How long can you live with a healthy diet

According to the results of a large-sample cohort study published by the Harvard School of Public Health in PLOS Medicine in 2023, if you adhere to a proven healthy eating pattern such as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet for a long time from the age of 20, compared with a long-term diet pattern that is high in oil and sugar and eats a lot of processed foods, the average life expectancy of men can be extended by 13 years, and that of women can be extended by 10.7 years. For all age groups, the average gain ranges from 3 to 10 years. However, there has never been a precise fixed value for each individual.

I have been a community nutrition guide for almost 6 years, and I have a deeper understanding of this research conclusion than cold numbers. A few years ago, I met a 63-year-old retired truck driver named Uncle Li. In his early years, when he was running long distances, he relied on braised meat and instant noodles to satisfy his hunger. He also had the habit of drinking two ounces of white wine every day. When he was found to have high blood pressure and high blood lipids, his carotid arteries already had obvious plaques. The doctor at that time assessed that his risk of stroke within five years was over 30%. Later, he slowly adjusted his diet according to our guidance: half of the polished rice and white noodles were mixed with whole grains such as oats and quinoa, and he ate at least half a pound of dark green vegetables every day. The processed braised meat he used to eat was replaced by high-quality proteins such as steamed fish and boiled shrimp, and he also reduced his liquor consumption to no more than once a week. Last year for his 70th birthday, he specially gave birthday peaches to our site. He said that now he can climb the third floor without breathing, and the plaques have shrunk a lot during the physical examination. Among the three old friends who ran long distances with him, one died of a cerebral hemorrhage a few years ago, and the other has been paralyzed in bed for more than two years.

Of course, I often encounter residents who retort with examples, saying that their ancestors ate bacon and drank liquor all the time, and still lived to be over ninety. This situation does exist objectively. The academic community has not yet reached a unified conclusion on the weight of diet in factors affecting lifespan: some studies believe that genetics can account for more than 50% of the impact on lifespan, and diet is only one of many auxiliary factors; other studies believe that among all controllable non-genetic factors, the contribution of diet can be ranked first, with a higher weight than exercise and work and rest.

In fact, to put it bluntly, this is just like wearing a seat belt when driving on a rainy day. Just because you wear a seat belt does not mean that you will be unscathed in an accident, but the probability of serious injury or death can be greatly reduced. Healthy eating essentially helps you reduce the risk of contracting various chronic diseases and malignant diseases. It does not give you some kind of "immortality insurance", and there is no way to guarantee how long you will live.

And to be honest, many people are obsessed with "how many more years to live" and instead ignore the core value of healthy eating - improving the quality of life while you are alive. I have seen many elderly people who have just turned 60 and are suffering from gout and diabetes. They cannot eat or move, and rely on wheelchairs to go out. I have also seen elderly people in their 80s who can still carry their own vegetable baskets to the vegetable market, and go hiking with their old friends on weekends. The difference between the two conditions is much more substantial than living two or three more years.

By the way, don’t turn healthy eating into a source of anxiety. Drinking a cup of milk tea will shorten your life for a week, and eating boiled vegetables every day is healthy. This extreme perception can easily induce eating disorders and harm the body. A truly healthy diet is a long-term, moderate adjustment. Occasionally craving for hot pot or a glass of iced drink is nothing. A long-term overall diet structure is better than anything else.