Summer’s rapidly heading this way, so if like me you are contemplating donning a bikini (well, at least a sun frock or a pair of shorts) - the next thought you have will quite possibly be along the lines of “yikes, how can I lose my winter cuddly bits fast?” Once again, if you are anything like me, you had this exact same thought last spring! Maintaining a stable body weight and shape can be a life-long pursuit for many people.
We no longer eat only to satisfy hunger and our nutritional requirements - we eat when we are happy, we eat to commiserate, we eat to avoid wastage, we eat to stave off boredom, we eat on the run, we eat in bed; in short we eat at every opportunity, and there is currently a growing body of evidence that suggests these compulsive dietary patterns are not only increasing our waistlines, they may be shortening our life-span considerably. Hmmm - food for thought indeed!
So what’s it all about? Well firstly, stop eating so much!
Scientists have known since early last century (1930’s) that mice (and other species) who were fed extremely low calorie diets outlived their higher calorie fed buddies by around 40 percent. As time has gone by researchers have delved into the mechanisms underlying the significantly enhanced longevity brought about by calorie restriction (CR) on a variety of species, and while human studies are still relatively thin on the ground, results do suggest that the benefits are there for us too - yes, put down that second slice of pie now! A well known example showing the positive health benefits of CR is seen in the residents of Okinawa, south Japan, who have one of the highest (if not the highest) life expectancy rates in the world. The Okinawan’s have an extremely low incidence of key age-related diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, strokes and diabetes that is thought to be in part due to a low calorie diet that is nutritionally dense in phytonutrients ( from plants) and high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. When we look at factors that contribute to chronic diseases we find that inflammation is implicated in all the age-related diseases mentioned here, as well as the aging process itself. Inflammation damages our cells and tissues, as well as our DNA - the very fundamental building blocks of who we are. Factors that can positively influence inflammation include a low caloric intake, a high intake of phytonutrients and antioxidants found in fruit, vegetables and spices, and omega-3 (good) fats. These are some of the principles of traditional, healthy cultural diets such as Okinawa’s and the Mediterranean.
Exciting studies to keep an eye on
A study is currently being undertaken at the University of California, San Francisco called CRONA (Caloric Restriction with Optimal Nutrition and Aging) where participants are regularly tested for cognitive abilities, body measurements and body fat composition as well as completing surveys on their medical history, eating habits, sleep patterns and stress levels. While the results will not be known for some years, proponents of CR say they already enjoy significant benefits including better immunity, energy and sex drive. Another study called CALERIE (Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy), which started in 2010, and is looking at effects of CR as well as the safety and practicality aspects over a 24 month period, will hopefully have results available sooner. Finally, research from Washington University found that people who reduce their calorie intake have a lower core body temperature than people who eat more calories. Core body temperature is the temperature at which all the functions in our body can operate at maximum efficiency. While we are not about to start advocating a starvation regime (although think of the money you could save on grocery bills...) it is worth looking into just how frequently we are overloading our system with unnecessary calories and goodness knows what other additives that are literally wearing us out.
