Do vegetarians live longer than meat eaters? - Iza Trengove
Experts’ advice on what to eat to live a long and healthy life remains contradictory and confusing. An Oxford University study, the largest ever undertaken in this field in the UK, claims that just one slice of bacon a day raises one's risk of colon cancers by 20%. The same applies to moderate intake of red meat. Not so, say meat lobbyists. They believe the study is riddled with flaws and that there is no direct link between the consumption of red meat and early death. According to them the study relies on association and not causation.
So what is real and what is rumour?
The answer may ultimately lie in results of a recent study which found no difference in the lifespan between vegetarians and omnivores.
Yet despite this conclusion, data from Google Trends shows an impressive increase in interest in veganism between 2004 and 2018. In the US veganism has grown by 600% in the last three years and in the UK it has increased 350% in the last decade.
In this month’s Health Noise golfing legend Gary Player reveals his secrets to longevity and a Johannesburg dietician, Nicole Sacks explains why she changed to a plant-based diet.
Gary Player, now in his eighties, is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. He has won 167 professional golf tournaments worldwide and is one of only five men to capture golf’s coveted career Grand Slam. I spoke to him about his diet and exercise regime.
In this month’s Health Noise golfing legend Gary Player reveals his secrets to longevity and a Johannesburg dietician, Nicole Sacks explains why she changed to a plant-based diet.
Gary Player, now in his eighties, is regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. He has won 167 professional golf tournaments worldwide and is one of only five men to capture golf’s coveted career Grand Slam. I spoke to him about his diet and exercise regime.
Have you persistently during a long life regarded diet and exercise as an imperative?
Fitness and wellness have been important to me nearly my entire life. It all started when I a boy and my brother was heading off to fight in WWII with the Americans and British. He knew I wanted to be a sports-man so he bought me second-hand weights and told me if I wanted to achieve my dream, I had to promise to exercise and look after my body. A promise I have adhered to since then.
I have worked so hard in the gym and made sure I eat proper food to maximize my body and mind’s potential. I am proud to say that even though I am older, I still have the energy and stamina of someone half my age.
In your own case is it nature or nurture that has kept you strong and youthful?It has to be both. It wasn’t just me, it was my wife, my family, the fans and my faith. However, I can say I took the most appropriate steps throughout my life to achieve my goals.
Do you follow a particular diet? What does your daily diet consist of?
I’m somewhere between slightly vegan to vegetarian. A “flexetarian”. I eat mostly vegetables, nuts, avocados, certain fruits, and some organic meats and fish, but not much. Public enemy No. 1 is sugar. The natural sugar you get from fruit is better if you crave sweetness. It’s the processed sugar that’s in white bread and junk food that is so harmful. I also try and avoid dairy.
What is your opinion of the growing trend towards eating more animal fat and protein (High fat low carb) rather than high carbs? Whatever diet you choose to follow, under eat. That’s probably the best advice I can give. I don’t pay much attention to specific diets. There are so many diets out there you can follow that experts say are proven to work. When in reality, you simply don’t need much food to fuel your body. Skip dinner a couple of nights a week or have a handful of nuts in the evening.
Do you take any additional supplements?
Fitness and wellness have been important to me nearly my entire life. It all started when I a boy and my brother was heading off to fight in WWII with the Americans and British. He knew I wanted to be a sports-man so he bought me second-hand weights and told me if I wanted to achieve my dream, I had to promise to exercise and look after my body. A promise I have adhered to since then.
I have worked so hard in the gym and made sure I eat proper food to maximize my body and mind’s potential. I am proud to say that even though I am older, I still have the energy and stamina of someone half my age.
In your own case is it nature or nurture that has kept you strong and youthful?It has to be both. It wasn’t just me, it was my wife, my family, the fans and my faith. However, I can say I took the most appropriate steps throughout my life to achieve my goals.
Do you follow a particular diet? What does your daily diet consist of?
I’m somewhere between slightly vegan to vegetarian. A “flexetarian”. I eat mostly vegetables, nuts, avocados, certain fruits, and some organic meats and fish, but not much. Public enemy No. 1 is sugar. The natural sugar you get from fruit is better if you crave sweetness. It’s the processed sugar that’s in white bread and junk food that is so harmful. I also try and avoid dairy.
What is your opinion of the growing trend towards eating more animal fat and protein (High fat low carb) rather than high carbs? Whatever diet you choose to follow, under eat. That’s probably the best advice I can give. I don’t pay much attention to specific diets. There are so many diets out there you can follow that experts say are proven to work. When in reality, you simply don’t need much food to fuel your body. Skip dinner a couple of nights a week or have a handful of nuts in the evening.
