Julia Hawkins‘ Top 5 Anti-Aging Foods for Outrunning Father Time
At 107 years and 341 days old, Julia Hawkins has cemented her status as a bonafide athletic phenomenon. Setting new records in competitive sprinting nearly every time her racing flats hit the track, Julia has accumulated more than 25 age-bracket world records as a master track star, boasting times rivaling champions a fraction of her age.
Just last April at the 2022 Penn Relays, she blazed through the 100-meter dash in 1:02.95 seconds, once again claiming the title of oldest woman to compete on an American track at age 106. The National Senior Games Association fittingly dubbed Julia “Hurricane Hawkins” for her gusty performances shattering preconceptions about physical limits after 100.
Yet Julia doesn’t reserve her competitive fire for the track alone. She also embraces senior Olympic style events from bowling to cycling,Pickleball to gaming, earning over 930 total medals in her decorated career according to family members. That includes a recent nod as the world’s oldest video game athlete at age 106. Indeed, Julia’s passion for play generates plenty of hardware – but more importantly, perhaps, youthful energy she attributes to smart nutritional choices.
As an ambulatory supercentenarian, Julia’s athletic output and cognitive sharpness continue defying stereotypes about advanced age. So what’s the secret recipe helping this record setter achieve wellness for the long run? Julia reveals her top 5 anti-aging foods providing fuel for enduring vibrancy no matter how many candles crowd the cake.
- Bananas – Potassium Power to Lower Blood Pressure
Julia knows nutrition provides a basic building block for fitness goals at any age. “Bananas have kept my blood pressure under control my whole life,” notes the active centenarian. She’s onto something: the humble banana boasts a bounty of blood pressure-regulating mineral potassium, supplying about 12% of an adult’s RDA in a single medium fruit.
As our bodies progress through life’s decades, adequate potassium intake grows even more crucial. Data shows over 65% of septuagenarians and octogenarians face hypertension, driving risk for strokes, heart failure and kidney disease. Yet research confirms getting enough potassium can significantly reduce elevated blood pressure regardless of age.
One literature analysis found adults who consumed just one extra gram of potassium daily were able to lower systolic readings by a staggering 2.42 mmHg. Considering poor diets provide under 50% suggested intakes, bananas offer a simple first step to ramp up levels. Julia wisely leverages their ability to counteract an age-related condition affecting over a billion adults globally.
- Yogurt – A Gut Health Habit for Immune Support
Regularly fueling up with probiotic-packed yogurt also highlights Julia’s nutrition know-how for healthy aging. “I eat yogurt every morning with my fruit because it is probiotic,” offers the centenarian. Indeed, balancing intestinal microflora with daily yogurt pays anti-aging dividends over time by optimizing our immune system’s function.
Research reveals our gastrointestinal microbiome landscape shifts substantially by age 65, allowing undesirable bacteria to gain ground. Some experts believe this imbalance could be a key driver of “inflammaging", a chronic low grade inflammation underlying cardometabolic diseases, cancers and Mortality from COVID-19.
In one analysis of over 116,000 adults, added yogurt in the diet significantly associated with reduced inflammation biomarker risk in septuagenarians and older. Plus, a pooled review of over 3000 seniors found probiotic supplements decreased upper respiratory and gastrointestinal Issues by 17% and 38% respectively.
Julia likely innately understood consuming natural yogurt’s live active cultures could help stave off acute and chronic illness before ‘probiotics’ became a buzzword. By proactively changing the narrative around aging decline through healthy gut flora, she demonstrates that small daily choices compound over years for amplified wellness.
- Leafy Greens – Nutritional Rockstars Protecting Vision, Cognition & More
In addition to fruit and yogurt, greens like spinach, kale and broccoli frequent Julia’s rotating plates. “They have the antioxidants we need,” she explains. Indeed, these veggies provide some of the most nutrient-dense fuel available per calorie. Ounce for ounce, few foods can match the expansive vitamins, minerals, fiber and bioactives supplying multi-system anti-aging effects.
For example, just one cup of cooked broccoli florets delivers over 100% RDA for immune-enhancing Vitamin C along with a hefty dose of Vitamin K. The latter proves crucial for bone mineralization, with research linking low dietary K to up to 4X higher hip fracture incidence. Consuming greens provides a buffer as our absorption efficiency declines.
Leafy greens also supply generous antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin that accumulate in eye tissue. These compounds help filter damaging blue light and UV rays to minimize oxidative stress underlying cataracts and macular degeneration, which spike 74% and 54% respectively after age 75.
What’s more, folate rich greens may fend off cognitive decline. A cohort analysis correlated top folate intake quintiles with over 50% decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease compared to bottom brackets. Clearly, Julia’s salad strategy packs compounds that translate to whole body wellness.
- Beans, Lentils & Nuts – Plant Proteins Protecting Lean Muscle
To balance her micronutrient-dense selections, Julia also incorporates plenty of plant-based protein from nuts, beans and lentils. “I stay slim eating plant proteins,” notes the trim centenarian. A shining example of active longevity, Julia has largely maintained her physique over time thanks in part to meatless choices.
Research shows half of women over age 70 fall below minimum muscle mass thresholds, portending disability and mobility loss. Boosting protein to 40-60 grams daily can help counteract age-related sarcopenia, enhancing retention power that furthers independence.
Compared to excess meat, plant protein associates with 16% lower Mortality in over 100,000 participants studied, almost matching the benefit of high fruit/ veggie consumption. And swapping just ten grams of processed meat for legumes daily tied to an impressive 9% reduced CVD risk.
Julia has clocked hundreds of medals leaning on legumes rather than lamb or sausage. For fat-burning modalities, she sticks to handpicked handfuls of almonds or walnuts, reaching for whole food over donuts. “Nuts keep my skin and mind youthful,” says Julia of their nutrients supplying healthy fats. Specifically, Vitamin E protects collagen and elastin fibers underlying springy, wrinkle-resistant skin over a lifetime.
- Stay Hydrated, Avoid Junk Foods & Enjoy Life’s Simple Pleasures
Julia also keeps exercise economy humming by staying hydrated with water instead of sugary or alcoholic drinks. She minimizes chemically processed fare with limited nutritional upside in favor of home-cooked dishes rich in plants. “I focus on fresh ingredients,” Julia explains, emphasizing whole foods foundation sans artificial additives linked to gut irritation or systemic ills.
That said, good health remains more marathon over sprint for Julia. Though plant foods drive her longevity, she also enjoys occasional seafood like fried oysters for heart healthy selenium and zinc. After all, genetics likely play some part in Julia’s journey to centenarian status as her mother lived to 104 as well. The right balance of nourishment plus living life with gusto sets the stage for vitality at any age.
Key Takeaways:
At 107 years young, Hurricane Hawkins credits her gold medal health partially to diet strategy:
- Potassium-packed bananas help regulate healthy blood pressure
- Probiotic yogurt balances gut flora for immune support
- Leafy green antioxidants may protect vision, cognition and bone density
- Plant proteins like legumes and nuts help retain muscle preventing disability
- Staying hydrated and minimizing processed foods optimizes overall wellness
With passion for play and sensibility in eating, Julia Hawkins sets a remarkable example of thriving through ten full decades. For active agers inspired to join her pushing performance barriers, these nutrition tips aim to match youthful drive regardless of what the calendar says. Because just like age itself, healthy limits exist mainly in the mind.