The Anti-Aging Diet: A Remedy Against Early Aging
By Andreea Pelin, Project Weight Loss Staff Writer
June 22, 2010
Increasing lifespan has always been a top priority for the medical industry. The anti-aging diets originated from studies led by Clive McCay and Leonard Maynard, researchers from the Cornell University, in 1935. The food researchers fed laboratory rats with one-third of the regular amount of calories, but adequate amounts of vitamins and other necessary nutrients.
The results showed that the lifespan of the rats on a lower-calorie diet increased by 30-40% compared to the lifespan of rats on a normal-calorie diet. Since 1935, many studies were made in order to establish a more accurate connection between low-calorie intake and increased lifespan, mostly on animals. These studies also proved that lifespan was increased for various animals, including dogs, monkeys, fish, and fruit flies.
The low-calorie food products that may be consumed for the anti-aging diet include soy, vegetables, low-fat or non-fat dairy products, olive oil, nuts, avocados, fruits, and fish. As beverages, dieters may consume water, green tea, or black tea.
The benefits of a low-calorie diet consist in general health improvement and forestalling cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, Alzeihmer`s or Parkinson`s.
However, researchers suggest dieters to make the transition to a low-calorie diet gradually, even over one or two years because a sudden calorie reduction may have negative effects on health. Also, scientists believe that this type of diet has more benefits for people in their mid-20s, and the beneficial effects decrease proportionally with the age.
There are also certain risks associated with this kind of diet, including food cravings, loss of muscle mass, decreased level of testosterone, slower wound healing, fast weight loss, menstrual irregularity, or headaches.
The necessary calorie reduction also varies for each individual, from 10 to 50%, and this is why you need to ask for medical advice before starting any diet program.
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