A health study published in the Vegetarian times reveals that about 7 million people or 3.2 percent of people in America follow a vegetarian lifestyle. For centuries, vegetarianism (and veganism) has been shown to increase the life expectancy of people who follow it.

Earlier studies have shown that this type of lifestyle reduces the risk of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dementia, heart-related diseases, arthritis, and osteoporosis.

A more recent finding also solidifies the claim that vegetarianism is more likely to increase the lifespan of humans.

Recent research

A new health study published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows proof that people who adopt a vegetarian lifestyle are less likely to develop chronic diseases as compared to those who usually eat meat. The study was conducted on 73,308 people during a six-year period. There were 2579 deaths during the entire period and around 38,000 vegetarians from the group had a calculated 12% lesser risk of death as a result of chronic diseases. There was also a very significant reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in vegetarian men as compared to non-vegetarians.

Diet and disease prevention

The medical community has recently paid more attention to the role of diet in the management and prevention of diseases. In fact, the study mentioned above shows that vegetarians have a better chance of avoiding fatal diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Such diseases are generally linked to unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise.

Parents are right to tell their kids to eat their vegetables. It seems that adopting good eating habits at a young age can help lead to better health in the future. However, the fact that more and more unhealthy food chains are cropping up everywhere, it seems it is getting difficult to eat healthy foods. Nonetheless, people are urged to find ways and means eat vegetables whenever they can.

Foods to avoid

Processed meat products are on top of the list of foods to avoid as these can damage health. These products can be found almost anywhere. Burgers, hotdogs, bacon, ham, sausages, and other related products have been linked to cardiovascular diseases.

Barbecue is another culprit. While it is okay to eat some barbecue once in a while, it is not a good habit to eat grilled foods on a regular basis since they have been linked to colorectal cancer.

People should be careful eating foods high in glycemic load as well. These foods can easily raise insulin and blood sugar levels.

Recommendations

As early as possible, people should start considering switching to healthier diets in order to gain the benefit of having a longer lifespan.

Switching to a vegetarian diet can do more for the health than most people think. It does not only reduce the risks of chronic diseases, but also helps people maintain normal weight.

Obesity is one of the greatest health problems, primarily in America, but if people adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle, this problem can be easily overcome.  It is also good idea to buy organically grown foods and cook them at home.

If not, a good alternative is to eat at restaurants that serve healthier food options as opposed to eating at fast food chains.

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About the Author: Monica Swartz is a health researcher and writer for about 6 years. He passionately writes about topics that inspire people to live a healthy lifestyle, and co-blogs on a website within the Bedding & Mattress niche market. Follow Monica on Twitter @Trymemoryfoam.

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