Keeping Your Cognitive Abilities Intact

If you think living to be 100 or older is a long shot, think again.

Thanks to medicine and research, people are living to be much older by being a bit wiser and taking better care of themselves physically and mentally.

Nutrition experts recommend foods full of nutrients, antioxidants and minerals, often referred to as "super foods." Examples are berries, leafy greens, nuts, legumes and omega-3 fish available at stores such as Wild Oats. The natural and organic foods retailer is launching a campaign called Eating Well for Healthy Aging, to encourage people to engage in healthy nutrition.

A simple way to find healthy foods is by sight, said Sharon Stroud, certified nutritionist at Wild Oats in Tulsa, Okla.

"The brighter the pigmentation, the more the antioxidants," Stroud said.

For example, if you're looking for an apple, pick a bright-colored red apple, she said. Also, look for dark greens and bright oranges.

The same goes for legumes.

"Darkly colored red and black beans have more antioxidants than the paler ones," Stroud said.

Don't despair if some fruits and vegetables you want are out of season -- frozen works just fine.

But besides nutrition and exercise, mental health is just as important as physical well-being, said Dr. Jim McAdams, Director of Geriatric Psychiatry at Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital in Oklahoma.

"I think in general what keeps your body healthy keeps your mind healthy," McAdams said.