194_A Sustainable Life May Make You Live Longer

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 194

A Sustainable Life May Make You Live Longer

Did you know that globally we spend about $170 billion dollars a year on dietary supplements. The cosmetic surgery market is now worth $63 billion annually. We spend nearly $3,000 per year on entertainment. On average we spend 2 to 2 1/2 hours per day on social media.

We also eat a diet that is high in calories, fat, added sugars, and low in essential nutrients. Sadly nearly 20% of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes is attributed to poor diet. The incidence of multiple chronic diseases among adults is now 27.2 percent with 51.8% now having at least one chronic disease.

What this means is that ultimately many people live shorter lives than what they could.

So join me for episode 194 A Sustainable Life May Make You Live Longer.

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E194 Living Sustainably May Make Your Life Longer.

There are certain places around the world where people tend to live long lives, many of which live to be at least 100 years old. Extensive research has been put into finding the answers to why and how this is possible. During this episode we will look at some of the factors that contribute to a long life, compare that to the average lifestyle in the developed world and then look at how that compares to living sustainably.  But first let’s get a couple of other things out of the way before we get started.

Sustainability question of the week

What is fast fashion and is the garment industry environmentally friendly?

Good new story of the week

If you have been following me for a while then you know that I’ve talked a lot about the amount of waste in our culture. The one thing that is particularly concerning is the food waste simply because of the extensive environmental impact. On a positive note there are some really good people that recognize this as a significant challenge and are starting to set up food pantries and even grocery stores where people can shop for free. One such person is Brad Paisley and his wife Kimberly.   

Brad Paisley, a well known country singer, songwriter and guitarist who has release 12 studio albums and multiple other works, has dedicated a considerable amount of his time building and maintaining a grocery store in Nashville, Tennessee where people can shop for free. Now, after five years of work, he wants to open a second location.

In 2019 Brad first broke ground on store number one. However, there were some significant unexpected challenges. The doors opened in March 2020 but ten days later Nashville was hit by several tornados which left 70,000 residents without power. Then days after the tornado disaster, the COVID-19 pandemic shut downs started.

Almost overnight Brad and his wife Kimberly changed their business model. They developed a program offering curbside pickup and home delivery services particularly for the elderly.

The Store was a success and operations began to expand. Additional services included counseling services, budgeting, cooking classes, literacy training, pet care, back to school support and even music therapy. In November 2023 they even added a toy store in time for Christmas. These stores now routinely service over 400 families.

So, hats off and a standing ovation for the charity of the Paisley family and for teaching their children the value of service to their community.

Okay, let’s move right into this weeks episode.

There are several communities around the world where the chances of living to be 100 years old are 10% greater than any other place on the planet. Numerous researchers became curious as to how that was possible. They compared numerous lifestyle characteristics between a small communities in Costa Rica, Italy, California, Japan and another in Greece.

Although researchers noted that there were many unique characteristics to the lifestyles of residents in each of these locations, they also noted some distinct commonalities.

Eating in moderation

Many people that live longer lives tend to eat in moderation. In Okinawa, the elderly people follow the ancient rule of “Hara Hachi bu”, which means eating only until the stomach is 80% full. Scientific studies have shown that this translates into 10%  fewer calories than the current recommendation for the average adult. Somehow this seems to slow aging.

Long term studies have shown that people with calorie restricted diets have markedly lower risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. People even look younger. No one yet understands the mechanism of why this happens but it has been proposed that calorie restriction reduces the formation of toxic free radicals which can damage our cells. The other thing that is proposed is that the small bit of stress induced by caloric restriction seems to induce a protective mechanism at the cellular level.

This of course is the exact opposite of the standard diet in the developed world where we commonly eat an excess of calories. Not only that there are numerous cultural norms that seem to push us toward consuming in excess. Take for example portion sizes that we are commonly served in restaurants and even going to the drive thru. “Would you like to supersize that?” This is one of the reasons that globally the obesity rate is now well over 50% and in some parts of the developed world it is closer to 70%.

Eating the Right Things

The other obvious correlation is that the diets of people who live longer tend to be more plant based which leads to greater heart health. On the other hand the standard diet in much of the developed world is high in calories, fat, added sugars and low in essential nutrients.

Highly processed foods now make up approximately 65% of our caloric intake. We all want meals that are fast and easy with minimal preparation time. We now even have the convenience of not having to do our own shopping. We do our supermarket shopping online and pick up our groceries curbside. Most of us likely spend more time on social media than we do shopping and preparing our own meals

Furthermore we now spend 61% of our budgets on restaurant food which is higher in fat, cholesterol, salt, refined grains, and lower in fiber. It is almost always higher in calories. Plus we already know that the long term effects of maintaining this sort of diet are high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke and even cancer.

More than any, one study that I came across presented some very concerning information. The data used in this research came from 35,000 respondents, age 20 or more years. Study participants were followed on average of 8 years or more.  During that time there were 511 cardiovascular deaths and 638 deaths from cancer.

The conclusion of this study was that compared to those who dined out less than once a week, people who dined out two or more times per day were 50% more likely to die. Their risk was 18% greater for cardiovascular disease and 67% greater for cancer-related deaths.

