Can We Slow Aging With Caloric Restriction?

By Alex Ariel Sanders

Whenever we hear that we have to eat less in order to lose weight we start envisioning ourselves as being deprived and starving. Losing weight is one of the benefits of caloric restriction (CR). The truth is that restriction of our caloric intake may lead to longevity health benefits as well! Experimental studies have even shown that it is possible live longer by eating less calories. Let us take a look at how to slow aging with caloric restriction.

First of all, caloric restriction (CR) is not equivalent to malnutrition. Initially the goal is to reduce the number of calories consumed by changing what we eat instead of how much we eat. The simple truth is that many of the foods with the highest nutrient values are fruits and vegetables, which are naturally lower in calories. Therefore, if interested to slow aging with caloric restriction, one must consume a lot of lower calorie foods with dense nutrient value, like grains, legumes fish, fruits and vegetables.

Based on modern studies on primates, worms, mice and flies, a longer and healthier life is possible through a combination of a lower calorie intake and a nutrient dense diet. Along with the quantity comes the quality of life as diseases that indicate aging, such as heart problems, high blood pressure, dementia and the likes, are avoided.

In the studies mentioned above, the brains of the subjects were examined. It was found out that there was a statistically significant difference on the parts of the brain that are responsible for memory and cognition. The brain tissues of the animals on caloric restriction were experiencing less atrophy compared to the control group, which was fed healthy food but without any restriction regarding the amount. Mice and rats that ate 30% less calories increased their life span by 30%-40%.

In general, the average human male consumes over 2600 calories per day. This is just an average number. There are no magic numbers for determining the precise number of calories that we should consume if we desire to slow aging with caloric restriction. People come in a variety of sizes, and have different metabolisms, meaning that some need more calories just to survive than would be enough to bring on obesity in others.

The key to slow down aging through less calorie intake is first by taking note of the number of calories taken in a day. Take note of this for a whole month to determine your average calorie intake. Lessen the amount of calories consumed by 5 percent on the second month. You should, however, be careful not to be left hungry or starving. The foundation of the whole process lies on the modification of one's diet. The high calorie foods should be replaced with foods of lower caloric value which are rich in nutrients.

Visit your doctor and ask him to work with you on this one. Initially, a baseline should be set for your cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and blood pressure levels. On the following month, the caloric intake should be reduced at another 5 percent. At the end of the month, the measurements should again be noted down. This is done month after month. When you see any clear improvements on the statistics, you can be assured that you are effectively slowing the aging process your body is going through. The reduction process should continue until the changes stop. This indicates that you have reached the calorie intake level you need in order to end up with a longer and healthier life.

Resveratrol, which is found in red wine and skin grapes, has been shown to mimic the effects of a caloric restricted diet. Studies have shown that in addition to potentially slowing the aging process, Resveratrol is the biggest medical discovery since antibiotics with many cardiovascular, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits, just to name a few. If you want to slow aging with caloric restriction but the process seems too difficult to attempt, why not try nature's perfect supplement, Resveratrol? - 30414

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