When The Marvelettes sang, "We're gonna mix it up; We're gonna mix it up right," they were talking about having a good time tonight.

When I suggest you mix it up, mix it up right, I'm talking about how to have a good time for years to come.

A major study in the journal Nature Food followed more than 120,000 people ages 40 to 70 for more than 10 years and found that getting a diverse mix of flavonoids from foods such as blueberries, tomatoes, strawberries, oranges, apples, ginger, asparagus, and even red wine and dark chocolate can lower your risks for cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease by 10% — and all-cause mortality by 16%.

There are six types of flavonoids:

• Flavonols (in lettuce, tomatoes, onions, kale, tea, berries, grapes, and red wine)

• Flavanols (in pears, bananas, and peaches)

• Flavanones (in citrus fruit)

• Anthocyanins (in red, purple, and blue fruit)

• Chalcones (in strawberries, tomatoes, and wheat)

• Isoflavones (in legumes and soybeans)

Aim for around 500 mg of flavonoids daily. For instance, two cups of tea contain that much.

Your goals should be at least seven servings daily of fruits and vegetables and a diet free of inflammation-stoking added sugars, red and red processed meats, unhealthy oils, and highly processed foods.

For flavonoid-filled recipes, read my "What to Eat When Cookbook."