Do you take any additional supplements?
No, there is no great need if you make sure your food intake is balanced. Absolutely not.
How often do you exercise and for how long?
When I am not travelling, I’m in the gym four or five days per week for one hour. I spend more time stretching as well as practising yoga and meditation. The key is not just in exercise but also in eating well and hydrating.
Which exercises does your fitness program include?
Golf specific is key. Isolate the correct muscles that will not deter your flexibility. In our sport, you need to be supple but strong. For me, there is not much heavy lifting, but I know some golfers today lift very heavy weights. Repetition is important. Dumbbell curls and wrist rolls, leg presses, neck exercises, push-ups, squats, lunges and I work my core hard with a variety of ab isometrics.
I usually end every gym session running on the treadmill. It’s vital, especially as you age, to train your mind so you can still move well. Set realistic goals, but don’t give yourself limits. Keep working.
What is more important aerobic or strength exercises?
Both are invaluable to a person’s overall fitness level. You can’t just focus on one. Find a regimen that works for your body because everyone is different.
Has your fitness regime helped you prevent serious illnesses?
I had a few minor tweaks during my career. This is natural when your body is under immense pressure to perform at a high level nearly every week of the year. There is no doubt though that my routine helped me win 165+ tournaments around the world and to this day it helps me continue to travel around the world, competing in tournaments, designing golf courses, and raising money for charity.
How do you stay motivated?
Simple. I want to live, and I mean LIVE. Many people my age aren’t living, just merely existing. To live life to the fullest, I must continue to look after my body, mind and spirit. It starts with exercise and diet. A positive attitude, a grateful heart. Try and have fun and remember to dance, laugh and surround yourself with family and friends.
What are the most important health and fitness tips that you have received? Many years ago, I met a gentleman from Japan who was 90 but looked closer to 50. He told me and I’ll never forget, “The less you eat, the longer you live.” I am very proud that I am basically the same weight as I was at 25, but he told me I should weigh less.
For fitness, people must realise that one hour is only 4 per cent of their day. Walk, run, or get yourself a treadmill if you live in a colder climate. Do some form of physical activity. It’s never too late to start.
Nicole Sacks, a dietician from Johannesburg, explains why having first followed a balanced diet which included meat, she has now turned her back on it and has decided instead to follow a plant-based diet. As will be seen below, her reasons do not stop at purely health considerations.
How often do you exercise and for how long?
When I am not travelling, I’m in the gym four or five days per week for one hour. I spend more time stretching as well as practising yoga and meditation. The key is not just in exercise but also in eating well and hydrating.
Which exercises does your fitness program include?
Golf specific is key. Isolate the correct muscles that will not deter your flexibility. In our sport, you need to be supple but strong. For me, there is not much heavy lifting, but I know some golfers today lift very heavy weights. Repetition is important. Dumbbell curls and wrist rolls, leg presses, neck exercises, push-ups, squats, lunges and I work my core hard with a variety of ab isometrics.
I usually end every gym session running on the treadmill. It’s vital, especially as you age, to train your mind so you can still move well. Set realistic goals, but don’t give yourself limits. Keep working.
What is more important aerobic or strength exercises?
Both are invaluable to a person’s overall fitness level. You can’t just focus on one. Find a regimen that works for your body because everyone is different.
Has your fitness regime helped you prevent serious illnesses?
I had a few minor tweaks during my career. This is natural when your body is under immense pressure to perform at a high level nearly every week of the year. There is no doubt though that my routine helped me win 165+ tournaments around the world and to this day it helps me continue to travel around the world, competing in tournaments, designing golf courses, and raising money for charity.
How do you stay motivated?
Simple. I want to live, and I mean LIVE. Many people my age aren’t living, just merely existing. To live life to the fullest, I must continue to look after my body, mind and spirit. It starts with exercise and diet. A positive attitude, a grateful heart. Try and have fun and remember to dance, laugh and surround yourself with family and friends.
What are the most important health and fitness tips that you have received? Many years ago, I met a gentleman from Japan who was 90 but looked closer to 50. He told me and I’ll never forget, “The less you eat, the longer you live.” I am very proud that I am basically the same weight as I was at 25, but he told me I should weigh less.
For fitness, people must realise that one hour is only 4 per cent of their day. Walk, run, or get yourself a treadmill if you live in a colder climate. Do some form of physical activity. It’s never too late to start.
Nicole Sacks, a dietician from Johannesburg, explains why having first followed a balanced diet which included meat, she has now turned her back on it and has decided instead to follow a plant-based diet. As will be seen below, her reasons do not stop at purely health considerations.
What is a vegan diet?
