Vegan diets are wonderful for various reasons. One of those reasons is that it helps slow down aging and curbs a lot of otherwise harmful effects that come with aging. In addition, cutting out meat and animal products and replacing them with more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes does wonders for the body. Read on to learn more about how eating a vegan diet can help you age gracefully.
It Encourages Activity
A significant reason the vegan diet can also help you age more gracefully is that, for many, it’s much more than a diet—it’s a lifestyle. On top of eating plant-based foods and not supporting animal agriculture, vegans try to shift more of their spending away from big-chain stores and toward supporting local farmers. Additionally, they also try and grow a lot of their own food. Changes like these result in increased activity levels and quality sun exposure, providing people with vitamin D. Eating vegan won’t necessarily make you more active, but it encourages it.
It Helps Your Eyes
One of the most important things a vegan diet can help with as you age is your eyes. The eyes are one of the first parts of the body that deteriorate, and as people’s visions worsen, they may end up with conditions such as glaucoma. There are a lot of challenges with treating glaucoma, so people must do everything they can to keep their bodies and eyes healthy, and a great way to do that is by eating vegan. A vegan diet rich in fruits and vegetables contains a lot of antioxidants, nitrates, and carotenes, all of which help combat eye conditions.
It Lowers the Risk of Age-Associated Diseases
As you age, your body becomes more prone to diseases. These diseases arise because of a multitude of reasons, and one of those is your diet. The Global Burden of Disease Study found in 2017 that a low intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains combined with a high intake of processed meats led to increased disease risk factors. Additionally, in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified processed meat as a group one human carcinogen, meaning that it can cause cancer in humans. Diseases are hard to avoid, but eating a vegan diet helps keep them at bay.
Eating a vegan diet can help you age gracefully, but there are also many more benefits to going vegan. On top of your body feeling healthier, you can also have a clear consciousness as you are doing everything you can to combat animal agriculture and climate change. Aging is a tough process full of trials and tribulations, but it’s much easier when you do it as a vegan!
