What is the best diet for longevity?

[Rampaging Baloths]

Out of the mountains?

Chili’s, colorful salads, soups, etc.

On a mountain?

Pop tarts, chocolate chip cookies, and pizza.

[greenonion]

I noticed there isn't a health section. What is the best diet for longevity in your opinion? What diets are you guys eating for mountain performance?

Stamina, right? Or old age? Or…


I used to do pop tarts long time ago. Convulsing at that thought now. You gotta get whatever it is down after 6+ hours

Gu if your stomach gets wonky over the duration/exertion. But Gu ain’t for everyone. Gu has saved me many times. Others will have their suggestions, which may include lobster and blue jeans. Gotta kinda figure it out yourself over miles. Good luck!

[cougar]

Beans and bananas. I know two guys over 100 who eat them daily.

Or this:
https://www.mapotic.com/worlds-scariest ... nkey-brain

[ekalina]

For longevity:
foods high in omega-3 (unsaturated fats): avocado, olive oil, fish, eggs, seeds, nuts, etc.
the idea that dietary cholesterol correlates with blood cholesterol has generally been disproven
get your fiber: grains, beans, legumes, leafy greens, fresh fruit, etc
real (i.e., minimally processed) food whenever possible. cook at home whenever possible.

try to be moderate when it comes to saturated fat intake, which does correlate with blood cholesterol to some extent.

the less added sugar you eat, the better. average US consumption is 17 teaspoons per person per day, and we wonder why we have such terrible obesity and health problems. consider switching out one dessert food per week for some fresh fruit, and see where that leads you.

I believe that adhering to the above advice 80% of the time will work better than being perfect some weeks and eating like trash other weeks. Moderation is important, most of us don't have iron-clad self-discipline. but if you want better results than the average american, which is a pretty low bar, you need to eat better than the average american, on average.

[randalmartin]

the less added sugar you eat, the better.

This. I have heart disease in my family. The medical establishment is all focused on fat and cholesterol. It finally took me going to a Functional Doctor to get to the root issue for me, Sugar and simple carbs. I eliminated them almost entirely and my numbers dramatically improved. Sugar causes so much inflammation in your body so it's not just about heart health.

[ekalina]

This. I have heart disease in my family. The medical establishment is all focused on fat and cholesterol. It finally took me going to a Functional Doctor to get to the root issue for me, Sugar and simple carbs. I eliminated them almost entirely and my numbers dramatically improved. Sugar causes so much inflammation in your body so it's not just about heart health.

Same here, family history of heart disease. I had my first lipid panel done in 2017 and was surprised to learn that despite being young and not overweight my numbers weren't very impressive. Not clinically bad, but not top notch either, and I figured they would only deteriorate with age if I didn't change something. I started gradually cutting back on sugar, and my cholesterol and blood pressure steadily improved. I did lose a few pounds as well, which I'm sure didn't hurt even though I wasn't overweight.

[Dave B]

Protein. Especially as you get older. Caloric requirements decline per lb of body mass with age but protein requirements do not. Maintaining muscle mass is key to vigor in older age, but becomes increasingly difficult. 0.7-0.8g protein per lb of body weight. If you lift weights, which you should, 1g+/lb is optimal but can be difficult. I weigh 220 +/- 10, and it becomes a chore to keep up with that protein intake - mostly because whey and casein powders give me mega-migraines.

Fiber. >40g per day from a variety of plant sources - aim to eat 30 different plants each week.

Try to also incorporate resistant starches for gut health. Cold/reheated rice and potatoes, green peas, green bananas, raw potato starch in smoothies.

[sfreytag]

To answer the longevity question read Outlive by Peter Attia. This is a very complicated question that has so many genetic variables. And often the optimal diet depends on the genetics of that specific person. Pretty interesting book but still lots of unknowns in longevity.

https://www.amazon.com/Outlive-Longevit ... hvexpln=73

[desertdog]

Wine, cheese, and beef jerky. Order is dependent on what I’m into.

[yaktoleft13]

Jbrow is back!

[tdawg012]

Like Sfreytag mentioned, fueling your body while you're pushing it is unique to your genetics, metabolism, etc. Side note- Don't some Andean peoples chew on coca leaves to help the body handle altitude and improve endurance while mountaineering/trekking? Anyone here tried that?

Speaking to longevity for endurance days...
Altitude, mileage and exertion all affect my appetite on a trip. Some days I'm ravenous and others I can barely get anything down. Regardless, electrolytes and hydration are stalwart.
For a fast+light day, I carry a packet of honey stingers/fruit snacks, mustard packets, ginger chews (for nausea), a bag of pretzels, Rx bars, and a salt shaker (I mix in Tajin and sea salt).
For a slow heavy day I consume more... more protein in the evening though (almonds, tuna packets, etc). Sometimes I carry a small Nutella jar... 200 calories in 1 tablespoon
Post trip my hunger increases a few orders of magnitude and I raid a few City Market stores on way home. Once, I ate a whole Rotisserie chicken and a pint of ice cream (in one sitting) after a Weminuche trip. Recently I ate too many pop tarts after a multi day trip ....be warned!

[Iguru]

Don't eat till full.
Eat slowly, and when hunger has been satisfied, stop eating.

Animal research has shown that critters being underfed live longer than critters allowed to eat all they want.
Food for thought