| I was working at the hospital, in the | | | | with this diet, now is the time to commit to |
| ‘90’s, we accepted dietetic interns | | | | eating healthy, whole foods. You may have to get |
| and one of those interns was a student from | | | | to know your kitchen and how to use |
| Singapore, whose husband was in medical school | | | | what’s in it! |
| at the same time. Their plan was to return to | | | | Another concern when looking into a CR diet is |
| Singapore to open their own wellness center. I | | | | the big promotion for supplement use. On many |
| share this because it was from this couple that I | | | | websites catering to CR followers, readers are led |
| was first introduced to the concept of calorie | | | | to believe that because their calories are |
| restriction (CR) for longevity. This concept | | | | restricted that they are lacking essential nutrients |
| appears to be taking on new interest, and with | | | | and the REAL key to a long, healthy life is |
| today’s obesity epidemic, I thought it | | | | supplements, especially their supplements, which |
| would be a good topic to write about. | | | | of course are superior to any others. If you are |
| The purpose of this article will be to look at what | | | | going to follow a CR diet in order to improve your |
| exactly we would call a calorie restricted diet, why | | | | health and live longer, it just makes sense that |
| we would be interested in such a concept, what | | | | the foods you do eat are of the highest biological |
| science has to say about CR, concerns to be | | | | quality, providing all the important nutrients and |
| aware of, and give suggestions to readers who | | | | antioxidants possible. |
| are interested in considering the diet for their own | | | | Putting it into play |
| health. | | | | There are different ways to follow a CR diet; you |
| What is ‘calorie restricted’? | | | | can either consistently drop your calorie intake on |
| This is probably a silly question. Obviously, | | | | a daily basis, or, as was done in some research |
| it’s restricting calories! But how much of a | | | | studies, you can pick one or several days per |
| restriction? Most research considers a restriction | | | | week and drop the calorie level on just those |
| to be a decrease of as little as 20% up to as | | | | days. It is felt that if you start with just picking a |
| much as 40%. To give you an example of what | | | | few days to restrict your calories, it may be |
| that would mean, if you currently ate 2,000 | | | | easier to follow. Proponents of the diet do |
| calories per day, cutting 20% would mean you | | | | recommend a gradual restriction, taking one to |
| would then eat 1600 calories, and if you were to | | | | two years to get fully into the restriction, rather |
| cut it by 40%, you would eat 1200 calories. The | | | | than just dropping the calorie intake by 25-40%. |
| big key to the success of such a diet, however, is | | | | The key benefit is to develop health effects of |
| to eat high quality, nutrient-dense foods. We will | | | | the restriction, not develop malnutrition! Again, this |
| address this later. | | | | is not a diet to follow for weight loss, but to |
| What is important to keep in mind, however, is | | | | improve your health and longevity. |
| that although a natural consequence of following a | | | | How many calories are you currently eating? If |
| CR diet is weight loss, this is NOT a weight loss | | | | you don’t know, either work with a |
| diet. The purpose of a traditional CR diet is to | | | | registered dietitian (RD) who can help you figure |
| slow aging and improve your chances for an | | | | out your current intake, or find a website that will |
| extended, healthy life. Granted, when your weight | | | | allow you to enter in all your foods for several |
| is closer to a healthy, ideal weight, your health | | | | days. A couple of sites that help you do this are |
| usually improves, also. But many people who | | | | and The next step would be to determine how |
| regularly follow a CR diet lifestyle actually have | | | | many calories you actually need. Again an RD can |
| weights that are between 10-25% lower than | | | | help you or you can find a website to help you |
| what may be considered an ‘ideal’ | | | | discover this, such as |
| body weight. | | | | To get the most out of a CR diet, as mentioned |
| Why go on a restricted diet? | | | | earlier, it is important that you eat foods that are |
| The most widely promoted reason for going on a | | | | nutrient dense. This means a lot of nutrition |
| CR diet is to expand your lifespan. Not only do | | | | packed into every morsel, which includes plenty of |
