Eating a healthy, balanced diet – including at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day – could lower your risk of an early death, according to the NHS. You could also boost your lifespan by doing regular exercise. It’s the “miracle cure” we’ve all been waiting for, it said. Making some small diet or lifestyle changes could help to increase your life expectancy and avoid an early death. You could lower your risk of an early death, and even help to protect against high blood pressure, by regularly eating bananas, it’s been revealed.
Bananas improve digestion and may help regulate blood pressure
Juliette Kellow and Sarah Brewer
Bananas are a great source of potassium that could help to prevent deadly high blood pressure, according to dietitian Juliette Kellow and nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer.
Eating more potassium helps to balance out the negative effects of sodium on the body, they said.
Everyone should aim to eat between three and four bananas every week to protect against deadly hypertension.
“Whether you like your bananas slightly green or freckly, they all come with triple levels of mood-boosting powers,” they wrote in their book ‘Eat Better Live Longer – Understand What Your Body Needs To Stay Healthy’.
“They are good sources of carbohydrates [fuel for the brain and muscles], and of tryptophan and vitamin B6 [both of which are needed for production of feel-good chemicals].
“What’s more, bananas improve digestion and may help regulate blood pressure.
“Studies confirm that increasing your potassium intake [by eating bananas] while reducing your sodium intake can help maintain a healthy blood pressure.
“This is important because the World Health Organization estimates high blood pressure causes around 51 per cent of deaths from stroke.”
Eating bananas could also lower your risk of developing kidney cancer, added the nutritionists.
Eating any type of fruit seems to lower your chances of the disease, but bananas had the best effects, they said.
At least four bananas a week could slash your kidney cancer risk by as much as 50 per cent.
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You could also lower your blood pressure by eating more yogurt, berries, bananas and avocados, they said.
But, it’s crucial to limit the amount of salt in your diet, as salt raises blood pressure. Everyone should aim to eat less than 6g of salt in a single day – the equivalent to about a teaspoonful.
Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables every week is one of the best way to make sure you lead a long and healthy life.
Regular exercise is a crucial aspect to improving overall health, and helping you to live longer.
All UK adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week.
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