We are approaching the time of year when we contemplate, reflect, repent, seek out forgiveness from our fellow man and pray for a better future. We here in Israel certainly have no shortage of things to think about after the last two years. Still, one of the areas of life on which we also concentrate in the Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur period is health.
Traditionally, we always wish our fellow man a year of health and happiness. One of the principles of repentance is that no matter what has happened, you can always turn it around. Change is always possible. There is no limit on age or the degree of repentance one may require.
One can take the steps to start anew and pretty much erase our misdeeds of the past. By the time we are finished with Yom Kippur, we are starting over. So, how does that tie in with our health?
It’s never too late
Over the past years, I have had the privilege of helping people who have decided they wanted to change their lives. I personally have been very inspired by their hard work and dedication. Keep in mind that not one of these people turned their lives around overnight. It began with small but consistent steps that eventually turned into a new life experience.
Everyone can make a small change here and there in order to improve their quality of life and overall health. Those small changes can add up quickly and build into large-scale differences.
One of the things I always hear from people is that “I’m too far gone” or “I’m too old to change my health and reverse disease.” Nonsense! There is actually good science to dispute those statements. Let’s look at a very interesting study from 2022 that can set the record straight.
This study created a model of what might happen to a man’s or woman’s longevity if they replaced the standard American diet (SAD) which is focused on red meat and processed foods, with an “optimized diet” focused on eating less red and processed meat and more fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts.
Notice that the study did not require the participants to be completely whole-food plant-based (healthy vegan). It simply required a shift by adding a lot of the good food and reducing the bad stuff to lower intake levels.
The study was published in the PLOS Medicine journal. The verdict? If a woman began eating optimally at age 20, she could increase her lifespan by just over 10 years, while a man eating the healthier diet from age 20 could add 13 years to his life. What if I make these changes later in life?
By starting at age 60, a woman could still increase her lifespan by eight years, and a man at 60 years old might add nearly nine years to his life. Even 80-year-olds can benefit. A plant-based eating style could add about 3.5 years of extra life – all this just from these dietary changes.
Food is very impactful
Dr. David Katz is a lifestyle medicine specialist and head of the True Health Initiative. He commented on the study, saying, “The notion that improving diet quality would reduce the risk of chronic disease and premature death is long established, and it only stands to reason that less chronic disease and premature death means more life expectancy.”
Katz goes on to say that what the study calls an optimal diet is less than optimal but a huge improvement in diet. He conjectures that eating a truly optimal diet would bring even more impressive results.
In yet another study to model the future impact of a person’s change of diet, researchers from Norway used existing data from the Global Burden of Disease study. The largest gains in longevity were found from eating more legumes, which include beans, peas, and lentils; whole grains, which are the entire seed of a plant; and nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, and pistachios.
The evidence is very strong that positive nutritional changes can make a huge difference. However, only 12% of adults consume 1½ to two cups of fruit each day, which is the amount recommended. Also, only 10% of Americans eat the recommended two to three cups of vegetables each day, including legumes. About 50% of grain consumption should be whole grains, yet only 5% of adult Americans reach that goal.
The best way forward
In most aspects of life, taking giant steps in any direction generally is not a long-lasting way to achieve any goal. On the other hand, moving step by step but doing it consistently brings a better long-term and permanent result.
When it comes to weight loss through exercise and eating a healthy diet, this is always true. We need to look back and isolate the causes of bad health and, one at a time, start making the changes that over time will bring us to improved health and ultimately will add to our longevity and healthgevity (referring to health span, not just life span).
Take a look at your health habits and choose one or two that need improvement. Start slowly. Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet, cut back on cakes and junk food, and eat less animal protein. Perhaps you can get an additional ½ hour of sleep at night. Cut out late-night eating.
Substitute water for sugary or diet drinks. If you can schedule a daily walk, great, but if not, leave the car at home and start walking from place to place. Eventually, step by step, you can make all of these changes over time.
This is the season where we strive to change for the better. Don’t leave your health out of the equation. Start now – that way, you can manage throughout the holiday period. Waiting until after the holidays are over to get started would be a mistake. Avoid further damage by making the changes now.
During this holiday season, taking small steps, one at a time, to improve your health and well-being over the long term will “add hours to your days, days to your years, and years to your lives.”
The writer is a wellness coach and personal trainer with more than 25 years of professional experience. He is a member of the International Council of the True Health Initiative, the board of Kosher Plant Based, and director of The Wellness Clinic. alan@alanfitness.com