Is Calorie Restriction Healthy?

Calorie control is not about just losing weight anymore

. A relatively new trend known as calorie restriction is in the news more frequently. It is a regimen that involves reducing the amount of food you eat to reduce the number of calories you take in over a period of time.

It is a long term regimen involving scaling back on the amount you eat by up to 25 percent fewer calories than your body needs to stay at its normal weight. And this is done in an effort to slow the aging process and live a longer, healthier life

The notion that limiting the amount of calories you took in will increase your lifespan started back in the 1930s. More research was completed in the 1960s but the most extensive research was carried out for 2 years, inside Biosphere 2. Biosphere 2 was a giant, sealed greenhouse in Arizona where 2 physicians and seven others lived for two years inside this hermetically enclosed structure. They farmed for a living. They could not grow enough plant food to support a standard diet, but despite having less to eat, their diet was rich in vegetables and there was no junk or processed food.

The results were that their cholesterol and blood pressure numbers improved and these are two biomarkers for aging.

There were other smaller experiments but the larger one took place in 1989 when some researchers were working with monkeys. Half of the monkeys were allowed to eat whatever they wanted and the other half were given a nutrient-rich diet but 30 percent fewer calories.

After 20 years, 80 percent of the calorie restricted monkeys had survived compared to only 50 percent of the monkeys in the control group. They also reported that the monkeys who ate less were also three times less likely to die from age-related diseases including cancer and heart disease.

The premise was that if calorie restriction worked on monkeys it would probably also work on people. Most of the studies were done with mice and rats although there were two small studies in 2006 that were carried out on people. The finding was that those on calorie-restricted diets had better heart function and lower levels of inflammation than those who followed a standard American diet.

The Caloric Restriction Society or CR Society that advocates restricting calories, emphasizes the importance of preparing meals that focus on vegetables that are dense with nutrients, fruit, lean protein and healthy fat sources such as nuts and avocados. According to this group, calorie restriction is the only proven, researched back technique scientifically proven which extends lifespan and the quality of the later years. According to others, there should be concern about the negative effects of calorie restriction.

For instance, in a one year study on a calorie-restricted diet, 19 participants in a 2006 study lost about 2.2 percent of their bone density in their lower spine and hip. Granted, this was a small number for a test but even the CR Society warns that long term calorie restriction can trigger adverse effects such as loss of energy and increased sensitivity to cold.

Others believe calorie restriction could exacerbate someone who is prone to an eating disorder and they could become anorexic.

My executive summary of a calorie restriction diet is to think about the concept but moderate the action. The total daily calorie amount recommended was 1800 calories. That may work for some and not for others. My recommendation is to cut out the processed foods and the sugar and animal fat. See where that takes you in terms of improving your blood pressure and cholesterol. If you want to do more restricting, first consult with your physician and then work with a dietician.

by: Ruthan Brodsky

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