I stumbled across an interesting article a couple of years ago in NY Magazine about a group who had chosen to willfully live on the brink of starvation because they believe it will help them live longer than virtually anyone in history. (Jeanne Calmart currently holds the record, having died at 122)

NOVA ran a segment on one of their shows about caloric restriction and the science of longevity as well.

The basic idea is that if you cut the amount of calories you eat each day to the absolute bare minimum, your lifespan will go up. Researchers have discovered that it works in mice and worms, so why not humans?

A group calling themself the CRONies (Calorie Restriction with Optimal Nutrition) decided to try it out on themselves. The closest thing to human research had been an ad hoc experiment done when scientists in the Biosphere discovered that they didn’t have nearly as much food as they expected. Deciding to just gut it out, they were discovered healthier after they came out than before they’d gone in.

Figuring out if human lifespans can be extended 50% or more through eating (a lot) less has become a significant area of scientific study. Figuring out if it works, how it works, and whether there is a way to boil it down into a pill could make some company very, very wealthy.

For the first time, a study found a difference between the effects of calorie restrictions in rats and humans. In rats and other animals, low calorie diets cause a reduction in a growth factor called IGF-1. In humans that following similar very-low calorie diets, IGF-1 levels were similar to sedentary individuals.

IGF-1 levels are proportionate to the amount of protein eaten and low levels are thought to be one of the main reasons for the longer lives of calorie deprived animals.

When scientists asked CRONies to lower their protein intake, they discovered that IGF-1 levels dropped. They also found that strict vegans had similarly low IGF-1 levels. Does that mean that vegans have already found the secret to longer lives? Not really - vegans may or may not live longer than your average meat-eating human (or, maybe not) but there’s no evidence that vegan living extends the maximum lifespan.

There’s plenty of evidence that eating less (while maintaining good nutrition) will improve your health, which undoubtedly which increases your chances at a long, healthy life. But, the jury is still out on whether that alone will help people set new longevity records.

An article in Medical News Today confirms what most of us already women. Women smoke to stay slim.

In fact a study conducted at the University of Michigan says that fear of weight gain is the number one reason why most women do not quit smoking. The study also investigated why women might be smoking in the first place.

Not surprisingly the number one reason was that they heard that it could cause them to lose weight. The study also suggested that a way out of this type of thinking is to remind women about the other adverse effects of smoking on their appearance such as wrinkled skin, yellow teeth and bad breath.

An article published in the Christian Science Monitor by a writer called Gloria Goodale called At Fast Food Joints – Try the Secret Menu made headlines on CBS news because it suggested that there were certain code words you could use in fast food restaurants to get more nutritious foods. 

For instance at California’s In-N-Out Burger all you need to do is drop the phrase “Protein style” and the staff will know that you want the bun dropped from the burger and would like it wrapped in lettuce instead.  This is good to know if you are on a high protein diet like Atkins or trying to stay in the Zone. Apparently asking for a McBruschetta at McDonald’s will get you a burger without the meat and only the tomatoes, onion and the bun.  Asking for a Naked Chicken at Popeye’s will get you the meat but without the coating of breadcrumbs. 

These catch phrases are good to know if you are trying to stick to a high protein or low carb diet or are just a vegetarian.

Therapists have discovered that the movements and stress of exercise can sometimes release pent up emotional anxiety that people didn’t even realize that they had.

“We use our bodies to physically tense up against pain or negative experiences,” says Karol Ward, a therapist in private practice in New York City.

“Then someone is in a movement class doing downward dog and that emotion can come to the surface,” she says.

(Source)

Boot camp workouts are gaining popularity around the country for their blend of an intense time-efficient workout, group camaraderie and effectiveness.

The military-style program — a circuit of drills ranging from running and jumping jacks to push-ups, squats and sit-ups — appeals to people with busy schedules who need to pack a hard workout into a quick hour.

Gyms are increasingly offering the program as boot camp sessions gain national exposure on makeover television shows. Many boot camps in Southern California are taught at parks and beaches by former soldiers.

(CNN)