In Loma Linda, Calif., 85-year-old Loida Medina played a couple of hours of take-no-prisoners pickleball (she’s got a wicked backhand), while Glenn and Jodee Nichols, 94 and 78, went to the gym for a workout.
These kinds of activities are the norm in this region of San Bernardino County, particularly among the several thousand Seventh-day Adventists who constitute about a third of the population. And researchers say their lifestyles, centered on faith, community and a sense of purpose, lead to lower rates of chronic disease and greater longevity.
kAm%96 A96?@>6?@? :D?’E ?6H[ 2?5 E96 C6A@CE:?8 8@6D 324< >2?J J62CD] qFE x’G6 366? >62?:?8 E@ 8@ 92G6 2 =@@< 7@C >JD6=7 D:?46 x DE2CE65 HC:E:?8 23@FE 28:?8 π y2?F2CJ[ 2?5 E9:D D66>65 =:<6 2 8@@5 E:>6[ H:E9 {@>2 {:?52 p5G6?E:DED π E96 DA@E=:89E 282:? 27E6C E96 C6=62D6 @7 2 }6E7=:I 5@4F>6?E2CJ D6C:6D]k^Am
kAmβ{:G6 E@ `__i %96 $64C6ED @7 E96 q=F6 +@?6Dβ 6IA=@C6D {@>2 {:?52[ 2=@?8 H:E9 D>2== 4@>>F?:E:6D π ~<:?2H2[ $2C5:?:2 2?5 r@DE2 #:42[ 2D H6== 2D E96 vC66< :D=2?5 @7 x<2C:2] p== 92G6 366? :56?E:7:65 3J }2E:@?2= v6@8C2A9:4 6IA=@C6C 2?5 36DE\D6==:?8 2FE9@C s2? qF6EE?6C 2D A=246D H96C6 =:76 6IA64E2?4J 8@6D @77 E96 492CED]k^Am
kAm%96 β3=F6β C676CD E@ 2 C6D62C496C’D >2C
kAmβ~z[ :EβD w\u\u] w62=E9[ 72>:=J 2?5 72:E9[β |65:?2 E@=5 >6 27E6C 2 >@C?:?8 @7 A:4<=632== D9@H5@H?D H:E9 A=2J6CD :?4=F5:?8 96C D@?[ tC?:6[ 2?5 @E96CD J@F?8 6?@F89 E@ 36 96C 8C2?549:=5C6?]k^Am
kAmx 2D<65 E96 C6E:C65 A9JD:4:2? :7 D96'D 364@>6 D@>6E9:?8 @7 2 46=63C:EJ π {@>2 {:?52 27E6C 36:?8 762EFC65 π E96 5@4F>6?E2CJ[ π H9:49 D96 π 2D D<:==7F= 2E H9:AA:?8 FA G686E2C:2? >62=D 2D D96 π 4C24<:?8 A:4<=6 32==D]k^Am
kAmβp =:EE=6 3:E[ J629[β D96 D2:5 H:E9 2 D9J D>:=6]k^Am
kAmv=6?? 2?5 y@566 }:49@=D D2:5 72:E9 π A2C2>@F?E π E96:C =:G6D[ 2?5 E92E 962=E97F= =:G:?8 π 46?EC2= E@ E96:C 36=:67D 2D $6G6?E9\52J p5G6?E:DED] y@566 D2:5 3C62<72DE E92E >@C?:?8 4@?D:DE65 @7 D6G6? 5:776C6?E 7CF:ED[ H9:49 E96J ?2>65[ 2?5 H9@=6\8C2:? 46C62= H:E9 D@J >:=<] p7E6C 3C62<72DE[ E96J H6?E E@ 2 32=2?46 2?5 DE23:=:EJ 4=2DD 2?5 7@==@H65 E92E FA H:E9 2 962=E9 D4C66?:?8 @776C65 3J ?FCD:?8 D49@@= DEF56?ED]k^Am
