Cut Calories, Prolong Life

Can we live longer if we eat fewer calories? What we know so far tells us it’s quite likely. And not only might we live longer but we will feel better, and have stronger mental clarity, lower blood pressure, and less inflammation.

Over the years, I have noticed a link between older people who eat very little and live very long lives, and another link between those who overeat and die prematurely.

Studies have shown that mice on a diet of 30 to 50 percent fewer calories live 50 percent longer than rats allowed to eat unlimited amounts. These studies have been repeated on other animals with the same results. Human lifespan extension has not been confirmed because testing is more difficult to conduct.

However, another study used monkeys to better approximate human biology. The research found that monkeys on a 30 percent lower calorie diet outlived the monkeys on a regular caloric diet by 2-to-1. In addition, they had fewer diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and other age-related ailments.

A group of people practicing a lower-calorie diet who are known as the CRONies — Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition — report better mood, high quality sleep, improved mental clarity and memory, and little hunger. They restrict their caloric intake by 10 to 30 percent and eat lots of vegetables for nutritional balance.

Studies of the CRONies show that they have optimal metabolic reports, including low blood pressure and normal blood lipids. In general, they are much healthier than their same-age counterparts who eat a typical high-fat, highly processed American diet.

When I have switched patients from a typical Western diet high in simple carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, to a diet rich in vegetables, moderate in low-glycemic carbs, and no simple sugars, almost all tell me that they experience the same positive effects within two weeks. Most often, they are surprised at their mental clarity. Animal studies have shown similar effects on blood sugar, blood lipids, and overall health from low-calorie diets.

Also, low-calorie diets have been shown to dramatically reduce the incidence of metabolic syndrome, Type-2 diabetes (insulin resistance), and high blood pressure. These diets can also correct abnormal blood lipids, including:

• Cholesterol

• Triglycerides

• Very low-density lipoproteins

Taken together, these factors translate into a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.

So what does all this mean for you? How can you apply this information to how you eat?

Your diet should mainly comprise:

• Nutrient-dense vegetables

• Some fruits (especially blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc.)

• Few breads

• A moderate amount of low-glycemic carbohydrates

• No more than two daily servings of three to four ounces of meat or less

Organically raised chicken, turkey, or pork is better than red meat. Avoid sugars and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Splenda. Saturated fats are harmful mainly when mixed with a high level of carbohydrates and sugars.

Some experts recommend moderately active men eat 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day and moderately active women consume 1,600 to 2,000 calories daily. For information on how to safely lose weight while eating a healthy, low-calorie diet, read my special report The Fat Cure: Health Secrets to Losing Weight Permanently.

By combining dietary restriction with regular moderate exercise (45 to 60 minutes a day, four days a week), and intellectual stimulation, you can enhance health and longevity. My report Stop Aging Naturally offers more in-depth ways that can help you live better and perhaps longer.