Calorie Restriction Extends Lifespan and Promotes Natural Weight Loss

Thursday, September 30, 2010 by: John Phillip
Tags: calorie restriction, lifespan, health news

(NewsTarget) There`s little doubt that the vast majority of children and adults alike eat considerably more calories than required to maintain an ideal weight. Many people are amazed to find out they`re nutritionally deficient despite the quantity of food they eat. Nutritional science is providing compelling evidence that we`re poisoning ourselves with excess food, effectively shortening our lifespan and promoting disease. Adopting a calorie restricted diet with optimal nutrition has been shown to improve all significant biomarkers for optimal health while naturally promoting an ideal weight range.

Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition Extends Cellular Life
Researchers have known for 80 years that restricting food intake from an early age can increase the lifespan for most animals and mammals by as much as 50%. What they didn`t understand was the exact mechanism which accounted for improved longevity but they knew it was attributable to caloric consumption. It wasn`t entirely clear whether the same health benefits would translate to humans although optimism prevailed and experiments began.

As genetic research improved, scientists have been able to unravel many of the mysteries surrounding how our genes promote aging. Central to the issue is the amount of calories we eat as well as the nutritional composition derived from our food. Too much food is toxic to our genes and affects the length of the small zipper-like telomeres which cap each DNA strand. When the telomere is gone cell death ensues and greatly accelerates aging.

Reduced Calorie Diet Extends Telomere Length
Lowering caloric intake by 25% can have a profound effect on telomere shortening and has been shown to increase length as well as lifespan. Additionally the type of foods eaten and nutrient density are essential to determining how quickly telomere length deteriorates. Research presented to the British Society for Research on Ageing concluded that a nutritionally balanced and calorie restricted diet reduced the normal degree of cell death by regulating the activity of age-limiting genes known as SIRT 1.

Slow Aging with a Calorie Restricted Diet
Significant evidence supports the idea that many people are systematically lowering their life expectancy by consuming a nutritionally deficient diet with excess calories. The majority of people consume 25 to 50% more calories than they require to sustain an ideal weight as they slowly erode telomere length and take precious years off their life.

You can take advantage of the life extending principles afforded by calorie restriction and reverse the effects of aging. Cut calories by 25% and monitor nutritional balance using dietary software or an online calculator. Ensure that your food supplies the minimum daily requirements for vitamins and minerals.

Supplemental Omega-3 Fatty Acids Shown to Lengthen Telomeres
In addition to a calorie restricted diet, Omega-3 fatty acids from supplemental fish oil have been shown to positively impact telomere length and improve markers of biological age. Information published in The Journal of the American Medical Association demonstrates that the level of Omega-3 fats in the blood is directly associated to the rate of telomere shortening. Omega-3 fats can lower the risk of sudden death from a heart attack by a third and can extend lifespan by extending telomere length.

Excess calories combined with insufficient nutrition are the leading preventable cause of premature aging and obesity. Inexpensive processed foods have replaced healthier more natural fare from generations past with devastating consequences to the genetic markers which control our lifespan. Restricting calories by 25% and supplementing with fish oil have been shown to lengthen telomeres, improve longevity and result in optimal body weight.

[Editor`s Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms of animal testing. We fully support implementation of humane medical experimentation that promotes the health and wellbeing of all living creatures.]

Article References:
http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2010/1...
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin...
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstrac...

About the author

John Phillip is a Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.