East Bay Calorie Restriction
A feature article in the East Bay Express takes a look at calorie restriction: "Years of studies have shown that severe dietary restriction indeed prolongs life, in lab creatures at least. Yeast on a [calorie restricted, optimal nutrition] diet can live up to three times longer than normal, fruit flies double their average lifespan, and mice that normally live two years can live three or more. Studies on monkeys are ongoing, since primates are naturally long-lived, but so far the calorie-restricted monkeys appear to get fewer lethal chronic diseases and may indeed outlive their well-fed peers. These animals not only live longer, but seem to retain their youthfulness. They are smaller than their counterparts, but more active. They look younger and healthier, are mentally more agile, and have bolstered immune-system activity. The results suggest that eating far less might prevent or slow the onset of a host of human age-related conditions ... The observed changes occur quickly and bring longevity benefits at any age."
Link: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/Issues/2006-01-18/news/feature_print.html