Anti-Aging Antioxidants: The 5-7-9 Rule

Aging Gracefully with the Bounties of Nature

Does this colorful platter of succulent fruit look appetizing to you?       To me, it’s rather mouthwatering, but it’s  also going to provide me with a day’s worth of protective phytonutrients and anti-aging antioxidants (DAS) so it’s a win-win situation.

We shall all inevitably age, but why not do it with grace?  No one wants to look or feel “old”, and more importantly no one relishes the diminishments that come with an aging body.  How we feel and represent in the aging process has a lot to do with how our bodily systems deal with stress and toxicity.  These agents of accelerated aging cause chemical chain reactions, leading to inflammation and oxidative stress.

Both my husband and I had fathers that lived into their late 90’s and paternal grandmothers that lived to over 100. While we do our part by being active and eating a relatively healthy lifestyle, we know that we represent well for being baby boomers.  “Good genetics” people tell us, often surprised by our age.  We’re grateful for the youthful genes, but it’s not something you can take for granted. What you put into aging gracefully, is essentially what you will get back.

 What is Oxidative Stress?

Our bodies are bombarded daily by toxins in the environment, additives in our foods, the build-up of pharmaceuticals in the liver and other vital organs, ultraviolet radiation, as well as pollutants in the air.  As a result of this constant onslaught, unstable molecules called free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated in the body, both endogenously (internal process) and exogenously (through external sources that we consume by ingestion, respiration and absorption through the skin.)

The body creates antioxidants in order to neutralize free radicals and minimize damage.  Antioxidants can be enzymes (Examples: glutathione, catalase) or molecules (Examples: Vitamins C, E and flavonoids.) However, when the system is on overload, this internal defense system becomes disrupted, and oxidative stress occurs, leading to damage that can affect our DNA and ultimately pave the way to accelerated aging and vulnerability to various diseases and degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease.

Antioxidants to the Rescue!

Fruits and vegetables are by far the best exogenous source for antioxidants (along with nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.)  Because fruits and vegetables are rich in many vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients (aka phytochemicals) they are key to providing the body with potent antioxidant properties.  Phytochemicals aka phytonutrients are bioactive compounds that make up part of the plant’s immune system, protecting it from bacteria, viruses and fungi.  Studies have shown that a diet rich in phytonutrients may help protect against damage from environmental toxins and metabolic processes.

These powerful free radical fighters consist of:

Vitamins – particularly C (citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, peppers and strawberries)  E (mangoes, spinach, broccoli, nuts and seeds)

Caratenoids – Beta-carotene (carrots, squash, sweet potatoes)  Lycopene (tomatoes, watermelon, red peppers) Lutein (spinach and other leafy greens, yellow squash)

Polyphenols:  Flavonoids (all berries, apples, onions, green and black tea) Resveratrol (grapes, red wine, blueberries and mulberries)

Minerals:  Selenium (Brazil nuts, peas, lentils)

Amino Acids (Organic):  Glutathione is a natural detoxifier found in spinach, avocado and asparagus.

This is why we are advised to “Eat from the Rainbow”; Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables ensures that you get a wide range of antioxidants, each with unique benefits. The synergistic effect of these compounds can provide more comprehensive protection against oxidative stress than any single antioxidant alone.

The 5-7-9 Rule is Easier Than You Think to Follow

(I’ll show you how!)

For the past decade or so we’ve been advised to have at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.  The word “serving” is kind of vague, giving the image of having a plate filled with (mainly) vegetables.  After all, what exactly is the portion-size for those 5-7 fruits and vegetables?    Even I, practically a lifelong vegetarian, found myself hard-pressed to get that many servings in a day.  There’s only so many days in a row that I can eat a salad without starting to develop a temporary aversion to leafy greens.

Blue Zones are regions where people live significantly longer, healthier lives.  Research on their lifestyles and eating habits, such as the much-lauded Mediterranean Diet (for a Healthy Aging and Longevity Coach certification we plan to launch in 2025) the common denominator seems to be that these longevity-blessed people consume a lot of foods rich in antioxidants. 

At the beginning of 2023 I made a commitment that I would consume a variety of between 5-9 fruits and vegetables every day.  I realized that a “serving” could be as simple as grabbing a handful of berries, raisins or radishes or a few frozen strawberries.  What became clear to me that is the quantity of the variety meant more than the quantity of the serving. Even a handful of raw, preserved, baked, dried or freeze-dried fruits and veggies rewards my body with its bounty of phytonutrients.

 It’s easier than you think, and I will give you loads of ideas of how you can rack up those Daily Antioxidant Servings (DAS.).  But if you make the commitment, not only will you notice your skin tone, energy, mobility and attitude improve – you will also feel really good about yourself for following through!

Do you really believe you can get all of this in 2 capsules?

But before we jump in, indulge me for a moment.  A company has been buying up loads of airtime advertising a product that is purported to give you the boost of a variety of fruit and vegetable nutrients simply by swallowing a couple of capsules.  As I’ve watched their commercials and been skeptical about their claims (important to note that they are under investigation by the FDA for ignoring “years of federal warnings about overstepping limits in what they could claim about diseases their supplements could cure or prevent.” (AI Overview)

Describing their freeze-drying process in their commercials, I have never heard mention of how they are grown (for instance, if they are not organic, what about potential pesticides?)  Does that mean you could be getting a chemical or pesticide load with all that “nutri-dust.”  Buyer beware.

