KEY POINTS

  • Increasing longevity is a quest of many people today
  • Health experts state that one type of diet gives persons an edge
  • Vegans have this edge over non-vegetarians

Lifestyle is among the determinants of how long you may live. For those who regularly go on excessive alcohol drinking, consuming diets full of trans fats, and observe many other unhealthy practices, may not expect to live long.

Scientists and health experts have found long ago that to have a healthier and longer life, you should exercise regularly and consume a healthy and balanced diet. You should also limit your alcohol intake and quit smoking.

It is not at all surprising that observing a healthy diet can help a lot in improving longevity. With thousands of information as to what can be the best diet, however, you can easily get confused as to which one to follow.

Fortunately, recent research has shed light on what could possibly be the best diet that can help improve longevity and at the same time, help prevent cancer.

live healthy life vegan diet increase longevity
live healthy life vegan diet increase longevity Rita E - Pixabay

Vegans May Have an Edge

Findings of a new study that were published in The Journal of Nutrition concluded that the secret to a long life might lie in veganism. Leading scientists and health experts agree, saying that a vegan diet helps in warding off a lot of diseases, including cancer.

Researchers revealed that based on the findings of their recently concluded study, the bodies of vegans contain the most antioxidants. According to health experts, this is primarily due to the high intake of vegetables and fruits.

It was also found out that those who follow a vegan diet have considerably lower death rates compared to meat-consumers. This new study reinforces findings of past researches that found a vegetarian diet, which consists mostly of nuts, wholegrain, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, lowers the risk of developing major ailments. It also helps you live longer.

The Vegan Research

Researchers from Loma Linda University have proven that men who follow vegan diets live an average of ten years longer compared to non-vegetarian men. Women following vegan diets, on the other hand, can add six more years of a healthy life, helping them reach an average age of 85 years.

Loma Linda University researchers also comprised the same research team that came up with the groundbreaking Adventist Health Study-1, a study that examines nutrition and life expectancy. This study was regarded as a benchmark in the nutrition world because of its comprehensiveness in terms of the number of participants and the length of time conducted.

Loma Linda researchers, for fourteen long years, tracked the diets, lifestyle, and ailments among 34,000 volunteers who do not drink or smoke. They found several habits that could add years to your life.

For one, the volunteers were consuming plant-based foods and were also consuming a handful of nuts regularly. They are also physically active and maintain a healthy weight. According to the researchers, these lifestyle habits could give you an extra two to three years of a fruitful life.