Get ready for an inspiring journey into the secrets of long-lasting health! Imagine an 83-year-old doctor who isn't just your average senior citizen. No, this remarkable individual is also a triathlete! But rewind a few decades, and you'd find a very different story.

Meet Joseph Maroon, a neurosurgeon from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. At 40, he was struggling just to climb a flight of stairs. Can you believe it? This doctor, who would later become a triathlete, was out of shape, munching on fast food, and neglecting exercise.

But hold on, this isn't a tale of decline. It's a story of transformation! Fast forward to today, and Dr. Maroon is fit and healthy and shares his secrets to a long and healthy life. At the recent Global Aging Consortium, he spoke about the eating guidelines that he credits for his vitality.

After his father passed away, his physical and emotional well-being completely collapsed. But he began making little lifestyle adjustments, increasing his activity, and improving his diet when a buddy advised him to try jogging to treat his depression. 

Maroon enrolled in his first Ironman Triathlon at the age of 53, and he has since finished eight of them. Maroon finished second in his age group in the 2022 National Senior Games triathlon last year. Maroon has discussed his fitness regimen and outlined his dietary tenets below.

1. Consume food in the Mediterranean way ~ 

Healthy fats and plant-based diets are the main focuses of the Mediterranean diet. You consume a lot of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The primary fat source is olive oil. The Mediterranean diet has been shown in studies to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as a host of other chronic illnesses. You can modify the diet to fit your specific needs with the assistance of a dietician.
 

• US News & World Report has identified the Mediterranean diet as the healthiest eating pattern.
• The diet is adaptable, abundant in whole foods and plants, and associated with advantages for longer life. 
• Proficient diets emphasize whole foods, are simple to adhere to, and don't place too much emphasis on calories. 

Maroon claimed to adhere to the Mediterranean diet, which has been named the greatest eating plan by US News & World Report for seven years running. It's a method of eating that emphasizes making healthy choices over restriction rather than being a "diet" in the traditional sense. It emphasizes entire foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, and healthy fats like olive oil, and is mostly plant-based. It occasionally consists of red meat and fatty seafood. Numerous health advantages, such as a decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease, have been associated with the diet.

2. Avert highly processed foods ~ 

The NOVA scale classifies foods according to their level of processing. Ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are manufactured using methods that are hard to replicate at home and may include additives. If anything, like protein bars or hot dogs, doesn't look like its contents, it's easy to determine if it's ultra-processed. Foods that are highly processed, such frozen dinners and many packaged items, typically have more added sugars, fat, calories, and salt than they do nutritious nutrients. You've undoubtedly heard that the greatest way to live your healthiest life is to limit your consumption of "highly processed foods." Although this is the case, a lot of individuals are unsure about what constitutes a “highly processed” meal or beverage and why consuming these substances in excess might be harmful.

What is NOVA Scale Classification Of Food ~ Understanding In Brief 

Employing the food classification system NOVA, created by scientists at the University of São Paulo in Brazil (1, 2Trusted Source, 3).

NOVA Group 1: Foods with little to no processing or preparation. This group includes fruits, grains, beans, nuts, and vegetables. To lengthen their shelf life or ensure their safety for consumption, many foods may have undergone roasting, boiling, or pasteurization processes.
NOVA Group 2: Prepared foods derived either directly from group 1 foods or from the natural world. Foods like salt, maple syrup, and olive oil can be examples of this. Dishes from group 2 are mostly employed in the cooking and preparation of dishes from group 1.
NOVA Group 3: Processed food products, such as those created by mixing group 2 food items with group 1 food components like sugar, salt, or other additives. Cheese, fresh bread, and fruit in syrup are a few examples.
NOVA Group 4: Highly processed dietary items. These don't include many, if any, of the items or meals from category 1. These products are usually heavy in sweets, processed grains, fats, preservatives, and salt and are designed to be affordable, highly appealing, and convenient.

Ultra-Proccessed Foods (UPFs) have been connected to a higher risk of developing dementia, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

3. Consume less sugar ~

The healthiest diet, according to Maroon, is "avoiding a whole lot of things that people like to eat," such as sugar. Professor Heidi Tissenbaum of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School specializes in molecular, cell, and cancer biology. Her study showed longer lifespans in roundworms—which are used as a model for human health—when additional sugar was eliminated from their diet. This is thought to be the case because the body creates byproducts during the metabolism of sugar that are linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and Alzheimer's disease. According to her, maintaining steady blood-sugar levels is also crucial to avoid wearing down the pancreatic mechanism that controls surges. This may make type 2 diabetes more likely to occur. Eating more whole foods high in fiber can help control blood-sugar levels, thus avoiding UPFs, which are often heavy in added sugar, will assist with this.

Takeaway ~ 

Taking Charge of Your Own Life : Making choices that bring forth good things is empowering! Thus, we may feel a great feeling of accomplishment when we choose to make changes that will improve our health and then follow through on them. As a result of feeling more in control of our own lives rather than being at the whim of the outside world, our self-esteem rises. 

“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Lord Buddha