According to Stefani Sassos, registered dietitian from Good Housekeeping 1-31-24) These supplements can be a quick and easy way to incorporate produce into your routine, but you’ll inevitably be missing out on the synergistic nutrition benefits that come with eating whole fruits and vegetables

Nothing is going to replace you having the “real thing.”  And we’re going to get creative with it.

 The Rules

• Get a variety of 5-9 different fruits and vegetables into your daily food intake.
• Serving size can be as small as a handful or even a single chopped scallion
• Baseline should be 5 but endeavor to make 7 your sweet spot.
• When possible, consume a variety of colors and textures (i.e. not all fruit and not all prepared the same way – unless it’s part of a soup, stew, smoothie, salad or stew)
• Keep a mental count or track them on your phone, notepad or a marker board
• Shoot for 9 at least once or twice a week.

Within a few weeks this becomes brainless and painless (you just need to keep count!)  And you will also likely notice increased brightness in your skin, more energy and an overall sense of well-being and accomplishment.

  Strategies

Although I’ll be coming out with a book with loads more ideas and recipes, below you will find some top-notch strategies that will make this easier than you can imagine!

Pack them In!

Smoothies, Salads, Soups or Stews are great ways to tick off all of your DAS and then everything over that is a bonus!    For over 14 years now my husband gets 4-6 of his DAS by having a morning green smoothie.  Greens, a frozen half banana, berries, pineapple and mango is his usual go-to and bingo – he has fulfilled his minimum daily count by 10 am.

Here’s a video on how to make the idea green smoothie: (Tip: Add coconut water instead of filtered water and you have another phytonutrient!

For soups and stews, you can load those with a full day’s worth of DAS.   When I make any kind of simmered meal, I almost always start with a base of chopped onions or shallots, mushrooms and garlic  often adding chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley. Than at the end, I fold in some shredded baby spinach or other leafy greens, which keeps them nutri-ful.

I’ll give you some ideas of how to make “main meal salads” much more appetizing further down.

Chop them in!

A pair of kitchen scissors or shears can be your best culinary friend!

Have some herbs or greens like watercress, parsley or cilantro hand that you can snip right into that sauce or dressing, or even on a prepared dish.  They are loaded with nutrients, and you get to tick off some DAS!

Did you know that one single green onion (scallion) has your entire Vitamin K daily requirement?  Also about 5% of C and A.

Check out this video to see how you can easily regrow your scallions!

I snip a fresh scallion or two into just about everything savory, hot or cold.  In a dish of pasta, they carmelize nicely when you fold them in. Scrambled eggs with sauteed green onions are my go-to when we have overnight guests and always get rave reviews (sprinkle in some feta or Violife has a nice vegan feta if you avoid dairy, like me)

Grab a handful of…

I tend to be more of a grazer than an eater, so I nosh most of the day, meal replace with a cold pressed juice (I give myself 2 DAS) or a Remedy matcha protein latte (for the spirulina 1 DAS credit) — and then have one main meal, on the early side.  (Intermittent Fasting is also something to explore for anti-aging.)

Here are some of the things I like to nosh on and what I consider a handful:

Olives 4-6
Radishes 3-5
Carrot sticks 4-6
Raisins or other dried (un-sugared and un-sulphured, if possible) fruits (actual handful_
Sprouts or Microgreens  — great way to get greens and phytonutrients. Sunflower sprouts are very satisfying!  See video
Frozen grapes, strawberries, jackfruit or blueberries (very refreshing, especially on warm days)
Sprouted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (protein plus antioxidants,  but I don’t count these as DAS)

Just grab and enjoy your handful or two and credit one or two of your DAS  (Daily Antioxidant Servings)

Breakfast Bowl

 A great way to get 3-5 fruits early in your day is to have an acai bowl, chia pudding, cereal, or oatmeal (even overnight oats) and top with fruits.

Lately I am enjoying a Keto cinnamon cereal we get at Costco, although I’m not much of a morning eater   I put in some vanilla almond or oatmilk, and spoon in a variety of dried, frozen, fresh and freeze-dried fruits and berries.  What a quick way to tick off several of your DAS!

Roast Them!  Stuff Them!

Even when we eat salads, I add roasted vegetables because I love having different temperatures and textures. Roasted vegetables make everything taste better!  Here is recipe I prepare for just about every pot luck or holiday meal – a Roasted Vegetable Garlic Pasta.  (I did this on a TV show but looks like they pulled down all of their videos.)

Stuffed peppers, cabbage, squash and zucchini are ideal vegetables for stuffing and a great way to add more antioxidants to a main meal.

Dried and freeze-dried fruits and veggies

There is much more of a variety of dried and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, even some of the most exotic or tropical ones are getting easy to find at health food stores, Sprouts, Whole foods, Trader Joe’s and even many supermarkets have healthy sections.  These are truly my “saving grace” in making sure I get in my 5-7-9 and some of them are so delicious that they take the place of snacks or desserts.

You can find dried fruits at most mainstream stores but make sure to check for added sugar or sulphates, which generally bring down the nutritious value as neither of these are particularly good for us.

Trader Joe’s has freeze-dried okra that’s as light as air; They also have seasonal freeze-dried figs, which are probably one of my favorite things ever.  All year round you can get freeze-dried strawberries, mangos, apples and blueberries.  When I travel I bring along a bag or two to make sure that I get nutrition even with long layovers.  Costco has a large variety of dried fruits, some are organic and several are sugar-free.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these suggestions.  They form part of a Study Guide for the Healthy Aging and Longevity Coaching Certification launching January 2025.  If you’d like to be on the mailing list for when this course launches send an email to support@naturalwellnessacademy.org