Vegans follow a distinct lifestyle and diet. It’s also called a plant-based diet which means one doesn’t eat or wear any products which come from animals. In essence it’s against the exploitation of animals and the preservation of the planet. Vegans claim farm animals experience emotions and can form close bonds with each other and humans.
Vegans follow a distinct lifestyle and diet. It’s also called a plant-based diet which means one doesn’t eat or wear any products which come from animals. In essence it’s against the exploitation of animals and the preservation of the planet. Vegans claim farm animals experience emotions and can form close bonds with each other and humans.
Have you always followed a plant-based diet?
No, for almost 20 years I promoted a balanced, low-fat, high carb and low glycemic index diet. Since 2016 the growing popularity of the Banting diet encouraged me to re-examine my own beliefs. It was during this time that I discovered astonishing findings by leading researchers such as Dr Valter Longo, John Mcdoogle, Dan Buettner and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. According to them a plant-based diet can prolong life and prevent certain types of cancer and heart disease. Their convincing research inspired me to change.
No, for almost 20 years I promoted a balanced, low-fat, high carb and low glycemic index diet. Since 2016 the growing popularity of the Banting diet encouraged me to re-examine my own beliefs. It was during this time that I discovered astonishing findings by leading researchers such as Dr Valter Longo, John Mcdoogle, Dan Buettner and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. According to them a plant-based diet can prolong life and prevent certain types of cancer and heart disease. Their convincing research inspired me to change.
But what about the research findings of Prof. Noakes and others who maintain red meat and animal fat actually lower one’s good cholesterol? It is important to look at who funds these studies and over what period they were done. Some people will lose weight on the Banting diet because they are cut out sugar and eat less and subsequently their cholesterol drops.
Can one lose weight on plant-based diets which include starch? Yes, the calories in the infographic show one can eat much more if you eat fruit and vegetables. Vegetables are low in calories and full of important nutrients and fibre. Not eating sufficient fibre is associated with many cancers. People are often obsessed with eating enough protein, but it’s actually getting sufficient fibre that is important.
How can one ensure that a plant- based diet includes all the essential nutrients and sufficient protein? Not all vegans are healthy. If one follows a plant-based diet one should eat a variety of unprocessed fruit and vegetables. Balanced plant-based diets have sufficient protein. Protein is important because it plays a crucial role in almost all one’s biological processes. There are nine essential amino acids which contribute to the development of protein in the body and are vital in promoting wound repair and encouraging healthy tissue in muscles, bones, skin and hair. It is very rare to develop a protein deficiency. Plant-based diets are also full of fibre and nutrients that are not found in High-fat High protein (HFHP) diets. If one eats quinoa, buckwheat, chia seeds, soy or whey regularly, one can be assured of getting all the essential amino acids one needs.
Do you need to take supplements if you are on a plant-based diet?
 |
| thinkybites.com |
Do you need to take supplements if you are on a plant-based diet?
A small percentage of vegans may be at risk of a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 is found in animal products. It is usually in soil but since our soil is depleted it may be necessary to take B12 orally if one has been a vegan for many years.
Can anyone safely follow a plant-based diet?
Absolutely, provided that one includes lentils, soy and beans.
Can athletes eat plant-based diets without compromising their performance?There are many World title holders who follow a plant-based diet for instance tennis star Venus Williams, Formula One racing star Lewis Hamilton, ultra- marathon athlete, Rick Ralph and German strongman and bodybuilder Patrik Baboumian.
Why is there so much confusing information?
Can anyone safely follow a plant-based diet?
Absolutely, provided that one includes lentils, soy and beans.
Can athletes eat plant-based diets without compromising their performance?There are many World title holders who follow a plant-based diet for instance tennis star Venus Williams, Formula One racing star Lewis Hamilton, ultra- marathon athlete, Rick Ralph and German strongman and bodybuilder Patrik Baboumian.
Why is there so much confusing information?
One of the reasons could be that if you keep people confused, they will keep eating the same. Plant-based diets can also mean that one eats mostly plants but 10% of one’s diet is not. I often encourage patients to change to a plant-based diet even if they only manage to do so 80% of the time.
It is also important to note that the World Health Organisation has put processed meat in the same category as smoking and asbestos when it comes to cancer risk. It is not only the meat itself but the methods of processing. That’s why I strongly believe that one has to try and eat meat as the exception rather than the rule.
It is also important to note that the World Health Organisation has put processed meat in the same category as smoking and asbestos when it comes to cancer risk. It is not only the meat itself but the methods of processing. That’s why I strongly believe that one has to try and eat meat as the exception rather than the rule.
Comments
Post a Comment