86-Year-Old Jessica Slaughter Beats Lifelong Obesity by Going Vegan

Jessica Slaughter, an 86-year-old resident of St. Louis, MO, lost 120 pounds since adopting a plant-based diet in her 70s. “Even as a kid in Mississippi, I was always the fattest kid in the class. I got teased a lot,” Slaughter told local news outlet 5onYourSide. “I didn’t know how to stop eating. Fried chicken. Bacon and eggs. Desserts, like cakes and pies,” Slaughter explained her previous eating habits, adding, “I just didn’t want to die like that.” In addition to going vegan, Slaughter began to walk 3,000 steps per day around her small, one-bedroom apartment for exercise. “I just want seniors to know [that] just because we’ve gotten to a certain age, we don’t have to stop living,” Slaughter said. “I want to tell them that there’s a better way of life if they choose.” In addition to losing weight, Slaughter experienced additional health benefits due to her lifestyle change. “I went to my doctor for a checkup. He told me my health was better than his,” Slaughter said. “I was a borderline diabetic. I’m free of all that, and I know it came from the way that I eat and exercise.”