Live Longer, Live Better

Who wouldn’t want that? Now recent research shows how to make it happen – and save the planet at the same time!

First, a California study found that people who are obese in middle age are two to three times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. So maintaining a healthy weight is important, but how can we do that? According to a piece in the New York Times (the most-emailed story in today’s paper), calorie restriction is the answer.

During the past few decades, literally thousands of studies on calorie restriction have shown that it extends life and helps prevent – or at least slow the development of – chronic diseases associated with aging. Ideally, this sort of diet focuses on “nutrient dense” foods, which provide relatively few calories but plenty of vitamins and minerals.

If it’s starting to sound too complicated, here’s a simple way to accomplish the goal – focus on a plant-based diet. Not only does it eliminate the saturated fat and calories in animal products, but it also provides plenty of nutrients and fiber. (For anyone concerned about weight management, fiber can be your best friend, but that’s a subject for another day.) But wait…there’s more! Focusing on vegetables, grains and fruits also fights global warming in two ways!! First, when we eat fewer animals, there’s less farm-related pollution. Second, losing weight means greater fuel efficiency in our automobiles.

As the experts point out, you don’t have to get wear plastic shoes and become a total vegan to improve the situation. Just cutting back on meat and dairy products reduces the by-products that contribute to global warming. The bottom line: What’s good for you is good for the planet, too.