, physical and mental function

Fewer than 10% of participants met that criteria.

So what were they eating?

We break down:

How the study was conducted (and its limitations)
The dietary patterns analysed (Mediterranean, DASH, plant-based indices and more)
Which pattern showed the strongest association with healthy ageing
The foods most consistently linked with better long-term outcomes
The impact of ultra-processed foods
Where saturated fats, red meat and sodium fit into the picture

We also talk about why unsaturated fats (including vegetable oils) were positively associated with healthy ageing, which really contrasts with some current social media narratives.

As always, I finish with practical takeaways you can actually apply: hitting your veggie targets, increasing plant diversity, adding nuts and legumes, and reducing reliance on processed meats.

If longevity matters to you, this is a conversation worth listening to.

And if you enjoy the episode, I'd really appreciate a rating or share to help me reach more women and support them to live longer, healthier lives too x

Original study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12092270/#Abs1

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