on 16/04/01 16:55, Richard Geller at [log in to unmask] wrote:

>> Medical Research in animals (mostly mammals, and on going R&D by pet food
>> company's, since the early 1930's) shows that a High nutrient & mineral &
>> vitamin diet of reduced calories, can actually increase the life span of
> the studied subject organisms.,
>
> Yes, calorie reduction is the only consistently studied diet that is close
> to being "proven" (at least in other animals) to lengthen life. I have read
> Walford, I followed this diet for several years but found it very difficult
> (impossible) to maintain.

I agree 100%.

I have followed Walford's CRON recommendations for about 8 months before
giving up. I was on the CR Society mailing list too.

For those who aren't aware, CRON is Caloric Restriction with Optimal
Nutrition. It advocates a low calorie (depending on the individual, but
going anywhere from 90 to 70% of the number of calories you normally need to
maintain your body weight, or BMI) that (more or less proven in a number of
rodents studies, and the Biosphere experience) may let you live an
equivalent-to-rodents to 120 or more years.

Most members on the CR list reported side effects going from the harmless
(headaches, feeling slightly cold all the time, looking like an anorexic
freak, etc.) to the severely debilitating (extreme irritability [you
should've seen the CONSTANT flame wars on list!]
complete loss of libido, of menses, etc.)

There's also the need to use supplementation for many people, since the
amount of food is sub-optimal, going for some to ingesting a hundred dollars
worth of pills and powders a month. Others use appetite-supressants. It all
seemed a bit kooky, anorexic.

The theory behind this regime I totally buy. But until a HUMAN-tested,
liveable lifestyle gets enginereed, I prefer paleo.

Admittedly, some people may have better success than I did. I just can't
live thinking about food all the time while not having sex!

nancy.