kAm%96J H6C6 A=62D65 H:E9 E96 C6DF=ED]k^Am
you”(6==[ 96βD hc[ 2?5 9:D 962=E9 286 π H92Enβ y@566 2D<65 96C 9FD32?5]k^Am
kAmβt:89E\7:G6[β v=6?? D2:5]k^Am
kAmβx’> fg[β y@566 D2:5[ 3FE 27E6C E96 ?FCD6D 4964<65 96C G:E2=D 2?5 AFE 96C E9C@F89 D@>6 DEC6?8E9 E6DED[ D96 H2D E@=5 D96βD 7:E 2D J@FC 2G6C286 f`\J62C\@=5]k^Am
kAmpG6C286 &]$]=:76 6IA64E2?4J 4=:>365 2 3:E π a_aa[ E@ ffΒ½[ 27E6C 5C@AD 5FC:?8 E96 96:89E @7 E96 A2?56>:4] qFE :E DE:== =28D 369:?5 D6G6C2= @E96C 56G6=@A65 4@F?EC:6D[ 2C8F23=J 3642FD6 H6βC6 DF49 2 D656?E2CJ[ 72DE\7@@5 ?2E:@?[ >F49 @7 H9:49 =:G6D H6== @FED:56 E96 q=F6 +@?6]k^Am
kAm%96C6’D 366? 2 8@@5 2>@F?E @7 AFD9324< @G6C E96 J62CD @? E96 q=F6 +@?6 A96?@>6?@?]$<6AE:4D 92G6 2C8F65 E92E E96 52E2 2C6 @FE52E65 @C @G6CD:>A=:7:65[ @C E92E E96C6βD =:EE=6 D4:6?46 369:?5 =@?86G:EJ 4=2:>D 2?5 E96 >2C<6E:?8 @7 E96>[ 6G6? 2D q=F6 +@?6 =:76DEJ=6 AC24E:46D 2C6 36:?8 :>A=6>6?E65 π >F=E:A=6 4@>>F?:E:6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 36249 E@H?D @7 w6C>@D2[ |2?92EE2? 2?5 #65@?5@]k^Am
kAm&$r 86C@?E@=@8J AC@76DD@C y@9? (2=D9 3C:?8D D@>6 ?F2?46 E@ E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?]~?E96 @?6 92?5[ 96 E9:?<D J@Fβ5 ?665 2 C@F?5 @C EH@ @7 D4:6?46\32D65 DEF5J E@ G6C:7J 2== E96 4=2:>D 23@FE q=F6 +@?6 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am
kAmβ{@?86G:EJ C6D62C49 π 2 C62= D=:AA6CJ D=@A6[ H:E9 H2J E@@ >2?J C6D62C496CD 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5 42D9:?8 π @? 9F>2?:EJβD 762C @7 28:?8[ 7C2:=EJ 2?5 562E9[β (2=D9 D2:5]k^Am
kAmp?5 J6E 96 92D D66? 7:CDE92?5 D@>6 @7 E96 36?67:ED @7 E96 4F=EFC6 π }@D2C2[ E96 r@DE2 #:42? q=F6 +@?6 4@>>F?:EJ[ 92G:?8 E2F89E 2 86C@?E@=@8J 4=2DD E96C6] (2=D9 D2:5 =@42=D H2=< 2D 2 7@C> @7 EC2?DA@CE2E:@?[ H@C< H:E9 E96:C 92?5D 2?5 62E 7@@5 E96J 8C@H E96>D6=G6D] |2?J 2C6 A@@C[ 96 D2:5[ 3FE C:49 π D@4:2= 4@??64E:@?D 2?5 D6?D6 @7 4@>>F?:EJ[ 2?5 96βD 366? DECF4< 3J E96 ?F>36C @7 C6D:56?ED =:G:?8 :?E@ E96:C h_D 2?5 36J@?5]k^Am
