ENCORE: The Effects of Diet on Lifespan, Part 1

“The Longevity Diet,” by Dr. Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at USC. The focus of his lifetime research has been to examine the effects of diet on lifespan. Drawing from molecular biology, the study of centenarians worldwide, and experimental research on animals and humans, he concludes that our modern diet and constant consumption have thwarted the body’s innate ability to regenerate itself at the cellular and organ levels. Caloric deprivation is part of our evolutionary heritage; our bodies are programmed to “reboot” in response to periods of nutritional insufficiency. But long-term caloric restriction (CR) has proven a mixed bag; it leaves some individuals frail and immuno-suppressed. As a healthier, more practical and more palatable alternative, he proposes a fasting mimicking diet (FMD), which restricts nutrient intake just enough for short intervals to switch on the body’s repair and rejuvenation capabilities. The FMD has demonstrated efficacy for weight loss, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, MS and Alzheimer’s; it may have broader applications to inflammatory and auto-immune disorders that are associated with aging. How often should the FMD be implemented? How does the Prolon program of FMD foods harness the benefits of periodic fasting without the risks associated with traditional fasts? What’s the ideal anti-aging diet for otherwise healthy adults? How can the FMD complement the benefits of standard cancer treatments? Why should protein-restriction be less rigorously applied to older individuals? Can time-restricted feeding (TRF) capture some of the benefits of fasting? Can TRF be taken too far? Click HERE for part 2.