Science has demonstrated that eating less is a great way to live not only healthier, but longer. Fasting can also increase one’s health-span, or how long a person is healthy later in life.
This idea is not new. Hippocrates, the great ancient Greek physician, believed that humans should consume less food. The Christian monk Evagrius Ponticus also preached about the evils of gluttony in the fourth century and taught that “intentional asceticism” or avoidance of sensual things would lead to a better and longer life.
Researchers stress that fasting is not the same as starvation or malnutrition. Neither would be healthy. Fasting means calorie restriction without malnutrition and involves skipping dinner once a week, or abstaining from eating the first meal around 1pm. Some individuals may even decide to skip a meal two or more times a week.
Why is it healthy to fast? According to Dr. David A. Sinclair, fasting allows our body to go into a state of want and survival. Animal studies demonstrate that eating enough food to function healthy sets of the survival circuit. This tells longevity genes to boost cellular defenses, keep the body alive in tough times, fight disease, slow deterioration, and slow down the aging process.
Research that goes as far back as the 1970s has shown that long-term calorie restriction had the ability to help people live long and healthy lives. What one consumes has much to do with health and well-being. Certain foods increase blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the blood. Over-consumption of these foods is associated with a long list of diseases and poor health conditions.
A wealthy fifteenth century nobleman, Luigi Cornara, once lived excessively, drinking too much wine, eating too much food and being with far too many women. When he turned 30, he was an exhausted man and decided to change his ways. He ate 12 ounces of food and two glasses of wine a day. He published First Discourse on the Temperate Life when he was 80 and died at 102.
Throughout the ages, great minds have known that eating less is best. Science has also demonstrated that consuming less calories triggers mechanisms in the body to go into action and slow down the aging process. Eat less. Live longer and healthier. Seems like a good plan.