kAm#62D@?23=6 A6@A=6 42? 5:D28C66 23@FE DA64:7:4 q=F6 +@?6 4=2:>D[ 3FE x E9:?< >@DE @7 FD 42? 28C66 E92E H6 92G6 D@>6 AC6EEJ F?962=E97F= 923:ED[ :?4=F5:?8 A@@C 5:6ED[ E@@ >F49 :D@=2E:@? 2?5 9:89 C2E6D @7 2G@:523=6 5:D62D6] x? 2 A9@?6 4@?G6CD2E:@?[ qF6EE?6C E2=<65 23@FE E96 p>6C:42? 962=E942C6 :?5FDECJβD 7@4FD @? EC62E:?8 :==?6DD β 2?5 AC@7:E:?8 7C@> :E β C2E96C E92? AC6G6?E:?8 :E]k^Am
kAmβx7 H6 H2?E 2 962=E9:6C p>6C:42[ H6 ?665 E@ C6D92A6 E96 6?G:C@?>6?E[β D2:5 qF6EE?6C[ 2 =:76=@?8 4J4=:DE H9@βD ?@E 3:8 @? 8J> >6>36CD9:AD 2?5 725 5:6ED 3FE π 3:8 @? H2=<:?8 @C A652=:?8 2?5[ :7 A@DD:3=6[ 62E:?8 @FE @7 J@FC @H? 82C56?]k^Am
kAmx? {@>2 {:?52[ E96C6 24EF2==J π 6G:56?46 @7 E96 p5G6?E:DE 25G2?E286] sC]v2CJ uC2D6C[ 2 42C5:@=@8:DE[ 6A:56>:@=@8:DE 2?5 AC@76DD@C 2E {@>2 {:?52 &?:G6CD:EJβD D49@@= @7 AF3=:4 962=E9[ =65 >6 E9C@F89 E96 7:?5:?8D @7 2? p5G6?E:DE w62=E9 DEF5J @7 r2=:7@C?:2 p5G6?E:DED[ C6DF=ED @7 H9:49 H6C6 AF3=:D965 π a__`[ 2?5 2? @?8@:?8 DEF5J @7 he[___ p5G6?E:DED π E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D]k^Am
kAmβ(6’G6 @H? 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6 E92E π 4@>A2C:D@? E@ E96 4@>>F?:EJ 2E =2C86[ p5G6?E:DED 2C6 =:G:?8 D@>6H96C6 36EH66? 7:G6 2?5 `_ J62CD =@?86C[β uC2D6C D2:5[ H:E9 D:8?:7:42?E=J =@H6C C2E6D @7 5:236E6D[ 962CE 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 @E96C 49C@?:4 5:D62D6D[ 2?5 96 E@=5 >6 E96 7:?5:?8D 92G6 366? A66C C6G:6H65]k^Am
kAmuC2D6C D2:5 G686E2C:2? p5G6?E:DED 925 D:K23=6 962=E9 2?5 =@?86G:EJ 25G2?E286D @G6C >62E\62E:?8 p5G6?E:DED[ 2=E9@F89 E96 =2EE6C 8C@FA DE:== 5:5 36EE6C E92? E96 86?6C2= A@AF=2E:@?] x? E96 DEF5J @7 r2=:7@C?:2 p5G6?E:DED[ E9@D6 H9@ 925 ?6G6C D>@<65[ >2:?E2:?65 2 962=E9J H6:89E[ 6I6C4:D65 2?5 2E6 2 A=2?E\32D65 5:6E H:E9 =@ED @7 =68F>6D 2?5 ?FED 925 2 =:76 6IA64E2?4J 25G2?E286 @7 C@F89=J 2 564256]k^Am
