“The Atlantic” lauded the exceptional health of Loma Linda residents in an online article February 4 titled “The Lovely Hill: Where People Live Longer and Happier.”
As an “idyllic community,” the article notes, Loma Linda leads the nation in longevity.
The story attributes this good health to lifestyle choices practiced by the Seventh-day Adventists who make up a high percentage of the population.
For many Adventists, these habits include being vegetarian, remaining active, eating lots of nuts and vegetables, and attending religious services—all of which are associated with better health. Many publications have noted these findings, which come from the federally funded Adventist Health Studies at Loma Linda University.
The “Atlantic” article goes a step farther, noting new findings from the Adventist Health Studies—just published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research—showing how foods affect emotion. The study looked at the consumption of more than 200 foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, oils, dairy, fish, commercial products, and beverages.
The results show that Adventists who eat foods typical of the Mediterranean diet—including fresh fruit, olive oil, nuts, legumes (not counting soy), and non-starchy vegetables—experience more positive and fewer negative mental states.
Conversely, those who ate foods more closely associated with a typical Western diet—such as red and processed meats, sweets, soda, and fast foods—experience fewer positive emotions. In women, a Western diet was correlated with negative emotion.
The “Atlantic” article—also featuring Adventist longevity stars Ellsworth Wareham and the late Marge Jetton—can be viewed at <www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/02/the-lovely-hill-where-people-live-longer-and-happier/272798/#>.