Embrace Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism may help you live longer.

This should in no way suggest that you should abandon meat—or that it's even appropriate or safe for you to do so. But research has shown the principles of vegetarianism may increase life expectancy by overcoming three barriers to good health, namely:

Obesity

The overconsumption of sugar

The consumption of saturated fats found in animal-based foods

By doing so, a person can reduce their risk of aging-related diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and even colon cancer.

Vegetarianism and Longevity

Several studies have linked the non-consumption of meat to a longer life. This includes a 2013 study in JAMA Internal Medicine which tracked 96,469 Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious order that encourages vegetarianism) for five years.

At the end of the study period, the researchers found that females and males in the group who practiced vegetarianism lived 6 and 10 years longer, respectively, than counterparts who ate meat.

I couldn't go without meat either, but I do adhere to this pyramid only eating red meat once a month. Fish and poultry I can eat once a week. And several days a week I go without meat. But I still get protein from protein shakes. I talked to my doctor about protein shakes. He told me to buy Orgain brand protein powder. It's plant-based with mostly pea protein. I been using it for several years. I eat no dairy, except for cheese, I eat cheese about once a week. I know yogurt is on the list of good foods, but I eat yogurt very seldom. I lost 60 pounds and I had to make a lot of changes to do it, and was it worth it, of course, I'm 79 this month and still feel like I'm 40. That ages your body is the extra weight you add over the years plus the lack of exercise.

If you read my post yesterday I talked about the people who live in the Hunza Valley. I talked about the valley, the people, their diet and how long they live. The average age or life expectance was 120 years. Read the post when you have time. It's a short read, but worth it. I also said in an earlier post that science has to idea how long a hiuman can live under the right conditions. That's another good post.

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Why the Hunza People Live Longer

Have More Sex

Your life expectancy may be increased by having more sex. Sex is thought to improve your overall sense of well-being, providing you with the incentive to take better care of your health.

Other factors may contribute. One early study reported, for example, that males with a high frequency of orgasms had a 50% reduction in all-cause mortality.

Sex and Life Expectancy

A 2022 study in the Journal of Applied Gerontology reported that the frequency or enjoyment of sex was not as influential on longevity as a person's belief that sex is an essential part of health.

According to the study, which monitored a group of adults aged 55 and over for 27 years, people who held sex-positive beliefs were 78% more likely to live to the expected life expectancy than those who didn't.

I didn't write that post, I just re-posted as part of my series on life longevity. It does make sense that sex might help longevity. I think sex helps you feel better about yourself, that you are not that old. And that sex came still give you and your spouse pleasure. 

Who are the Hunza People? These are the people who live in the Hunza Valley in Northern Pakistan. It's a very much isolated region that has little contact with other parts of the world. I doubt if there is an man-made polution in that area. They eat mostly leafy green vegetables, carrots, and radishes. They rely mainly on whole grains like barley, wheat, millet, which are high in fiber and eat meat and fish only on rare occasions. 

On average, the life expectance is 120 years old. Yes, these are the indigenous people of that area. They live a healthy, happy, stress free life. 

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Flossing Will Prevent Disease spreading Through Your Body

 Floss Daily

As strange as it may seem, flossing daily may extend life expectancy.

Flossing prevents gum disease and, by doing so, prevents bacteria in your mouth from passing through compromised tissues and entering the bloodstream. These bloodborne bacteria can migrate to the heart where they can infect and damage the heart muscle and valves.

Gum disease, otherwise known as periodontitis, affects 11% of the world's population and is the sixth most common disease worldwide.

Severe periodontitis is directly linked to not only an increased risk of heart disease but also an increased risk of death from heart attacks, according to a 2020 review of studies in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

I know how this must sound to you, but it's really true. Periodontal Disease is very serious and if you have ever had your gums craped you never want to do that again. Anything that ends up in your blood stream can infect your organs. Your mouth is loaded with bacteria to add in digestion, but the stomach acid will kill that bacteria but when you have periodontal disease your gums are blooding which means the gums around the tooth are raw and soar so the bacteria in your mouth can enter your blood stream. 

The is the way that bacteria bypasses the safeguard that keep the blood clean and free of germs. Without that protection the bacteria in your blood can infect your organs. Talk to your dentist at the first signs of soar gums.

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Another Tip for Longevity

 Get Daily Exercise

Exercise doesn't automatically turn into weight loss. Exercise will improve your overall health which aids in weight loss if you're following a good diet. Exercise will make your heart stronger so it can increase blood flow to your entire body. Your diet will give you the nutrients to enrich your blood and heal the body quicker. 

Improvements in life expectancy are strongly linked to daily exercise. A comprehensive review of studies in the Journal of Aging Research showed that people who exercise regularly—even for as little as three hours a week—lived up to 6.9 years longer than those who didn't.

Habit-building is key to success. The easiest way to build a habit is to commit to daily workouts even if it's just for 20 minutes. If you do, you may skip a day but are more likely to get back on track immediately.

If you exercise three days a week and miss one workout, you may go four to five days without exercising and eventually give up.

For life expectancy, it is more important to exercise consistently year after year than have fits and starts of intense exercise followed by periods of no exercise.

