Derval O'Rourke: How to make my warming winter tomato soup

Plus: what age are you - and what meaning does that have to your life?

Derval O'Rourke's tomato soup.

Have you ever heard the phrase “you’re only as old as you feel”? Or have you ever met two people the exact same age but one seems far older than the other? 

Our chronological age is the number of years you have been alive and our biological age refers to our cells and tissues based on physiological evidence. 

There is also an additional way scientists ask people about age and this is subjective by asking ‘How old do you feel most of the time?’ This week I will be digging into research that suggests feeling young at heart may have a positive impact on your overall health. 

Multiple studies conducted by different organisations support the belief that feeling young can really pay off for your health. 

One reasoning from the German Centre of Gerontology in the Psychology and Ageing Journal suggests simply that feeling younger and keeping a youthful mindset can help people when dealing with stress and the impact it has on them. 

When scientists trick people into feeling younger they mostly become more capable. 

A fascinating study called “Feeling younger, being stronger: an experimental study of subjective age and physical functioning among older adults”, showed participants’ grip strength improved after simply being told that they were stronger than other people their own age.

According to psychologists from Harvard Medical School, if a person approaches their life with a youthful attitude it is helpful to create better health habits. 

Take exercise as an example, someone who views themselves as ‘old’ is likely to use this as a reason to reduce their exercise. 

They might stop activities with a view that they are simply too old for them when their physical capabilities might still be good. 

Also when it comes to diet and food choices there can be positives to feeling young because our food choices will have a more future-oriented attitude.

Simple ways to approach life with a youthful mindset:

• Keep your mind active. Try to complete brain-stimulating games that are unfamiliar to you like crosswords, puzzles, sudoku, chess or Wordle!
• Try new things. Learn new skills or find ways to improve current skills.
• Prioritise getting enough sleep. Recovery and sleep go hand in hand in keeping your brain healthy and sharp.
• Maintain close social relationships and connections. Engaging in daily conversation can be a great stimulant for your brain.
• Keep your conversations and connections full of variety. It can be good to engage in conversation with people of differing opinions to your own - resolving arguments or conversing with unfamiliar topics can help you flex your brain muscles and keep expanding your mental capabilities.
• Keep exercising. Studies have shown that exercise can help improve areas of your brain that are responsible for memory as well. This doesn’t have to be an intense workout but just enough to get your breathing up and your blood flowing.
• Do things that make you happy. Make sure you are taking time every day to do something that brings you joy.
• Bring your attention to the present moment. Mindfulness, whether informal or formal, is a great way to do this.
• Where is the meaning in your life? Focusing on something larger than yourself is really helpful in our overall health.
• Happiness and satisfaction. When you feel these make sure to really embrace them.

We live in a society where ageing can be treated in different ways, sometimes negatively. Not everybody gets the privilege of ageing so to do it well with a positive, youthful outlook is a really fortunate position to be in.

Derval O’Rourke. Photo: Joleen Cronin.

Wellness Tip: Are you doing something that keeps you feeling connected? Start a conversation with someone from a completely different generation to you and notice how interesting it is.

Fitness Tip: Remember that exercise can be great for keeping your mind active too - try a new fitness combination to challenge your brain.

Tomato Soup

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Vegan-friendly - and ready in half an hour.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp dried basil

• 600g fresh tomatoes

• ½ red chilli, finely chopped

• A pinch of salt

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• 500ml vegetable stock

• 1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 tbsp vegan pesto to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

2. Add the onions and basil and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the fresh tomatoes, chilli and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

3. Add the tinned tomatoes and stock to the pan and stir well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Purée the soup with a hand blender until smooth.

5. Stir in the cannellini beans. Return to the pan and heat gently.

6. Ladle the soup into the warmed bowls and top each with the pesto.