kAmx’> ?@ D4:6?E:DE[ 3FE x E9:?< =@?86G:EJ 2G6C286D 42? 86E C62==J 4@>A=:42E65] (92E 23@FE DEC6DD[ 2:C BF2=:EJ[ :?4@>6[ 65F42E:@?[ 4C:>6 C2E6D[ 2446DD E@ 8@@5 42C6nk^Am
kAmqFE π {@>2 {:?52[ x 7@F?5 2 =@E E@ =:<6 23@FE 2 4F=EFC6 @7 C6G6C6?46[ 5:D4:A=:?6 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ\>:?565?6DD] x7 A6@A=6 5@ :?5665 =:G6 =@?86C E96C6[ :E DECF4< >6 E92E E96 7:G6 <6JD 2C6 C68F=2C 6I6C4:D6[ 962=E97F= 62E:?8[ 56G@E:@? E@ 72>:=J 2?5 6DA64:2==J 6=56CD[ 2 D6?D6 @7 AFCA@D6 3F:=E 2C@F?5 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 8:G:?8[ 2?5 2 DA:C:EF2= =:76]k^Am
kAm$2EFC52J π E96 $2332E9[ |65:?2 D2:5[ 2 52J @7 C6DE 2?5 C67=64E:@?[ H:E9 ?@ DFCC6?56C E@ E96 D65F4E:@?D @7 E96 H:C65 H@C=5] %96 72>:=J 82E96CD[ AC6A2C6D 2 >62=[ AC2JD 2?5 E2=<D] p?5 G@=F?E66C:D> π 2 3:8 A2CE @7 E96 =:76DEJ=6[ D96 D2:5] |65:?2 G@=F?E66CD 2D 2 4@?46CE 92== FD96C 2?5 2 7F?5C2:D6C 7@C 49FC49 AC@;64ED]k^Am
kAmpE E96 {@>2 {:?52 |2C<6E[ H9:49 D6==D ?@ >62E @C 2=4@9@=[ |2CE92 2?5 s2??J !6C6K[ 2 C6E:C65 ?FCD6 2?5 82C56?6C[ 925 D@>6 G682? 9@E 5@8D :? E96:C 42CE] W%96J D2:5 E92E H9:=6 E96J 86?6C2==J 62E 2 962=E97F= 5:6E[ E96J 7:?5 32<6CJ >2?286C v:=36CE {@A6KβD 49@4@=2E6 ACF?6 42<6 :CC6D:DE:3=6]Xk^Am
kAm%96 !6C6K6D E@=5 >6 2?5 %:>6D A9@E@8C2A96C v6?2C@ |@=:?2 E96J A=2J D2I@A9@?6 E@86E96C π 49FC49[ H96C6 7@C E96>[ 72:E9[ 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 G@=F?E66C:D> :?E6CD64E] q67@C6 J@F 6H :E[ H6 H6C6 2== E@86E96C :? E96 =:G:?8 C@@> @7 E96:C ?62C3J 9@>6]k^Am
kAmβ%92E’D @FC 8C62E\8C2?552F89E6C[β s2??J D2:5[ A@:?E:?8 E@ 2 A9@E@]k^Am
kAmβp?5 E9:D π @FC 8C62E\8C2?5D@?[β |2CE92 D2:5]k^Am
kAmβp?JH2J[β s2??J D2:5[ βE96 9J>? H6βC6 8@:?8 E@ A=2J π 42==65 E96 β{@G6 @7 v@5]’βk^Am
kAmpD E96J A=2J65[ 362FE:7F==J[ x H2D E9:?<:?8 @7 D@>6E9:?8 |65:?2 925 E@=5 >6 @? E96 A:4<=632== 4@FCED]k^Am
kAmβx7 J@F AC24E:46 E96 q=F6 +@?6 5:6E 2?5 2== @7 E9:D @E96C DEF77[ :E H@?βE 8F2C2?E66 J@F 2 =@?8 =:76[β D96 925 D2:5] βqFE :E 8:G6D J@F 2 8@@5 BF2=:EJ @7 =:76]β¦ p?5 J@F >:89E 86E E96 3@?FD @7 =@?86G:EJ]βk^Am