Protein Restriction to Extend Life

[OakLeaf]

All I know is that this summer and fall when I was in marathon training, my fingernails and toenails were so brittle that I could hardly cut them. Even though I kept them super short, they would break at the slightest pressure.

When we ordered our Thanksgiving turkey, we asked for as small a turkey as possible, but we were late ordering (largely because DH would've preferred our usual veg Thanksgiving, but I was really craving protein and talked him into it) - so a lot of people were ahead of us for the smallest ones. We wound up with a 15# turkey, so we ate turkey for eight days running. I can't remember the last time I ate meat eight days in a row, but it had to have been at least 20 years ago. DH, who's not athletic, didn't deal with it well, but for myself, I just felt topped up. Like I'd gotten something I'd really been lacking. No ill effects at all on my digestion or whatever, just feeling really good.

Protein powders (which I really dislike getting essential nutrients from "food-like substances," powders or pills), and even fish that I usually eat once or twice a week, just weren't doing it for me.

Over the winter I can get better meat than I can in the summer, and I've been eating beef or chicken about every other week. My nails are better, I'm making steady progress healing from my crash (pretty much 95%, now - not quite ready for handstand when I tried two days ago, and not totally pain free shifting my RD, but otherwise good).

So I continue to believe, even more strongly than I did before, that I need more protein than I typically get. As with just about everything, I think the lesson is listen to your body.

[GLC1968]

That's an interesting study, but like Oak, I tend to believe that my body does better on more protien. Additionally, I've recently discovered that my mood swings to the 'dark side' when I don't get enough fresh veggies in my diet (daily), so it really, really is a balancing game.

I think that part of it is quality of life versus quantity. Maybe I could live longer if I ate less protien, but then I'd be hungrier, have less energy and less ability to do the things I love doing...so it's kind of a trade off.

[malkin]

Exactly.
What's the point of eternal life if you haven't got eternal health?
An infinite career of aches and pains and doctor visits? No thank you.

[badger]

I once saw a t.v. program on calorie restriction and longevity and the proponents of the diet were eating meagre proportions and it just seemed silly to sacrifice so much just to live a bit longer. They claim they didn't miss eating how they used to, but I don't know, it looked sad.

My dad eschewed sweets in the months before he died, being told that sugar's bad. We all said "why not eat what you enjoy?" as my mother's a fabulous baker and he's always loved cakes and such. I'm sure if he had known that he would be gone in a few months he would've eaten all the things he enjoyed rather than denying himself the pleasure for the sake of living a little bit longer.

"everything in moderation", no??

[malkin]

Life is a banquet; don't starve.

[roadie gal]

From what I've seen and read about the people who eat those severly calorie restricted diets they're always cold. They have to bundle up even in the summer. It just doesn't seem worth it to me. Like others have said, moderation is the key.

On a personal note, if I don't get enough protein I get terrible cravings and I get snippy and easily aggravated. We eat a lot of chicken but only have red meat about once a month.

[beccaB]

I think I will make a concerted effort to eat more fresh and cooked vegetables from now on. My mood seems to veer toward the dark side a lot, and I don't like being that way. I live in the dark dreary great lake effect lower Michigan(which is bright and sunny today, a fluke).
I would like to have better legs for climbing, and I don't know if I can accomplish that by eating less protein. I am also trying to reduce or eliminate as best I can, refined starches and sugar. The experts recommend giving up or reducing caffeine and alchohol to eliminate inflammatory issues, but then I would go to the dark side even more!

[limewave]

My dad eschewed sweets in the months before he died, being told that sugar's bad. We all said "why not eat what you enjoy?" as my mother's a fabulous baker and he's always loved cakes and such. I'm sure if he had known that he would be gone in a few months he would've eaten all the things he enjoyed rather than denying himself the pleasure for the sake of living a little bit longer.

"everything in moderation", no??

My great-grandmother always had a stash of chocolates by her bedside, stashed in her wheel-chair, under her pillow . . . We also used to smuggle her in salt-shakers. She lived to be over a 100. 100 years old and her doctor's are telling her not to eat sugar and salt? Crazy.

[Triskeliongirl]

I think the problem with the article you are citing, is that while it refers to bonafide research studies, it takes things out of context and draws weak conclusions.

I think >90% of it is about having a healthy lifestyle, which most of us on this board have, in part due to our love of cycling. What is defined as a healthy diet can vary from individual to individual, since our individual genetic makeup and metabolism vary. Some of us (like me) don't process carbs well and do better on a high protein diet. Others do better on a more vegetarian diet. I think for all of us, its figuring out what combination of diet and exercise allow us maintain a healthy body weight and have energy for an active lifestyle. There is no one size fits all when it comes to diet prescription.

One problem with cutting protein too low, especially if you are also restricting calories in an attempt to lose weight, is that you will catabolize muscle for energy. Also, on a high carb diet you hormonally put yourself into a state that favors fat storage (higher ratio of insulin to glucagon).

Its also important to get your health screenings when recommended for your family history. I put off my first screening colonscopy for a bit longer than I was supposed to, and low and behold they did find and remove a large polyp that my doctor said would have progressed into cancer had it not been found and removed when it was (and I am only 53). So, paying attention to all your health markers is also really important. So whether its screenings for breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, etc. take them seriously.

