A Natural Way to Live Longer
Did you know that you can actually live longer by restricting calories? In numerous studies, cutting calories by 40 percent increased the lifespan of laboratory animals (ranging from mice to geese) by as much as 50 percent. And a 15-year study of monkeys found that a restricted-calorie diet lengthened their lives by 30 percent.
When you eat less, you get a number of anti-aging benefits:
- Body temperature drops
- Blood pressure lowers
- Cholesterol levels drop
- Cells divide at a slower rate
- The rate of glycation drops
- Free-radical activity drops
- Oxidation activity drops
Cutting calories is not as hard as you think. You can, for example, substitute a protein shake for your regular morning meal. Protein powders that feature whey protein isolate are the best. You’ll have the sensation of being full without the metabolic stress on your body.
When you bulk up on protein, you throw “metabolic switches” in your body that lessen hunger and start burning fat. This is a genetic throwback to our caveman days when lots of protein meant “times are good.” When your body isn’t worried about starvation, it burns off all its fat stores. (Why do you need stored body fat if you are likely to eat well again tomorrow?)
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor’s Heart Cure,, is a leading authority on longevity, physical fitness, and heart health.]Dr. Al Sears
Al Sears has written six books and more than 500 articles in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging and nutritional supplementation. He enjoys a worldwide readership of millions spread over 123 countries and has appeared on more than 50 national radio programs, ABC News, CNN and ESPN. In The Doctor’s Heart Cure, Dr. Sears exposes the real causes of the modern epidemic of heart disease with practical how-to advice for building real heart strength and resistance to disease without drugs. It is available in nine languages and remains a bestseller three years after its publication. His 12 Secrets to Virility sheds light on the huge environmental and nutritional problems with virility in our modern world and gives men a step-by step guide for maintaining health, strength and masculinity as they age. It became a bestseller during its first month of release. His latest book Your Best Health Under the Sun addresses the myths of the sun’s dangers and gives readers an action plan for restoring this important natural resource for better mood, strength, energy and nutritional health.Dr. Sears is board certified as a Clinical Nutrition Specialist and was appointed to the international panel of experts at Health Sciences Institute, (HSI) a worldwide information service for alternative nutritional therapies. A master gardener and herbalist, Dr. Sears maintains an herbal apothecary of more than 250 organic herbs used for research, education and treatments. Dr. Sears is the founder and director of The Wellness Research Foundation, conducting original research evaluating natural alternatives to pharmaceutical therapies.Dr. Sears is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and is board certified in Anti-Aging Medicine. As a pioneer in this new field of medicine, he is an avid researcher and sought-after lecturer to thousands of doctors and health enthusiasts. He is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. As well as being a sports and fitness coach and a lifelong advocate of exercise programs, Dr. Sears is an ACE-certified fitness trainer. He maintains his integrative clinic and research center in Florida, where he has developed novel exercise and nutritional systems transforming the lives of more than 20,000 patients.