Apparently eating child size portions with lots of fruit and veg, exercise and fasting once or twice a week for 24-36 hours can increase your life span by 20 years or more on average.

Health benefits of fasting.

Fasting protects against brain diseases.

Fasting can help protect against brain diseases, scientists say | Science | The Observer


A 2007 review by University of California, Berkeley, researchers concluded that alternate-day fasting may:

Decrease cardiovascular disease risk.
Decrease cancer risk.
Lower diabetes risk (at least in animals, data on humans were less clear, possibly because the trial periods in the studies were not long enough to show an effect).
Improve cognitive function.
Protect against some effects of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

getting hungry now and then is clearly a healthy thing to do as long as overall caloric intake stays high enough to maintain a healthy weight. (Fasting, like every other healthy activity, must be done sensibly and in moderation.) Many people who follow IF regimes report both physical and mental benefits, including improved energy and concentration, better sleep, and an overall feeling of well-being.



Dr. Andrew Weil: Intermittent Fasting: A Healthy Choice


This guy is 101 years old he runs marathons, he puts it down to diet and fasting and a simple lifestyle.


100-year-old Sikh runs Toronto marathon - Beliefnet News



....People in poor countries die of starvation, people in rich countries die of overeating.

Yes - the latest BBC Horizon - Eat, Faster and Live Longer covers this in detail

I am lucky that my body by default falls into the regular advised diet category... Up the berries and seeds!

The first piece finishes with a paragraph starting

"If this final link can be established.."

so it's not proven.

Genetics play a far bigger part in longevity. There've been centenarians who put their advanced age down to Guinness and whiskey, or even prayer. There was also a very ancient Japanese man who gave up smoking when he was a decade or so into his next century.

Like all things in life there are no simple answers that will suit all circumstances.

Also from The Guardian. The most pertinent part is the effect on the body of the lack of minerals and vitamins.

guardianeatright.co.uk

Originally Posted by sic transit

The first piece finishes with a paragraph starting

"If this final link can be established.."

so it's not proven.

Genetics play a far bigger part in longevity. There've been centenarians who put their advanced age down to Guinness and whiskey, or even prayer. There was also a very ancient Japanese man who gave up smoking when he was a decade or so into his next century.

Like all things in life there are no simple answers that will suit all circumstances.

Also from The Guardian. The most pertinent part is the effect on the body of the lack of minerals and vitamins.

guardianeatright.co.uk

Its been established in other scientific studies. Why do you think I said on average brainiac ? Obviously it wont work for some people, hence I said on average. It improves the heath on average.

The Japs put their long lives down to eating lots of fish and vegetables and the culture of quiet contemplation.

Obviously there are exceptions to every rule.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...ts?INTCMP=SRCH

Fasting can help protect against brain diseases, scientists say

Claim that giving up almost all food for one or two days a week can counteract impact of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's


Fasting for regular periods could help protect the brain against degenerative illnesses, according to US scientists.

Researchers at the National Institute on Ageing in Baltimore said they had found evidence which shows that periods of stopping virtually all food intake for one or two days a week could protect the brain against some of the worst effects of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other ailments.

Originally Posted by Polaris555

Its been established in other scientific studies. Why do you think I said on average brainiac ? Obviously it wont work for some people, hence I said on average. It improves the heath on average.

The Japs put their long lives down to eating lots of fish and vegetables and the culture of quiet contemplation.

Obviously there are exceptions to every rule.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/20...ts?INTCMP=SRCH

Fasting can help protect against brain diseases, scientists say

Claim that giving up almost all food for one or two days a week can counteract impact of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's


Fasting for regular periods could help protect the brain against degenerative illnesses, according to US scientists.

Researchers at the National Institute on Ageing in Baltimore said they had found evidence which shows that periods of stopping virtually all food intake for one or two days a week could protect the brain against some of the worst effects of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other ailments.

Studies by their nature can only measure certain things in isolation. My own feelings on scientific studies is that many of them are like this chap, either looking for academic kudos, kite flying or just looking for funding. Unfortunately many studies are almost all incapable of offering a whole picture explanation i.e. that of lifestyle change. In its own right may produce unlooked for effects because of the alteration to diet and habits.

Do you deny the potential problems of mineral and vitamin deficiencies?

Originally Posted by sic transit

Studies by their nature can only measure certain things in isolation. My own feelings on scientific studies is that many of them are like this chap, either looking for academic kudos, kite flying or just looking for funding. Unfortunately many studies are almost all incapable of offering a whole picture explanation i.e. that of lifestyle change. In its own right may produce unlooked for effects because of the alteration to diet and habits.

Do you deny the potential problems of mineral and vitamin deficiencies?

I don't think it denies it, minerals and vitamins are trace dietary factors in comparison to fats, carbs and proteins even dietary fibre. It's likely eating more food means needing more minerals and vitamins to sustain the body mass. Obese people suffer mineral and vitamin deficiency. Indeed there are people who eat their five proportions of fruit and veg only to severely undo it by large amounts of saturated fats. The body is a complicated balancing system.

Berkley is a very credible university. I'd associate kudos searching to those who'd attack its investigations.

Originally Posted by sic transit

Studies by their nature can only measure certain things in isolation. My own feelings on scientific studies is that many of them are like this chap, either looking for academic kudos, kite flying or just looking for funding. Unfortunately many studies are almost all incapable of offering a whole picture explanation i.e. that of lifestyle change. In its own right may produce unlooked for effects because of the alteration to diet and habits.

Do you deny the potential problems of mineral and vitamin deficiencies?

Fasting for 24-36 hours once a week wont cause deficiencies.

Bigger problems are caused by over eating.

Junk food causes deficiencies.

Originally Posted by Polaris555

Fasting for 24-36 hours once a week wont cause deficiencies.

Bigger problems are caused by over eating.

Junk food causes deficiencies.

Agreed but you still can't tell whether such fasting could have a deleterious effect on the person engaging in it, which is my point.

Originally Posted by physicist

I don't think it denies it, minerals and vitamins are trace dietary factors in comparison to fats, carbs and proteins even dietary fibre. It's likely eating more food means needing more minerals and vitamins to sustain the body mass. Obese people suffer mineral and vitamin deficiency. Indeed there are people who eat their five proportions of fruit and veg only to severely undo it by large amounts of saturated fats. The body is a complicated balancing system.

Berkley is a very credible university. I'd associate kudos searching to those who'd attack its investigations.

Not the article the poster. I just find this type of exclusive study wholly irresponsible especially as nothing has actually been proven. As the causes of both diseases are still unclear, "breakthroughs" could be very lucrative. Yes, obese people do suffer from such problems but they also suffer from the type of low self-esteem that could lead them to believe that this "diet" would be good for them.

Incidentally the main article is a centre on ageing in Baltimore so vested interest is a given and the Berkeley report tempers its findings according to the OP with "may". As I said nothing actually proven.

who wants to live to 100+?....honestly!

and what implications do all these advances have for the pension funds?