You Are What You (Don't) Eat

It turns out that what people aren't eating is killing them. A recent study in JAMA found that about 45% of all deaths among subjects in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from some of the most common chronic diseases - type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease - can be contributed to poor intakes of fruits, vegetables, seafood derived omega-3 fats, nuts and whole grains. Too much sodium, sugar-sweetened drinks and processed meats like bacon were also found to raise the risk of enjoying fewer birthdays. Now I can feel even better about my daily salad, adding a generous handful of blueberries and almonds to my breakfast oatmeal and grabbing a few cans of sardines every time I visit the grocery store.