Featured Image Credit: CareUK
Topics: Food and Drink, Health, UK News, Life
Ella Scott
A centenarian has opened up about the food he believes has allowed him to live a long life - and there are some serious scientific studies behind it.
The Elixir of Life, mentioned throughout ancient history and also in pop culture offerings like the Harry Potter book series, is a supposed potion you drink to be granted perpetuity.
While the idea of immortality may appeal to you, it’s frankly impossible to achieve today, especially by simply downing a pint of mythical elixir.
What is true, though, is that there are tried-and-tested methods you can utilize to prolong your life expectancy, including eating a well-balanced diet, exercising and cutting out bad habits like smoking or taking drugs.
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Interestingly, one resident of Great Britain has gone as far as to credit a specific food for allowing him to celebrate his 100th birthday.
Albert Stiles, who lives in a care home in Bristol, England, hit the major milestone on October 1 and has since opened up about how ‘very unreal’ it feels to be 100 years old.
“It doesn’t seem possible really. I thought when I retired at 50 years old that I may live to 70 years and a bit, but this feels very unreal to have made it to 100,” the retired religious education teacher told CareUK.
Elsewhere in the interview, Stiles revealed his little ‘secret’ to becoming a centenarian.
“Living a wholesome life but eating beetroot might have helped,” he claimed.
Interestingly, there is actually quite a bit of science and numerous studies to back up Stiles’ comment.
Beetroot is a food that typically contains high concentrations of dietary nitrate.
Nitrates can significantly reduce systolic blood pressure, according to a study published by Cambridge University Press in 2017.
“A small, downward shift in systolic blood pressure across the population could significantly reduce the incidence of hypertension and mortality from CVD such as stroke,” wrote research leads Ann Ashworth and Raul Bescos.
Another study conducted by the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health found that dietary nitrates can help increase blood flow in elderly brains.
The conclusion was drawn after studying participants who consumed a high-nitrate diet - including beetroot juice - before undergoing a brain MRI scan.
Results showed that dietary nitrate may be important to increase blood flow in hypoxic or ischemic areas and that this superfood could help slow down cognitive decline.
Speaking out on how chowing down on beetroot every day could help improve your chances of remaining fit and healthy, Katie Lansley, a PhD student, told The Express: “What we've seen in studies is that beetroot juice can actually reduce the amount of oxygen you need to perform even low-intensity exercise.
“In principle, this effect could help people do things they wouldn't otherwise be able to do.
“While we haven't yet measured the effects on the elderly or those with heart or lung conditions, there is the potential for a positive impact in these populations which we intend to go on and investigate further.”
So, it turns out Stiles could be on to the so-called Elixir of Life after all!