On the flip side of this one of the best ways to be eco-friendly and sustainable in the kitchen is to cook from scratch. This is far more healthy because you can control exactly what goes into your food. You are starting with fresh ingredients. You can control your calorie consumption, eliminate chemicals and preservatives,  and save a considerable amount of money. You also eliminate all the extra packaging, processing and shipping required to produce frozen or prepackaged convenience foods.

As I have said so many times, the list of things I no longer purchase at the supermarket keeps getting longer and longer.

Regular exercise

Another interesting correlation with those that lived longer was regular exercise. At times, this is a by product of where people lived. One community that contains a high ratio of centenarians is in an incredibly mountainous region. Because of that people have no choice but to get regular exercise just from walking around the community. They were athletes just because of their environment.

However, in places such as Okinawa, Japan those that lived the longest were also physically active. This may be the result of walking everyday to tending a garden. The point is that they are getting a moderate amount of exercise every single day.

Interestingly enough, for most of human existence people had to be physically active just to carry out the basic functions of life. Hunting, gathering and cultivating food kept people active. The bottom line is that the people that live the longest are getting regular exercise. There is truly an enormous amount of literature that points to a multitude of benefits connected to regular physical activity. Furthermore, the sheer volume of research reveals that regular physical activity prevents, ameliorates or delays numerous detrimental health conditions.

For example, regular exercise reduces blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, helps to prevent diabetes, and may even reduce your risk of cancer. It also supports brain health, reduces depression and anxiety, improves arthritic conditions, strengthens bones and muscles,  improves your sleep and helps to control your body weight. 

Compare this to our modern culture. Technology may have made our lives easier but we also get substantially less exercise. Most children these days spend most of their time indoors playing video games.  We can have most things with the flip of a switch. We no longer have to hunt or gather our food. In fact, we can now do our grocery shopping online and pick it up curbside. While gardening used to be the way people survived it is now a leisure activity. Less than 1% of our population now lives on farms.

Now compare this to a sustainable lifestyle, which in my opinion is a closer comparison to how life was in the 1800s. In most cases, if you truly try to live a simple life and manage as many of your resources as possible, you are going to have to do some work. Between raising animals for food, planting a garden, maintaining a solar array, plus maybe even hauling water and cutting firewood, it seems sometimes as if the work never ends. But the best part of all this is that you are working outside a great deal of the time.

These are all the things I do on a regular basis. From cutting and hauling firewood to carrying two 5 gallon buckets of water, I never seem to have a shortage of manual labor to do. This is why I never go to a gym. I don’t have to.

Protecting your DNA

The end result of the two habits listed above is that research has shown that proper diet and regular exercise protects our DNA. As we age, the ends of our chromosomes become shorter. This makes us more likely to become ill. It has been shown that lifestyle changes can boost the enzyme that makes our chromosomes longer. That bottom line here is that healthy habits may very well slow aging at the cellular level.

Spiritual Connection

Another observation that is equally as important as diet and exercise is the social lives and connections that people have in their community. Centenarians tend to live in communities that are  highly integrated.

Numerous research projects have shown again and again that a sense of social connection helps to reduce the effects of stress. Furthermore, the responsibility of maintaining those relationships promotes greater overall mental and physical activity. In fact, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a

psychologist at Brigham Young University, in Provo, Utah, found that the quality of our relationships are as important to our health as exercise and diet.

One commonality in these communities of centenarians is spiritual connection. While religious practices vary, participation in such a community provides an improved sense of purpose and provides solace during difficult times. Both of these appear to add between one to five year to the life of believers.

However, even if you do not have such religious connections or beliefs, participation in community supported events, social support from like-minded individuals, and even spending time in nature is thought to produce the same benefits.

But our modern day communities are the exact opposite. As more and more people move their lives into urban areas, fewer and fewer people even know their next door neighbor. People are more frequently crowded into high density housing which seems to promote conflict more than it does a sense of community. We would rather spend more time on social media than have a face-to-face conversation with the neighbor. A significant percent of people are now completely detached from any sense of belonging to their family, friends, workplace, and local and national communities.

I will be the first to admit that over the years that I’ve been at the cabin there have been some significant challenges. But despite living in the middle of the forest, we have a very strong sense of community. This is one of the reasons we continue to live where we do.  Now because we are all very spread out, it may be weeks, and sometimes even months, before we will see one another. But when we do it is as if we saw each other just last week.

Despite not seeing each other on a weekly basis, if any one person in this small community ever needs anything, more than one person is willing to jump in and help. This is especially important since we all live in an area where services are non-existent or it may take hours for any sort of help to arrive. All I have to do to get almost immediate help is to call or text someone and they will be there in a short period of time. This of course adds an additional layer of security since we live somewhat isolated.

I have concluded that one of the best things about our off-grid, sustainable lifestyle is our sense of community and the small group of friends that we’ve know for years  Whoever thought that is one of the things that makes people live longer.

Conscientiousness may also help you live longer.

