Healthy Diet Benefits

Is there really a link between good health and what you eat? The most recent edition of Experience Life, a monthly magazine from Lifetime Fitness, had two articles linking the two together. One article was about healthy aging, the other disease care. Both highlighted the significance of a healthy diet.

The first article featured a French cyclist who is 105 years old. Not only is this gentleman old, but he is still setting world records!  Scientists in France have been tracking him during his training and have discovered that his “aerobic capacity was comparable to that of a healthy 50-year old.” In other words, how his body absorbs and transports oxygen is just as efficient as someone half his age. When asked about his long life, this centenarian attributes it to what he eats. He eats a balanced diet and nothing in excess. In fact, most of his diet includes fruits and vegetables with very little meat.

The second article was about a breakthrough for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). A biomarker was discovered that could eventually help individualize treatment for the 2.5 million people who live with this disease. However, what was more interesting was the focus on a doctor who actually has MS. Using a special diet and functional medicine she went into remission. Once restricted to a wheelchair, she is now riding a bike! Her book, titled “The Wahls Protocol: How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine,” describes her journey to wellness.

Both articles highlight the significance of a healthy diet to a life of wellness. Eating lots of plant based foods, minimizing meat, and limiting or eliminating processed foods. One has benefited from a long life, the other got her life back. At the end of the day we need to ask ourselves what we really want out of life. There is a lot of life we can get out of our years. We can have quantity and quality if we take steps every day that allow for this. It all rests on the choices we make with the food we eat.

What choice will you make?