A lot of extensive research was done by Dr. Valter Longo and his department on similar topics and has made its way into an easily digestible book called The Longevity Diet. It changed my perspective big time with food.
Highly recommend reading this book for folks that are interested in Longevity.
Dr. Longo has also done a few podcasts with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (who might be more known to the audience here) you can checkout
The longevity diet resembles a modified vegan diet in which certain seafood and small amounts of meat and dairy are allowed. It is as much a lifestyle as an eating plan and can be followed for an indefinite amount of time. The guidelines include following a five-day fasting-mimicking diet periodically throughout the year.
The Fasting Mimicking concept is there because this method was exclusively tested on Cancer patients who are also going through Chemo therapy. Having nutrients for these patients is important [1]
Is pure Water Fasting superior? Yes. I have done 1 week water fasts, back to back for 4 weeks and lost ~30 lbs.
However, I think fasting mimicking may help adherence for some people.
I did a DEXA scan at the end only so I don’t know the before accurately. I have some measurements from my Scale on muscle mass which shows a drop of about 2 kgs. Overall I lost about 30-35 lbs of weight. The measurements from the scale should be taken with a grain of salt though because they are based on impedance and formulas that are related to BMI
When we're talking about longevity, I often think about this old comic. It showed two very old women, crumpled in seats in a nursing home, and one turns to the other saying, "Just think, if hadn't quit smoking and drinking, we might have missed this!"
Facetious of course, but the underlying point has merit. Just what part of your life are you extending? Are you extending the healthy, active period, or just dragging out that bit at the end when someone else has to wipe your bottom and feed you apple sauce? Especially with the current topic, it seems very likely to be the latter, and I'd rather eat the other half of my sandwich, and die a few years earlier.
> Are you extending the healthy, active period, or just dragging out that bit at the end when someone else has to wipe your bottom and feed you apple sauce?
It's always both. Mortality isn't an independent counter, it's linked to a bunch of predictors that are also predictors of health and autonomy.
In other words, if you "eat the other half", you won't just die younger, you'll also start eating applesauce sooner.
I read on HN a comment to the effect that to feel better in your 60s means you must do somethings in your 50s. The things you need to do in your 50s also make you feel better in your 50s. And to be able to do these things in your 50s requires you to do somethings in your 40s - which also make you feel better in your 40s.
Feel better meant being more active and more social. Obviously my recollection lost all the "literary" qualities that comment had - but I like its message.
Highly recommend reading this book for folks that are interested in Longevity.
Dr. Longo has also done a few podcasts with Dr. Rhonda Patrick (who might be more known to the audience here) you can checkout