foods and meals is determined by a software program
available for purchase from Walford’s Calorie Restric-
tion Society.
The gradual orientation method allows people to
adopt the diet over time. The first week, people eat a
high-nutrient meal on one day. This increases by one
meal a week until participants are eating one meal high
in nutrients every day at the end of seven weeks. Other
meals during the day are low-calorie, healthy foods
but there is no limit on the amount a person can eat.
After two months, participants switch to eating low-
calorie, high-nutrition foods for all meals.
On his Web site (http://www.walford.com), Wal-
ford states: ‘‘Going for longevity on the Anti-Aging
Plan requires caloric limitation. We advise, however,
that you view this as a lifestyle change and not a quick-
fix program or a diet. Any person can physiologically
adapt to this level of limitation and experience no
physical hunger provided that nearly every calorie
eaten is a nutrient-rich calorie.’’
A sample one-day low-calorie, high-nutrition menu
developed by Walford is:
Breakfast: One cup of orange juice, one poached egg,
one slice of mixed whole-grain bread, and one cup of
brewed coffee or tea.
Lunch: One-half a cup of low-fat cottage cheese
mixed with one-half a cup of non-fat yogurt and
one tablespoon of toasted wheat germ, an apple,
and one whole wheat English muffin.
Dinner: Three ounces of roasted chicken breast with-
out the skin, a baked potato, and one cup of steamed
spinach.
Snack: Five dates, an oat bran muffin, and one cup of
low-fat milk.
The three meals and snack contain 1,472 calories,
92 g protein, 24 g fat, 234 gcarbohydrates,27gfiber,
and 310 g cholesterol.Function
The goal of the anti-aging diet is to slow the aging
process, thereby extending the human lifespan. Even
though it is not a weight loss diet, people taking in
significantly fewer calories than what is considered
normal by nutritionists are likely to lose weight. Exer-
cise is not part of calorie reduction diets. Researchers
suggest people gradually transition to a reduced calo-
rie diet over one or two years since a sudden calorie
reduction can be unhealthy and even shorten the
lifespan.
There is no clear answer as to why severely reduc-
ing calorie intake results in a longer and healthier life.Researchers have various explanations and many sug-
gest it may be due to a combination of factors. One
theory is that calorie restriction protects DNA from
damage, increases the enzyme repair of damaged
DNA, and reduces the potential of genes being altered
to become cancerous. Other calorie reduction (CR)
theories suggest:
CR helps reduce the production of free radicals;
unstable molecules that attack healthy, stable mole-
cules. Damage caused by free radicals increases as
people age.
CR delays the age-related decline of the human
immune system and improved immune function
may slow aging.
CR slows metabolism, the body’s use of energy.
Some scientists propose that the higher a person’s
metabolism, the faster they age.Benefits
The primary benefits of the anti-aging diet are
improved health and prevention or forestalling dis-
eases such as heart disease,cancer, stroke, diabetes,
osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Studies
show that most physiologic functions and mental abil-
ities of animals on reduced calorie diets correspond to
those of much younger animals. The diet has also
demonstrated extension of the maximum lifespan for
most life forms on which it has been tested.Precautions
A reduced calorie diet is not recommended for
people under the age of 21 since it may impair physical
growth. This impairment has been seen in research on
young laboratory animals. In humans, mental devel-
opment and physical changes to the brain occur in
teenagers and people in their early 20s that may be
negatively affected by a low-calorie diet.
Other individuals advised against starting a calo-
rie-restricted diet include women who plan on getting
pregnant, women who are pregnant, and those who
are nursing babies. A lowbody mass index(BMI),
which occurs with a low-calorie diet, is a risk factor
in pregnancy and can result in dysfunctional ovaries
and infertility. A low BMI also can cause premature
birth and low birth weights in newborns. People with
existing medical conditions or diseases are discour-
aged from reduced calorie diets. They should be espe-
cially cautious and consult with their physician before
starting.
It is imperative that participants ensure that they
continue to consume adequate levels of essentialAnti-aging diet