Just Eat It

New planetary health diet. Same me.

The verdict is out: eating less meats and sugars and more fruits and veggies will rule out a premature death surprising almost… no one. It still needed to be said, however, as global news outlet TicTok by Bloomberg deemed it necessary. Scientists call it the “planetary health diet” because it could also help our planet as well which is quite the bonus for me and other environmentalists. Though I might need a bit more convincing to truly embrace this new diet and so should you.

For those who have not heard the world’s oldest man, Masazo Nonaka, passed away last Sunday, January 20th. He was 113 years old which is over 30 years older than the average life expectancy of a man in the United States. This could be for a number of reasons such as the fact that he was born and raised in Japan where life expectancy is higher. Many probably suspected he had a well-balanced, healthy diet that would aide to his years. I thought so, at least until I read a CNN article about Nonaka where they included his love for sweets and cakes. I don’t blame him, most people do love their sweets, but the article went on to say he ate them very often.

Now, according to the “planetary health diet” eating lots of junk food would be a huge no-no, so how exactly did the world’s oldest man get away with such a scandalous habit? I can’t be sure, but I suspect that changing your diet drastically according to the latest health craze might not be the only answer to a long and fulfilling life. I believe a person’s happiness in doing the things they love is quite the factor in becoming a healthy individual. In short don’t be quick to throw away your love for whatever meaty meat or yummy sweet you desire because, while it is good to eat your vegetables and have some fruit, it is bad to deny what makes you happy in the first place.