Many people would like to live a long life, and God Himself desires all humans to live a long good life, based on biblical passages.
Three passages come to mind:
"The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened." – Proverbs 10:27
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased."—Proverbs 9:10-11
"My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee."—Proverbs 3:1-2
Advances in science have helped prolonged the lives of many people.
Now, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences have published a study, which appeared in the scientific journal The BMJ, where they apparently found another way to achieve longevity.
Their finding? According to the researchers, spicy food items like chili, hot sauce and sriracha sauce can help prevent early death, if consumed on a weekly basis.
The study analysed through questionnaires the spicy food consumption of nearly half a million people between ages 30 and 70 from 10 regions in China, excluding those with serious illnesses such as stroke, heart disease and cancer.
The researchers also combed through records of 20,224 people who died for the past seven years as a follow up to the questionnaires.
Based on the research, people who eat spicy food items at least once a day had a 14 percent lower risk of premature death compared to those who do not consume them.
The study also found out that people who consume spicy food on a regular basis have lower risk of cancer, ischemic heart and respiratory system diseases.
"There is accumulating evidence from mostly experimental research to show the benefit of spices or their active components on human health," said associate professor Lu Qi from the Harvard School of Public Health, a co-author of the study, said.
Why exactly does spicy food bring longevity? The researchers point to capsaicin, an active component that brings the heat in chili peppers.
Capsaicin is said to help in burning fat, and is also believed to help fight infection and stimulate the kidneys, heart and lungs.
More research, however, is needed to establish a direct link between spicy food consumption and longer life. This particular study, for instance, does not take into account other dietary and lifestyle habits of the respondents, as well as the way the spicy food was cooked or prepared.
