The Quest for Longevity

1 January 2020 (Wall Street International)*  — Right from the beginning of time, man has always searched for the key to longevity. Man sought after elixirs of immortality, fountains of youth and even tried to obtain pills or potions of immortality. No matter the time in history, man has always desired to live longer without the complications that come with being old.

Since the mid-1900s and with the help of modern medicine, a lot of research has been put into lots studying various methods to slowing down the aging process and help with longevity.

These studies have led to the discovery of numerous nutritional supplements and medications like coenzyme Q10 (which improves mitochondrial function), vitamin C (which reduces oxidative stress and free radicals), Astragalus extract (which upregulates telomerase and increases the length of telomers) and also some special feeding patterns, caloric restriction and fasting, which also play a key role in slowing down the aging process.

Is calorie restriction the same as fasting?

Calorie restriction and fasting though seem similar are two very different things. Calorie restriction is the reduction of the average daily caloric intake by more than 25-50% of what is habitual without the development of malnutrition or deprivation of any essential nutrients. Fasting on the other hand is the complete or severe limitation of food intake for a certain duration of time, either a day, several days, a week or even for as long as a month.

The end product here is not just weight loss but to help longevity by allowing cells to efficiently undergo mitosis, cell regeneration, stability and also by preventing some of the lead causes of death, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and metabolic diseases.