Is Being a Vegetarian Part of Living Healthy and Longer?

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Dr. Mercola

July 21 2001

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Is Being a Vegetarian Part of Living Healthy and Longer?

Researchers have found that Seventh-Day Adventists have significantly longer-than-average life expectancies. They ascribe this longevity to church members' high rates of vegetarianism and regular exercise and virtually non-existent rates of smoking.

In a study comparing California Adventists with Californians who were not members of the religion, researchers at Loma Linda University found that Adventists' life expectancies surpassed those of the general population. Male Adventists had a gain of more than 7 years over other men, while female Adventists had a life expectancy nearly 4.5 years longer than that of other women.

Adventists have "always focused on health as a virtue and these findings show they are perhaps the longest-lived group that has ever been formally studied."

Based on the Adventists' lifestyle data -- such as the fact that 40% exercised vigorously for at least 15 minutes three times a week, and fewer than 1% currently smoked-the researchers estimate that these habits account for up to 10 years of life expectancy in this population.

The Adventists' rate of vegetarianism was significantly higher than that of the US population as a whole, as was their rate of regular exercise. "As far as I know," he said, "there's never been a quantification of the number of years one can expect to be added."

Archives of Internal Medicine July 9, 2001;161:1645-1652

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The idea that eating well, exercising and shunning cigarettes promotes health is nothing new -- experts continually hammer the message home. What is new here, is that clean living has been linked to a longer life.

I have great respect for Seventh Day Adventists and believe in many of the principles their denomination advocates. However, I am not convinced that their teaching on vegetarianism is accurate. I certainly can be wrong here.

This, and many other studies, clearly show that Adventists as a group are far healthier than most Americans. There are many other alternative explanations for this, besides the elimination of animal foods though. Clearly exercise, ideal body weight and not smoking or drinking to excess could easily account for the increase in life expectancy Adventists have.

I believe their life expectancy could be far closer to over 100 years if they included high quality animal protein in their diet. Of course this would be ideally raised animal protein such as grass fed beef. I hope to offer that on the site next week, so please keep posted on this. Eating animals that were not fed properly and polluted with hormones and pesticides will certainly be less than ideal.

This is, of course, only my professional opinion and I recognize that this may not represent the truth. I constantly seek to identify the truth and at this point in my review of the scientific evidence, I am convinced that we require regular amounts of animal protein.

Additionally, Dr. Stephen Byrnes reminds us that according to data published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1994, vol. 59 (supplement), 1136S- 1142S, Adventists have higher cancer rates than the general population.

Though the study (also conducted by Loma Linda) showed that SDAs had lower rates of some cancer, e.g., breast, it also clearly showed that SDAs had higher rates for several others, particularly those of the reproductive tract. The possible explanation for this is their vegetarian diet which exposes them to higher levels of estrogenic pesticide residues on the assorted grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits.

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Vegetarian Diet Can Cause Repeat Miscarriages

Vegetarian Diet May Increase Alzheimers Risk

Faulty Reasoning in the Biblical Nutrition Movement

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garot

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This user is BELOW novice level and all their comments need to be reviewed with great caution.

"I am convinced that we require regular amounts of animal protein"

Dr Mercola, I have to say, after 25 years in the medical industry, you actually promote the eating of meat, for healthy bodily function. Let me just give you a few things to think about regarding meat and the protein from animals.

1. Meat requires large amounts of hydrochloric acid to digest. Carnivorous animals (lions, tigers, etc) produce up to 20 times more hydrochloric acid than humans. They also have a very short (9 feet) digestive tract to expel whatever flesh was not absorbed because putrefied (or rotting) animal flesh in the GI can cause toxicity, inflammation, etc.

Most people in today's society have hypochlorhydria and lack proper digestive function, what to speak of producing enough digestive acid to break down meat.

2. Animal protein causes cancer. Professor Colin Campbell (PHd), a well respected scientist, actually converted to a vegan/vegetarian diet after his findings of animal protein. Here is a video of his finding: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1308977765978236346

I won't go any further as far as meat goes for now, but in that study he also found that soy (yes soy, what you say is not a health food) protein did not have the same effect, it did not cause cancer.

In closing, I think if you truly are interested in the "truth" and are always interested in learning, then you will certainly dive much deeper into this area, which I think you have largely neglected.

I have been vegetarian for over 20 years, I eat soy products every day, much more than the amount you say is 'bad'. Yet I am healthier than most people in this country (Australia) and have the blood to prove it - in fact I'd love to be tested, and have been many times (not just in pathology, but also live blood analysis)

If soy is GM, it will cause big problems, but organic soy is very healthy and does not cause the problems you suggest, I'm living proof.

All the best,

Garuda

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