No, vegetarians do not live longer than most other folks.

However, they are more youthful in the earlier parts of their lives, then lose this advantage later on, eventually living about as long as everyone else.

Seventh Day Adventist women and men live 7.28 and 4.42 years longer on average, respectively, than average Americans.

Adventists eat little or no meat, but their longevity advantage apparently exists because they shun alcohol and tobacco as well, following a decidedly abstemious, vegetarian diet.

Vegetarians should consider supplementing with 500 to 1,000 mg daily of carnosine and 1,000 to 2,000 mcg of Vitamin B-12.

Carnosine is a fairly new dietary supplement. Our bodies make very good use of it. It is found mainly in meat, poultry and fish--and that's why vegetarians can benefit from supplementing with carnosine.

Carnosine is an anti-oxidant, concentrated in the brain, lens of the eye, and muscle tissue. It helps to prevent glycation and carbonylation.

Glycation is similar to the carmelizing of sugar. Glucose bonds with protein and DNA molecules. One example of glycation is cataract formation.

Glucose becomes glycated, hardening the eye's lens and trashing one's vision, requiring surgical lens replacement by implanting.

This is another reason to radically reduce or eliminate consumption of simple sugars. Xylitol and stevia are healthy sugar substitutes.

I advise against white sugar, aspartame sweeters, such as NutraSweet and Equal, and sucralose products like Splenda.

Asparatame has a long list of health problems, and sucralose is created by forcing chlorine molecules to bond with sugar, creating chlorocarbons.

Carbonylation of protein is reduced by carnosine. Carbonylation is the cross linking of proteins with DNA molecules and phosphlipids, something you want to avoid to the extent possible.

Glycation and carbonylation contribute to many of the pathologies of aging. Try to defer aging by avoiding these things.

There is some preliminary evidence that carnosine can extend the Hayflick Limit

On average, a cell's lifetime limit is about 50 divisions, but at least one study suggests that carnosine can increase this from 50 to 60.

Carnosine, a chelating agent, is able to remove toxic minerals, and it is non-toxic. It displays no known side effects or contraindications--not surprisingly, since nature included it in fish, poultry and meats.

Living in the United States is NOT a helpful factor in living a long life. Yes, countries plagued by widespread AIDS have much shorter lifespans than the United States.

But the U.S. Census Bureau's International Database shows that, as of 2002, Americans had an average lifespan of 77.1, ranking us only 42th internationally, even though we spend more than other countires trying to regain or sustain our health.

We spend more on "health care" than any other nation? A poor rate of return, I'd say, wouldn't you?

The lifespan leaders, with lifespans over 80, are Andorra, Singapore, Japan and San Marino. I believe that these places have healthier diets with little or no sugary foods and less chemicalized foods.

The Bible is clear that we have a maximum possible lifespan of 120. Let's not check out early at 77.1 or even in the 80's. Live long and live well.

When you have your 100th birthday party, please invite me. Teach me how you lived 100 years. At age 64, I'd like to know.