Looking for a secret to healthy living that not many people are aware of? The key lies in the combination of consuming less food and focusing on its nutritional quality. Put simply, consuming fewer calories while increasing nutrient intake.
When we consume large amounts of food, especially those with empty calories, our body experiences tremendous metabolic stress. This may lead to impaired metabolism, insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, and inflammation, all of which are markers for heart disease and cancer.
Restricted Calories and Increased Longevity
Over the years, there have been numerous animal studies in which calorie intake is restricted but nutrient intake is maintained at an optimal level. The results of these studies consistently show that animals on such diets live up to 40% longer than their counterparts who were allowed to eat ad-libitum.
Not only do these calorie-restricted animals live longer, but they also tend to be healthier, showing protection against common age-related diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, dementia, and cancer. They also appear more vibrant, with shiny coats, bright eyes, and better cognitive ability.
As enlightening as these animal studies are, there’s also human evidence to support the calorie-restriction concept. A notable example is the Biosphere II experiments, in which eight men and women lived in a self-sustaining, closed environment in the Arizona desert for two years. They ended up consuming a calorie-restricted diet since the amount of food they could produce was limited. After the experiment, every measurable parameter (body fat, blood pressure, exercise capacity, oxygen consumption, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, cortisol levels, white blood cell counts, etc.) indicated that these individuals had become healthier and substantially “younger.”
Less Food, More Nutrition!
The trick here is to replace empty, nonfood calories with nutrient-rich food options. Unfortunately, many people don’t know how to differentiate between empty calories and nutrient-dense foods.
A term called “full-belly starvation” helps to explain this phenomenon. Even though you might feel full and satisfied after a meal, your body could still be lacking proper nutrition. Most illnesses today stem from malnourishment and dehydration due to people unknowingly consuming too many empty calories and not enough nutrient-rich food.
The prevalence of fast-food consumption is a key contributor to this problem. Fast-food hamburgers, for example, are predominantly made up of empty calories from the processed bun and low-quality meat full of antibiotics and growth hormones. The taste encourages people to consume billions of such items, but they contribute very little regarding nutrition.
The Connection Between Nutrition and Disease
If our bodies could talk, they’d probably tell us that they could adjust well to much less food, especially if they were well-hydrated. Overconsumption of empty calories has been proven to be a major cause of diseases and aging. By changing your diet to one that is rich in nutrient-dense foods and limiting calories, you could ward off a host of diet and health-related issues.
In Summary
Eating nutrient-dense foods while reducing calorie intake could be the ultimate secret to a healthier and longer life. This approach can help to reduce oxidative stress and protect against age-related diseases. If you want to stay youthful and maintain good health, reach for the nutrition and reduce those empty calories!
