Living a healthy lifestyle

Years ago, my father told me Seventhday Adventists

(who make up about

3.5% of Lodi residents) live longer than nonAdventist populations.

The study he most likely quoted was the

Loma Linda University Mortality Study, which began in 1958 with a five-year follow-up, along with another 25-year follow-up. The program looked at around 23,000 California Adventists. At the same time, similar research was being conducted sampling non-Adventists by the American Cancer Society.

Both studies had volunteers who were better educated than the general public. This is an important point, as those used in the research tended to have better health habits and lower rates of disease than their lower socio-economic counterparts.

When compared to specific types of cancer deaths, Adventists had lung cancer mortalities that were 79% lower than non-Adventists. Colorectal deaths were 38% lower. Breast cancer rates were 15% lower and Adventist men had prostate cancer rates that were 8% lower.

Interestingly for lymphoma and leukemia, Adventist men were 14% lower but rates for women were about the same in both groups. Perhaps genetics play a greater role for these diseases.

Adventist men death rates were

34% lower for coronary heart disease. For women it was only two percent less. However, death rates from strokes for females were 18% lower.

Averaging all categories, Adventist men had a 34% lower death rate, and Adventist women had a 12 percent lower mortality rate as compared to non-Adventists in the American Cancer Society control group.

So now the question is, “Why?” What is it about Seventh-day Adventists that apparently gives them a longer life than most?

Adventist are famous for their health care and sponsor a number of hospitals throughout California and the world. Locally, they control Lodi Memorial, Sonora, and have a management contract with Dameron Hospital in Stockton. They also have a medical school in Southern California as well as others in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines and Peru.

Good eating and health habits began with Adventists long before it became part of modern American pop culture. In the 19th century, their church prophet, Ellen G. White, was way ahead of her time, as evidenced by her publications about proper nutrition. She promoted vegetarianism, and true to Old Testament restrictions, prohibited pork and shellfish. Mrs. White also frowned upon alcohol and smoking.

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, among other foods, were developed because of her emphasis on alternatives to the daily diets at the time. Ellen White died from an accidental fall in 1915 at the age of 87.

During the 20th century, other studies have suggested much of what Adventists believe is a healthy lifestyle. Here are some of the findings:

• Plant-based diets, eating nuts, regular exercise and maintaining average body weight can increase longevity by up to 10 years.

• Increased consumption of red and white meat was associated with an increase in colorectal cancer. Eating legumes (peanuts, peas, beans, lentils, etc.) helped protect against this type of cancer.

• Consumption of nuts several times per week can reduce heart attack risks by 50%.

• Whole grains instead of common white bread reduced heart attacks by 45%.

• Five glasses of water per day can reduce heart disease by 50%.

• Men who ate large quantities of tomatoes reduced prostate cancer by 70%.

Most nutritional scientists agree lifestyles, eating habits and environmental features are important parts in our quests for longevity. But we can’t deny the major factor genetics play in aging and disease. Perhaps as more research takes place, we will conclude genetics may actually be the greatest predictor of all.

Yet this point can’t refute that Adventists’ increased longevity when compared to the general population has been, and is a long-established fact. So, while contemplating our next meal, should we all have a bowl of vegetable soup and a bean salad, or should we just grab a batch of salty fries — coupled with a triple-bacon cheeseburger, chased with a chocolate milkshake and topped off with a cigarette?

Well, the choice is ours – is it not?