Posted on 04/25/2024 6:48:53 AM PDT by Cronos
If you put a lab mouse on a diet, cutting the animal’s caloric intake by 30 to 40 percent, it will live, on average, about 30 percent longer. The calorie restriction, as the intervention is technically called, can’t be so extreme that the animal is malnourished, but it should be aggressive enough to trigger some key biological changes....
Scientists first discovered this phenomenon in the 1930s, The subsequent studies also found that many of the calorie-restricted animals were less likely to develop cancer and other chronic diseases related to aging.
... In the wild, animals experience periods of feast and famine, as did our human ancestors. Therefore, their (and conceivably our) biology evolved to survive and thrive not only during seasons of abundance, but also seasons of deprivation.
One theory is that, on a cellular level, calorie restriction makes animals more resilient to physical stressors. For example, calorie-restricted mice have greater resistance to toxins and recover faster from injury,
Another explanation involves the fact that, in both humans and animals, eating fewer calories slows down metabolism. It’s possible that “the less you have to get your body to metabolize, the longer it can live,” said Dr. Kim Huffman, an associate professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine who has studied calorie restriction in people. “You know, just slow the wheels down and the tires will last longer.”
Calorie restriction also forces the body to rely on fuel sources other than glucose, which aging experts think is beneficial for metabolic health and, ultimately, longevity. Several researchers pointed to a process known as autophagy, where the body eats up malfunctioning parts of cells and uses them for energy. This helps cells function better and lowers the risk of several age-related diseases.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Grifters gonna grift.
Most of the marks will eventually figure it out.
I fast intermittently on a daily basis.
I don’t subscribe to any “plan”, I just do it. Doesn’t cost me anything except for the food I choose to eat.
I think you’re getting a little loosey-goosey with the term “fast.” Skipping a meal isn’t fasting. I see it as going a day or longer without food or nutrient-laden drinks. 24 hours.
I fast every day, between meals.
FMD is 1000 calories the first day, then 600-800 with less than 16g protein, 50-100g carbs, and the rest fat. There’s a kit for several hundred dollars, which contains of food I don’t eat. I do macadamia nuts, avocados, some fruits/veggies/dark chocolate, maybe some vitamins, supplements or electrolytes. Meat and dried would hinder the process, but a little heavy cream is OK.
I’ll do FMD 2x or 3x a year with the first few days water fast. Someone with fat to burn could do it up to monthly.
I like Cronometer to track macros and nutrients, while my wife uses My Fitness Pal.
Not simply skipping a meal. I’m talking about Intermittent Fasting.
I don’t eat anything and only drink water from 10:00 pm to 6:00 pm the next day. This keeps my weight constant without having to reduce calories or carbs.
When I overindulge, typically around the holidays, I can go 36-60 hours without food when fasting to start a weight loss diet. Doesn’t happen very often, but I do it when necessary.
I know. It's not for everyone.
By the way, I'm not sure I want to live to 105 unless I'm in great health. In fact, I know I don't :-).
I've always leaned toward trying to watch calories but nowhere close to 1000 calories a day. It is pretty severe but with good reason, in my case. I spent three years on dialysis and, through my own research, determined that, among many other health benefits, reduced calories and a plant-based diet might cause my kidneys to recover some function -- at least enough to get me off of dialysis after three years.
I started the diet, among a few other lifestyle changes, and got exactly what I expected. It resulted in a huge improvement in my kidney function, enough to get me off dialysis -- including several other positive changes.
I love food, or used to. But I love not being hooked up to a dialysis machine even more :-)!
“cutting the animal’s caloric intake by 30 to 40 percent, it will live, on average, about 30 percent longer”
In short, our engines will last a certain number of miles. We decide how much to drive each day/year, but the warrantee runs out when we reach 50,000 miles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.