We are seeing more and more evidence of the importance of diet for health and longevity.  We have to look at food as a sort of medicine.  In fact, there is a burgeoning industry growing around using foods as medicinal products called nutraceuticals.  Now we have study that says not only is the right diet important but eating less is important.  In a very intriguing study, rheus monkeys were studied over 20 years with the only difference being one set of monkeys were fed 30% less calories.  They were both healthy diets.  They found that 37 percent of the comparison monkeys have so far died in ways judged to be due to old age, compared with 13 percent of the low calorie group.  Very importantly, the low calorie group also had less disease and seemed to age better, with most parameters of aging slowed or decreased.  They looked and acted like much younger monkeys (see photo).  It is estimated that the dieting monkeys would enjoy a extended lifespan of 10-20%.

The monkey on the left is 27 years old, while the one on the rights is 29 years old. The age difference appears to be greater than 2 years.

The monkey on the left is 27 years old, while the one on the right is 29 years old. The age difference appears to be greater than 2 years.

Now before we start starving ourselves, it is important to note that this is study is not definitive and the findings may not apply to humans for various reasons.  Also, it is very difficult to sustain such a low calorie intake for an extended period of time.  Scientists are investigating substances such as reservatrol, that may have a similar benefit with the constant hunger of calorie restriction.  Nevertheless, we know for sure that losing weight, if you are overweight or obese, and reducing your calories will do wonders for your health and cure or improve many diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.  There is also very good evidence that a certain kind of diet, called the Mediterranean diet, can have a similar effect that calorie restriction may have.  This diet has been consistently shown to decrease mortality and heart disease.  There seem to many benefits of this diet for several chronic conditions and diseases of aging.  Greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a significant improvement in health status, as seen by a significant reduction in overall mortality (9%), mortality from cardiovascular diseases (9%), incidence of or mortality from cancer (6%), and incidence of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease (13%).

The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, legumes, soy products and essential fatty acids.  Essential fatty acids are fats that are needed in the body but can only be obtained from food.  They cannot be constructed in the body.  They are the good fats found in foods such as fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), hemp oil, canola oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts. The Mediterranean diet is also low in refined carbohydrates (carbs) and “junk foods.”  Therefore another important element of the diet is eating food with a low refined sugar content or low Glycemic Index (GI) (see Nutrition data for a GI calculator).  Carbs  that break down quickly during digestion release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream, have a high GI and generally demand a strong insulin response from the body; carbs that break down more slowly release glucose more gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI and tend to be healthier for the body.

So until we have more conclusive evidence for calorie restriction, the proven Mediterranean diet has similar benefits without the starvation.

For Your Healthy Future:

  • For the first time, caloric restriction has been demonstrated to potentially have some anti-aging benefits in primates, raising the possibility that it will have the same impact in humans.  However, studies at this time are inconclusive.  Await more suggestive studies which we should see in 2-5 years although conclusive studies may take another 10-15 years.
  • Reduce caloric intake if overweight or obese too lose weight.  Key is to get to ideal body weight or reduce your weight by at least 10%
  • For any weight level, the Mediterranean diet seems to provide important health and anti-aging benefits.

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