It has long been known that people who keep an active mind tend to live longer. Reading, learning, and mentally challenging yourself actually has positive health benefits. One 80-year study found that people who paid attention to detail, thought things through, and tried to do the right things, tend to live longer.  A different study found that kids who were persistent, organized, and disciplined tend to live 11% longer than their less conscientious counterparts. So, self discipline, organization and goal-oriented behavior are also linked to a longer life.

Compared to our technology driven culture, we now have very few challenges to over come. We can have anything we want, any time we want simply by clicking a few buttons on our laptop. Some of the most basic life skills are no longer necessary because we feel as if all we have to do is look it up on the internet

Compare this to trying to live sustainably and manage as many of your resources as possible. In my last episode on the integration of core life skills and sustainability, I talked a lot about how creativity and ingenuity will become your best friends. Having this sort of a lifestyle basically means you can never take anything for granted. You have to always think, plan ahead, be organized. These are the very things and habits that may make you live longer.

Weight management

Maintaining an appropriate body weight goes right long with all the other things we have been discussing. Numerous studies have shown that staying fit and trim will protect you from diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions that can take years off your life. So, eat more fiber and stay fit and trim.

Interestingly enough, a diet that keeps you fit and trim is the same diet you would maintain if you were attempting to eat as sustainably as possible.

The moderation principle

Now there are numerous other things that have been shown to increase your life span. All of these things have to do with developing healthy habits. It has long been known that things such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol is related to chronic disease and early death. But less subtle things that we often do not think about such as chronic stress, lack of social connections and lack of any close intimate relationship, no sense of purpose, chronic anger and negativity, lack of sleep and proper rest are additional things that have been shown to decrease your life expectancy.

So, I suggest that you take a close look at the average modern day lifestyle and see if you actually fit into that mold.  Despite our technological advances that are suppose to make our lives easier we are busier and more stressed than ever. We are so connected  that we are constantly distracted with  emails, voicemails, text messages, and other social media outlets that we have little time to ourselves. We go out with friends and hardly talk to them because we are so distracted with our smart phones.

Furthermore, we are constantly encouraged to consume more, buy more, eat more. We are so tied up from day-to-day that we barely have the time for a home cooked meal. We resort to restaurant food, fast food and pre-packaged foods. All of these are highly processed foods with increased calories, fat and added sugars while being low in essential nutrients. Our most common food groups are cake, cookies, muffins, breads, fried foods, pizza, burgers, chips and crackers. One study I read concluded that the most common vegetable consumed was

French fries.

All the while many of us are waiting for the discovery of some magic anti-aging elixir or superfood that will cure our ills. All the while the answer is right in front of us.

Mean while areas of the world where people are noted to have exceptional longevity live a life of moderation. The answer is not a single magic ingredient but a combination of factors. They eat moderately and maintain a diet loaded with fruits and vegetables. They get plenty of exercise. They drink coffee and tea. They build and maintain strong social connections and find time for spiritual solace whether that is church or time spent in nature.

It is often said that the average person is the sum of the five people they spend the most time with. In addition to that our cultural environment and social  norms exerts a tremendous amount of pressure on all of us that inevitably affects our personal values. This is something we have to learn to step away from. Focusing on living a simple sustainable life can help you do that and it may even help you live longer.

The longer I live the way I do the more people I meet that either have or want the same lifestyle. These are people that want to be independent, self reliant, self sufficient and free from all the rush, stress and poor life management that is often associated with modern society and culture. This just further encourages me to keep doing what I am doing.

You know I am likely just as stressed as the next person while having to deal with traffic going to and from work. However, once I get home I enjoy long-range mountain views, no neighbors, and a whole lot of peace and quiet. I often wonder what the world would be like if more people had the opportunity to enjoy the things that are an everyday part of my life.

So, let’s start closing out this episode by answering the sustainability question of the week.

What is fast fashion and is the garment industry environmentally friendly?

Fast fashion is the result of our insatiable desire to have the “latest and greatest” clothing trend.

This term refers to inexpensively produced garments that copy the latest styles. The “fast-fashion” model involves rapid design, production, distribution and marketing so that retailers are able to have a larger variety of clothing available to consumers at a lower price.

According to the United Nations Environment Program, the fashion industry a global basis is the second largest consumer of water and is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions. That is more that all international flights and maritime shipping combined. Even washing these clothes releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the oceans every year. This is the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.

Likely you remember when I questioned if there was anything I could do that had zero impact on the planet. My conclusion was “no”. As with most things our choices do make a difference. And that includes the clothes that you purchase. So make choices that are environmentally friendly.

So to start closing our this episode I just want to emphasize that having a longer life is truly the result of multiple factors. But the things that contribute to being on this planet for many years also encompass numerous principles of sustainability.

There is no doubt that if we humans want to survive on this planet much longer, we have to change much of what we are doing. But the only thing you can truly control is how you manage your own life. In my opinion if you want to live longer then live sustainably.

Well folks that’s it for now. I truly hope you have enjoyed this episode and it has give you yet another reason to live a sustainable life. As you have so often heard me say our choice make changes. By living sustainably you can change your mental healthy, your physical health and you just may live a bit longer.

Until next week, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.