[Biciclista]

we are talking about 2 things here, one is, when you are in your 80's and 90's or close to death and you continue to restrict yourself from the things you love (Which I agree, it's ridiculous) It took a life sentence to get my grandmother to allow herself to eat Figs (which she LOVED) after a doctor told her 6 years before that she should avoid foods with seeds in them....

The other side of this story, and more accurate from the OP's post; is a LIFETIME of more ascetic eating. That's not the same as denying my grandmother a fig, or someone else's grandmother her chocolate (that's going to be me)

The fact is, with the frighteningly high rates of obesity in our country today, a NORMAL diet and lifestyle from 1940 would definitely improve our overall health.

[miller]

All I know is that this summer and fall when I was in marathon training, my fingernails and toenails were so brittle that I could hardly cut them. Even though I kept them super short, they would break at the slightest pressure.

When we ordered our Thanksgiving turkey, we asked for as small a turkey as possible, but we were late ordering (largely because DH would've preferred our usual veg Thanksgiving, but I was really craving protein and talked him into it) - so a lot of people were ahead of us for the smallest ones. We wound up with a 15# turkey, so we ate turkey for eight days running. I can't remember the last time I ate meat eight days in a row, but it had to have been at least 20 years ago. DH, who's not athletic, didn't deal with it well, but for myself, I just felt topped up. Like I'd gotten something I'd really been lacking. No ill effects at all on my digestion or whatever, just feeling really good.

Protein powders (which I really dislike getting essential nutrients from "food-like substances," powders or pills), and even fish that I usually eat once or twice a week, just weren't doing it for me.

Over the winter I can get better meat than I can in the summer, and I've been eating beef or chicken about every other week. My nails are better, I'm making steady progress healing from my crash (pretty much 95%, now - not quite ready for handstand when I tried two days ago, and not totally pain free shifting my RD, but otherwise good).

So I continue to believe, even more strongly than I did before, that I need more protein than I typically get. As with just about everything, I think the lesson is listen to your body.

Sounds interesting

I feel like you need to listen to your body more then anything else

I have had good success with pistachios to keep me going in between meals

I got the same feeling you were talking about like my body got something it really needed

[celticgarden]

Many years ago I was a very lean vegetarian (who hadn't learned to like veggies all that much). I went through 6 weeks of Peace Corps aquaculture training eating at southern buffets every day, resisting most forms of protein. Then we went to Africa. Within months of eating the high carb, low veggie diet there I CRAVED meat. Not only meat, organ food. I could put away a huge plate of cooked meat, liver, kidney. I listen to my body. As Spring heads our way I start drinking tons of green smoothies: spinach, kale, yum!

Yeah, living longer for me is not a goal. Living healthier, yes. My friend's Mom is 93, just gave up her keys last year. Being 93 and active (cooking for the "seniors" at the center!) is great.

[KnottedYet]

I'm not a fruit fly.

I'm not a rat.

The study doesn't apply to me.

I think it's cute that the end of the article talks about how all you need to do is decrease the protein, and then you can eat MORE of everything else and still get the health benefits!!! Ooh, boy, isn't that music to the Standard American Diet: Look, you can eat MORE! It's all about finding ways to eat MORE! Hey, we'll put cellulose in the bread which you can't digest, then you can eat SIX pieces of bread instead of just TWO! Yay! MORE MORE MORE. Drink this soda sweetened with a neurotoxin, and you can have a sixpack at lunch instead of drinking just one can of sugared soda. MORE MORE MORE. Drop the chicken from your soup, and then you can have THREE bowls instead of ONE! EAT EAT EAT. Give MORE money to the corporations that find ways to feed you more, and everyone gets MORE of what they want. Sheesh.

Eat good food. Savor it. Have 5 ml of alcohol with your meal. Go for a walk.

What is it Michael Pollan says? "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

[Susan]

I'm not a fruit fly.

I'm not a rat.

The study doesn't apply to me.

I think it's cute that the end of the article talks about how all you need to do is decrease the protein, and then you can eat MORE of everything else and still get the health benefits!!! Ooh, boy, isn't that music to the Standard American Diet: Look, you can eat MORE! It's all about finding ways to eat MORE! Hey, we'll put cellulose in the bread which you can't digest, then you can eat SIX pieces of bread instead of just TWO! Yay! MORE MORE MORE. Drink this soda sweetened with a neurotoxin, and you can have a sixpack at lunch instead of drinking just one can of sugared soda. MORE MORE MORE. Drop the chicken from your soup, and then you can have THREE bowls instead of ONE! EAT EAT EAT. Give MORE money to the corporations that find ways to feed you more, and everyone gets MORE of what they want. Sheesh.

Eat good food. Savor it. Have 5 ml of alcohol with your meal. Go for a walk.

What is it Michael Pollan says? "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Oh so true.

[Kitsune06]

A vegetarian friend of mine firmly believes the human body needs only 46g of protein a day, and while she's fond of adding milk, cheeses and eggs to her meals, she holds a certain disdain for the standard american diet.

On the other hand, I know several who are very fond of their Atkins' diets and cling to them like a small child clings to a stuffed animal.

I have to agree with many above, saying that moderation is the key to thriving in every sense.

GLC, If you're looking for a good, 'authentic' Japanese green tea that has lots of flavor, check out the portland japanese garden's gift shop for SA green tea
like this it has a very, very rich flavor, especially if you use hot but not boiling water and only steep for about 3-4 minutes. That way you get the benefits and flavor without the bitterness. It's great with a little honey, too.
Hope that helps.