Remember that daily exercise doesn't have to mean going to the gym every day. Home exercises such as yoga, stretching, free weights, swimming, or brisk walking can be incredibly beneficial, particularly if you are older. 

As seniors no one intends to become an athlete. I only want you to start feeling better in the morning. To feel good about yourself. When you accomplish that much, you can walk around with a smile on your face. 

Nothing happens right away. It can take a few months before your body gets used to the changes in your diet. The results from the exercise will happen quicker, but the weight loss will take a couple months before the body adjusts. 

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want to Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

 Hang Out With Friends

Life expectancy can be increased by hanging out with your friends and family. Studies have shown that the more connected someone is to loved ones, the better their overall health.

Scientists are not exactly sure why relationships play a role in health and longevity. It could be that people in positive relationships are less likely to take risks and are more likely to take care of themselves. It could also be that having people around you reduces stress in your life.3

On top of this, people who engage in "meaningful" relationships tend to have better life expectancies. This means having conversations about each other's beliefs, interests, or history or engaging in activities that both parties enjoy.3

Relationships and Longevity

A study in the journal PLoS Medicine concluded that, based on 148 studies involving 308,849 participants, people who reported strong social relationships had a 50% lower risk of premature death than those who didn't.

The bottom line is that we know that some people die because of health problems. Some people die from accidents, and some people die of lonelyness.

That's when you have no one that cares about you and no one that you care for. And why is that a premature death? We know that people can live a long life, many people today live to be 100 years old. So why can't we all live to 100? Like I mentioned in the above sentences, many die of disease which can be prevented by medicine, but not everyone can be cured. many others die an accidental death. 

Statistics show that people born between 1936 and 1946 (the war babies) only 1% are still alive. So why so few are alive? For one thing those people were the ones who served in the Vetnam War and many never came back. The there are those who died of diseases and others that died an accidental death. If you are amount the 1% you're one of the lucky ones. Having strong relationships gives a person something to live for. 

The lifestyle we have will determine how long we live. That you eat and drink, that you do all day, How much sleep you get, and how well to care for your body.

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

What to Do to Increase Your Life Span

This is the first in a series of tips for living a longer, healthier life. The follow posts and there are 8 more posts that will be easy to follow and will enrich your life.

The first is: Go outside and get more sun.

Life expectancy can be increased simply by going outside and getting some sun. Exposure to sunlight triggers cells in your skin to produce vitamin D.

Vitamin D is essential for many vital functions:

Bone growth

Bone remodeling (in which bones constantly rebuild themselves)

Involuntary muscle contractions (such as for heartbeat and digestion)

The conversion of blood glucose (sugar) into energy

Vitamin D deficiency can impair all of these functions and lead to an increased risk of fractures, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis (porous bones).

Research suggests that 50% of adults with low vitamin D levels simply don't get out into the sun enough. Getting sun for just 15 minutes a day is enough to maintain vitamin D levels in healthy people. Some doctors will advise you to get a bit more than 15 minutes, my doctor said 20 minutes. Always check with your doctor when you change your routine. 

Taking vitamin D supplements and eating foods rich in vitamin D are also effective ways to increase vitamin D levels.

Foods rich in vitamin D include:

Dairy and plant milk fortified with vitamin D

Orange juice fortified with vitamin D

Oily fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines

Beef liver

Egg yolks

Fortified cereals

Vitamin D Deficiency and Life Expectancy

A 2019 review of studies concluded that vitamin D deficiency is linked to a higher risk of all-cause mortality (death from all causes) compared to those with normal vitamin D levels. This includes a two-fold increased risk of death by cancer.

Follow me on X or Twitter @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

  Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Increasing Flexibility Has a Range of Health Benefits

 Seniors need to read this post and for younger readers, talk to the seniors in your family. Stretching is a type of exercise, like yoga, that will increase your flexibility and balance. Yes, a brisk walk will get your heart pumping and everyone needs cardio to strengthen the heart and increase blood flow, but stretching will reduce the cramping you can often get from exercise. 

I am sure that any senior who see a doctor for their aches and pains knows what range of motion means. It's common that as you age you will lose some range of motion. Stretching can fix that. Losing range of motion is a result of tendons and ligaments not being stretched or exercised. If you're not familiar with those words, they attach the muscles to the bones and keep your joints moving properly. When Your joints start to stiffen up, stretching maybe the solution. 

If you don't exercise very often, you will start to have flexibility problems. You can lose range of motion or it may be painful to rotate joints like your wrist, elbows, knees and even your neck. We think of these as just a sign of aging. Actually, it's a sign of neglect. 

Stretching is something that any one at any age can do, even if you are sitting on a hard chair. You can learn these stretches at home watching TV. Cable TV has channels that show exercises for beginners. Other shows are for seniors and other show are more advanced like Yoga classes or Tai Chi.

My wife showed me an article today that talked about the war baby generation those born 1936 to 1946. World-wide 99% of war babies have died. If you are among the 1% you are one of the lucky ones. We have lived in the best of times. 

You probably have been doing several things already to keep your body in good shape. So, keep it up.

Follow me on Twitter or X @ray0369

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want to Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

If you really want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want to Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.