by In Loma Linda, California, there is a group of Seventh-day Adventists who tend to live and thrive for up to 10 years longer than their fellow Americans. They don’t all make it to 100, but they tend to be in reasonably good health for longer than most people in the US. That’s why it is called “Blue Belt.”
Food seems to be a big part of the winning Adventist strategy. Adventists prioritize plants in their diet like beans, vegetables, and whole grains, and generally don’t eat a ton of meat or junk food.
But a new study of more than 88,000 Adventists across North America offers a caveat. The new research suggests that while vegetarian diets are generally good for overall human health, they may not be the best deal for an aging brain.
“Although the vegetarian diet is doing a lot of good things, once it delivers people up into their 80s, it looks like some improvement is possible,” Gary Fraser, an Adventist cardiologist and public health researcher who lives in Loma Linda , said Insider Business. “Maybe it’s not the meat of course, but it could be.”
Fraser’s new study showed that vegetarian Adventists living into their 80s and beyond suffered slightly higher rates of strokes, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease than other Adventists who ate some meat.
He has developed a two-part weekly plan for his own brain health based on his own research. Includes one daily supplement and one repeat menu item.
You like to be a vegetarian in your early years
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Vegetarian and vegan diets – especially those based on beans and whole grains – are great for lowering the risks of life-threatening illnesses.
“We’re kind of used to the vegetarians doing well at everything,” Fraser said. “We have very good evidence that, in general, vegetarian diets are very good at preventing a significant number of what we might call ‘premature deaths’ in the 50s, 60s, b’ maybe in the early 70s.”
Even in old age, a good anti-inflammatory vegetarian diet can lower the odds of kidney failure, infectious disease, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease, Fraser’s latest study found.
So eating red meat or ultra-processed poultry every single day is not a longevity solution. Research suggests the opposite is true for most of us: swapping a few portions of bacon here and there or regular hot dogs for some beans and whole grains would improve our cognitive health.
Fraser suspects that what’s going on with the aging brain and meat consumption data may come down, at least in part, to an absorption issue. As we age, our bodies become less efficient at converting essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids from the nuts or oil we eat into the brain food we need to thrive.
“A lack of long-chain omega-3s in the elderly could be part of the problem,” he hypothesized.
This does not mean that the average meat eater’s diet is beneficial for brain health. Fraser’s team only studied Adventists, people who (generally) have a healthier, more nutrient-dense diet than most people.
All in all, it’s still hard to argue with the existing body of evidence suggesting that leaning into more vegetarian options, including plenty of leafy green vegetables, is great for brain health. colorful vegetables, and a generous dollop of olive oil, and it’s definitely better than what researchers do. refer to it as the “standard American diet” SAD, which is high in cakes, snacks and ultra-processed sugary drinks, but low in nutrition.
This doctor’s winning weekly routine includes fish and one supplement – the same pill makes longevity love
Many longevity doctors take Vitamin D. Science Photo Library/Getty Images
At home in California, Fraser, a practicing Adventist in his late 70s, follows a fairly simple weekly routine. It doesn’t usually include much red meat or any dairy, but there are two core components it mentions that focus on preserving brain health.
First, there is the fish. Fraser recommends aiming for about two meals a week that include some form of fatty fish, with plenty of omega-3s. Do you have a personal favorite?
“My favorite is salmon,” he said. But sardines, herring, anchovies and trout are also nice choices.
Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for keeping our brains healthy. Previous research has already suggested strong links between omega-3 consumption and better cognition. One 2022 study found that middle-aged adults who regularly consume omega-3 have better abstract reasoning and that the areas of their brain responsible for learning and memory are physically larger.
Fatty fish, meat and eggs are also rich in the nutrient choline. Choline keeps our cells healthy, and helps with memory, mood, and overall brain function. Although there is a good dose of it in soybeans and potatoes, it tends to be abundant in meat items such as chicken, beef, eggs, and fish.
“Choline is another very important chemical in brain tissue,” he said. “And again, vegetarians don’t get much of that.”
In addition to regular portions of fish, Fraser takes 4000-5000 IU of vitamin D per day – more than five times the recommended daily dose for his age group (800 IU). Many other longevity physicians and public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, also say they take large doses of vitamin D. Fraser says he feels comfortable with such a large dose because he knows that our ability to absorb vitamin D from the sun decreases with age. In addition, as well as being good for bone health, there is some evidence that vitamin D is good for preserving brain function.
But Fraser says generally, people under 70 don’t need to worry about all this. As we age, the way the body works and absorbs nutrients changes.
It’s not entirely clear why yet, but Fraser says: “by the time you get to age 75 or so, you’d be wise to add some fish until we know better.”