Eat Less, Live Longer
July 16, 2009 by JD
Filed under Health News, News
It’s fairly well accepted that a healthy diet will increase your chances of living a better life. Even those people in line at the FatBurger drive-thru have a pretty good idea that what that kid is passing to them in the grease stained bag is not going to earn them any healthy living points.
It turns out that maybe that 3,000 calorie burger, stacked high with cheese, bacon, and mayonnaise, may be slowing you down. AND speeding you up.
No need for us to rehash the effects of fat laden beef, blood thickening processed cheese, and chock full of cholesterol mayo on the human body. Over time, this kind of diet will clog us up like a sludge filled crankcase.
But some new studies have shown that it’s not only the makeup of the meal that is unhealthy, but also the calorie count.
A 20 year study involving monkeys and other test animals has shown that if you cut the “normal” caloric intake by 30%, the animals live longer and fend off disease far more effectively than those that maintain a diet at the “recommended” caloric levels.
Scientists have long known that cutting the caloric intake of worms and mice will increase their lifespan, but this 20 years study out of the Wisconsin National Primate Center presents first conclusive evidence the same effects can be attained in primates.
Monkeys provided a nutritious diet at the normal recommended caloric levels were compared to monkeys provided healthy diets at caloric levels 30% below the recommended. In other words, they ate the same foods but were given portions 30% smaller. As the monkeys aged, the reduced calorie group showed conclusive evidence of looking healthier, avoiding disease, and maintaining high energy levels as compared to the healthy eating at normal levels group.
Does this carry over to humans? Early testing says so. But quite frankly, scientists are having trouble finding human test subjects that are willing to cut their daily caloric intake to 70% of the current daily recommended averages. Think having to cut out all the fat burgers and other caloric heavy foods and replacing them with lean meat, fruits, grains, and vegetables to get to a normal caloric intake level.
Then cut it by 30% again.
Food for thought. Or rather, less food for life.
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