The "key" to extending life is to realize that virtually
nobody dies of old age ... in fact, people almost always die from diseases or the failure
of body parts. Life extension starts with maintaining good health by giving the body
what it needs to stay healthy ... food, exercise, rest and stress reduction.
When the "primary needs" have been take care of - we can turn our
attention to the effectiveness of fasting as a life extension measure. According to the
book that started the current anti-aging craze, Secrets of Life
Extension (Harbor, San Fransisco, 1980) by John Mann, "... fasting as a life extension
measure is fairly well backed by experimental evidence".
The book describes one research study that achieved a 20% increase
in the life spans of rats that fasted one day out of every three throughout their lives
(normal eating on the other days).
Research scientists, doctors Weindruch and Walford, conducted
hundreds of dietary modification and restriction animal experiments and concluded ...
"Life can be extended by dietary restriction, a process which can also lead to a dramatic
reduction in the chances of developing chronic disease in old age (see Retardation
of Aging and Disease by Dietary Restriction, Charles Thomas, Springfield, Ill,
1988).
There is no doubt that dietary restriction tactics
lengthen life and
reduce the incidence of disease in species after species of animals that have been tested ... and
there is virtually no reason to suppose that this will not also apply to humans.
In fact, there is strong evidence already available that says it does so.
From my observations, your odds of making it to 70 years of age
are quite good ... even if you do not exercise or eat well and have a bad mental attitude.
Of course, this "base" life span can be decreased by overloading your body with pollutants
like cigarette smoke, herbicides, pesticides, etc. However, by doing everything right -
you will not only extend your life span ... you will also extend your "quality of life".
Those people who abuse their bodies (smokers, overweight people, etc.) all
have a lower quality of life as well as quantity. If you practice a healthy lifestyle, life is not
just longer, it is longer and better ... for example, a 100 year old person that can
swim and is mentally lucid (and is contributing to life) has a better life than a 50-year-old
with emphysema and oxygen starvation to the brain. Remember, living well is
not just a matter of living longer - it is living better. Part of living better
is reducing the chances of developing cancer.
WARNING: : Dietary restriction should not be applied
to children because a child has not yet completed growth ... this safety concern should
be applied to anyone below the age of 20.
Human history demonstrates that people can withstand long periods
of starvation ... up to two months if liquids are provided. In fact, longe term restriction of
foods for up to six months is possible if supplements are provided. However, periods of dietary
restriction applied to children would result in malnutrition and possible irreversible
stunting and damage to bodily functions.
Do not apply dietary restriction methods to yourself or family
memebrs. Personal experimentation is to be taken at your own risk ... be mindful of your
current state of health, and following discussion with a qualified health professional.
Inside of us lies the "key" to counteracting the physical and mental pollutions of the modern world ... and the "key" starts with a strong "immunity system".
Modern man ingests massive amounts of chemicals not intended as food substances ... chemicals like insecticides, herbicides, and the
hormones that are routinely added to our foods to increase profitability. Combine those factors with the polluted air we breath, the questionable
water we drink - and is it any wonder why we are more susceptible to disease, allergies and poor general health.
Then, as if this is not enough, nutrients are being removed from our foods by processing and modern diets are contributing to the increasing rates
of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, etcetera.
These new living conditions require us to "change". New strategies are needed to live in today's world. However, "change" does not have
to be at the expense of lif's "pleasures". I realize that we live in a fast paced world and that "time" is a concern ... but, human beings are
"creatures of habit" which allow us to go into "automatic mode" ... we actually do things "without thought" when It could be argued that "life is not worth living if one must give up the self-indulgences that
give us our "moments" of happiness.
The government has stepped in to help us ... they give us the RDA ... the "recommended daly allowance" of nutrients required to maintain
life ... however, it is not a "recommended daily allowance" to achieve optimum health.
The symptoms of aging are accelerated when a weak immunity system is unable to fight off the "oxidation" of our molecular cells. This process
is caused by "molecular sharks" called "free radicals" ... they attack and damage the cells right down to it's fundamental building blocks - the
DNA. Freee radicals cause "mutations" to occur that causes a "lesser" copy to made when the molecule divides for reproduction.
breath and the foods we eat
is to pay attention to the needs of the
body and mind. can be found begins with "thinking". Human consciousness has been shown to extend outside the physical body.
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