What's the newest "diet" you're thinking of trying? Apart from learning nutrition and how to eat right, which is something most people and most doctors don't understand how to do (sorry to break it to you all), there is the factor of how much food we eat that affects our health.
The quantity of food we eat factors into our aging process, meaning eating too much can potentially reduce our lifespan! Time to rethink those second servings.
Anti-aging "remedies", lotions and even immortality is something many people have been grasping for in an effort to prevent aging from taking place, and even avoid death altogether.
Scientists have found that eating less can slow the cellular aging process. This research has been published in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, showing how cutting calories cuts aging.
Our cells have ribosomes which make proteins. Ribosomal defects are associated with the loss of protein homeostasis, aging and disease. When ribosomes slow down, this lowers production, and gives them some extra time needed for self-repair. Ribosomes slowing down is associated with aging slowing down.
Being a ribosome is tough work. It's a very complex machine, kind of like a car which needs periodic maintenance to replace parts that wear out quite quickly. A break in the regularly scheduled tasks is required for the machine to repair. Freeing up some space can be done by getting less calories.
John Price, a biochemistry professor at Brigham Young University and author of the research, observed two groups of mice with his fellow researchers. One had unlimited access to food, while the other was restricted to 35% less calories but still getting all the required nutrients to survive.
Price says: "there's almost a linear increase in lifespan."
This isn't the first time that a connection between cutting calories and lifespan has been made. But this is the first time showing how general protein synthesis slows down, and also recognizing that it's the ribosome that promotes youthful biochemical changes.
Mice who were under the calorie restriction were more energetic and had less disease. Because the body's maintenance is under less strain from overeating, they stay younger for longer.
It's not only living longer, but being younger for longer as well.
Our ribosomes need time to repair. How would you like to drive your car until it broke down, never repairing it? I think that when we overeat we don't give the car time for repairs, and keep driving it and working its parts. If we want to keep out cars in good shape, we need to not drive so much, and do some repairs as well. Repairing individual parts in the car or ribosomes in a regular basis means the ribosomes last longer and produces better quality proteins. Quality production affects the overall health and functionality of the cell and our bodies.
Don't expect to simply count your calories and remain in your youth though. Food is a signal that tells or cells how to respond. Calorie restriction alone is not what the body needs, but skipping a meal can be of benefit now and then. Also not over-eating might be a larger factor to consider. Making the body process more food than it needs to will add to the workload. That's why eating less gives less load and more "free-time" to repair and stay in optimal condition.
For some of us, it might be time to take a break and at least lay off the excess food intake.
References:
- How eating less can slow the aging process
- Andrew D. Mathis, Bradley C. Naylor, Richard H. Carson, Eric Evans, Justin Harwell, Jared Knecht, Eric Hexem, Fredrick F. Peelor, Benjamin F. Miller, Karyn L. Hamilton, Mark K. Transtrum, Benjamin T. Bikman, John C. Price. Mechanisms of In Vivo Ribosome Maintenance Change in Response to Nutrient Signals. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, 2017; 16 (2): 243 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.M116.063255
Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.
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