Quite a buzz on the web since Davy Jones died unexpectedly at 66. He had been a strict vegetarian and Runner for a long time. By all appearances he was the picture of health.
Dude died in his sleep and never knew what hit him.
Disclaimer: I have made an effort to reduce my meat intake over the years and will continue doing so. I can’t help but wonder if denying yourself the occasional cheeseburger and fried chicken is really worth it. I’m not suggesting a daily Big Mac & Fries or anything that stupid. But, in moderation an occasional Burger may not be that bad. Just something to consider. I’ll always eat some meat and even some fatty foods, but I do make an effort to keep it in moderation.
Google “davy jones vegetarian” and you’ll find a bunch more cites. The third hit is a runners forum where they discuss his running.
Certainly not all runners or all vegetarians, but runners and vegetarians in general tend to maintain healthier weight levels than the rest of the population, and being obese is a significant risk factor for all sorts of really bad stuff that leads to early mortality.
I’ve enjoyed cycling all my life. It gets the heart pumping pretty fast and burns a lot of calories. Cycling is fun because you can get out on rural back roads and see the scenery as you cycle.
i’ve always hated jogging or running. Bores the crap out of me. I’ll go out backpacking, but just walking or jogging in the city isn’t my thing.
My kid sister, an obese smoker who doesn’t run marathons by any stretch of the imagination, loves to say: “Eat well, exercise, die anyway.” I’m sure that would be her response to this bit of news.
I’m pretty sure you already hit on the answer in your OP: moderation. A hamburger once in a while likely won’t kill you, and running and healthy eating will likely keep you healthier in the long run. Everything is done at the group level, so what may benefit a group overall doesn’t necessarily mean that an individual in that group will reap all the rewards.
Exercise doesn’t have to be sweat inducing muscle building chores. Just walking every day does a surprising amount of good (NY Times link).
Also, it should be noted that the actual death part isn’t as much of a problem as the process of dying. Obesity, smoking, excessive drinking, etc could cause a person to have a much more unpleasant final years on earth than somebody who lived a healthy, active lifestyle.
First, he didn’t die in his sleep. He died at the hospital, after being found in his car by a ranch hand. He was conscious during the 911 call, and was complaining about not feeling well and having difficulty breathing.
Second, I wouldn’t paint him as the picture of health. He was an admittedly heavy drinker, which doesn’t get immediately offset by healthy lifestyle changes.
Third, he came across as an incredibly bitter man. I saw him in concert about a year or so ago, maybe a little more, and he was not only definitely still drinking, but his attitude was HORRIBLE. And he’s been like that publically for years- at the very least since their reunion tour. Carrying around that much emotional upset takes its toll on a body.
We should probably add something in about the age of his girlfriend and his recent bragging regarding same.
So I’d say it’s not so much that vegetarians and runners don’t live longer; I’d say it’s a good indication that diet and exercise aren’t the ONLY key to long life… hence the moderation thing.
Sometimes people who lead a healthy lifestyle die young. Sometimes people who lead an unhealthy lifestyle live to a ripe old age. This does not mean that leading a healthy lifestyle does not have health benefits. One data point does not a trend make.
Do you have canine teeth? Yes? Then you are a meat eater. Do not screw with evolution. Your body is the greatest, most powerful machine on the face of this planet for hunting, killing, and eating meat. It is the sole purpose of our existence. Do not try to deny it. That being said, you die when your genetics say you will die. No way to get around it.
Look, the Columbia space shuttle astronauts were physically fit too. And not everyone who is vegetarian or vegan is dong so for health reasons.
(Not sure why Runner is capitalized.)
Your body is a terrible system for hunting and killing. You need tools to be any good at it at all, you’re completely blind to scent, and you don’t see well in the dark. Every other predatory animal on earth is better equipped to hunt and kill than a human.
Some people just have rotten genetics. I used to know a skinny guy who was a good enough athlete to have made it to Olympic qualifying trials. He was older when I knew him, but still played squash five times a week, was stringy etc. He’d had double bypass surgery at 50 and had a stroke at 62.
Yup, it happens. My uncle knew he had a family history of heart disease, so he always kept himself in terrific shape. He ended up with bypass surgery of a rather severe variety around age 50 as well, I believe. He’s in his sixties now and still going strong.