| people follow a CR diet to live longer, but to also | | | | fresh fruits and vegetables. This also includes a lot |
| live healthier, since a CR diet is said to be | | | | of bulk, such as a lot of salads and high fiber |
| responsible for reducing the risk of cancer, | | | | produce and starches, such as brown rice and |
| diabetes and heart disease, just to name a few. | | | | whole grain breads and cereals, focusing most on |
| We know a CR diet does all this for animals, but | | | | low glycemic index foods. |
| does it do the same for humans? Although some | | | | Here are some specific tips when considering a |
| people are already imposing this strict regimen | | | | CR diet: |
| upon themselves, it is really too early tell whether | | | | · Eat a lot of vegetables, of all kinds. |
| CR will have the same effect in humans. | | | | These foods contain the highest content of a |
| However, as long as they are eating an adequate, | | | | wide variety of nutrients for their calories. |
| healthy diet, and don’t allow their weight | | | | · Carefully select the right amount of |
| to drop too low, they may not be doing | | | | protein. For a CR diet, it is recommended to stick |
| themselves any harm. For some people, however, | | | | to the RDI range of 0.6-0.8 grams per kilogram of |
| such a diet may not be a benefit. Before starting | | | | body weight. This means that if you weigh 150 |
| any new diet, be sure to check with your | | | | pounds, your protein needs would be 41 to 55 |
| healthcare provider. | | | | grams of protein per day. Most people eat MUCH |
| An interesting outcropping to following a diet | | | | more than that, so calculate how much you eat |
| program to promote a longer life is the number | | | | so you’re more aware of where you are |
| of researchers attempting to find that same | | | | and where you have to go. |
| solution in a pill! Scientists are curious about the | | | | · Pay attention to the kind of protein you |
| physiological changes that result from a CR diet | | | | eat. This is important no matter what diet |
| and are trying to duplicate those changes through | | | | you’re on; the more plant-based proteins |
| drugs. I’m sure we’ll all know | | | | you can eat, the healthier your outcomes. It is |
| when the ‘fountain of youth’ has | | | | important to understand how you can follow a |
| been discovered in a bottle. | | | | plant-based diet and still get adequate protein. |
| Give me research! | | | | Examples of plant-based proteins include soy |
| Although it has been shown time and time again | | | | products, nuts, and beans. Combining vegetables |
| that this type of diet has multiple health and | | | | with healthy starches will ensure you get |
| longevity benefits for animals, as mentioned | | | | complete proteins. |
| above, showing the same results in humans has | | | | · Choose healthy, plant-based fats. Foods |
| been difficult. Here are the only three so far; | | | | containing monounsaturated fats include olive oil, |
| · The National Academy of Science (NAS) | | | | nuts, and avocados. It is important to remember |
| concluded that humans who followed a calorie | | | | that fat is a high source of calories, however, so |
| restricted diet for 6 years saw a 40% decrease | | | | be sure to limit your fat intake. |
| in risk factors for developing heart disease. | | | | · Avoid simple sugars and processed |
| · In 2006, NAS found that humans | | | | flours. You’ve heard this one, before, too! |
| following a calorie restricted diet were at less risk | | | | The less processed the foods, the more natural |
| for oxidative and metabolic stress in the brain. | | | | and more nutritious they are. |
| · In a 2006 issue of the Journal of the | | | | A calorie restricted diet isn’t for |
| American Medical Association, researchers studied | | | | everyone, and there may be aspects of a CR |
| human subjects who followed up to a 25% calorie | | | | diet that appeal to you and other aspects that |
| restricted diet. After 6 months, these subjects | | | | repel you. The purpose of this article, however, |
| were found to burn fewer calories at rest. | | | | was to inform you of what this growing trend is |
| Concerns of a CR diet | | | | all about and give you something else to consider |
| One concern that many researchers have is that | | | | if you are concerned about your health and |
| if people choose to go on a CR diet, they | | | | lifespan. We may not have found the fountain of |
| eliminate the wrong foods and the few foods | | | | youth, yet, and this may not be it, either, but at |
| they do eat are nutrient-sparse, where it should | | | | least following some of the guidelines proposed by |
| be just the opposite. If you plan to experiment | | | | CR followers can be healthy for everyone. |