The Longevity Diet By Dr Valter Longo dropped this year and it has been generating a lot of buzz and positive reviews so I thought I would give it a read. His book is based on twenty-five years of his own research into how the human body ages and how all major diseases are ultimately diseases of ageing. If you can delay the natural ageing and breakdown of the body until much well into later life you can ultimately reduce your ability to succumb to disease. Intermittent fasting is hugely popular at the moment and Dr Longo briefly discusses in his book how he does not consider his work to be aligned with this approach and he has his concerns about intermittent fasting.

Fasting has been around since forever! Never has food been so abundantly available that we could overeat so much and be so prone to obesity! Humans have always undergone periods of fasting due to nomadic lifestyles, seasons, or religious or spiritual purposes. Fasting for health is nothing new in fact when we are sick our body naturally does not feel like eating so that digestive systems can take a break and repair and renewing systems can get to work. When we are asleep we are also undergoing a fast and it is then that our body does major detoxing while we are sleeping.

I don’t like to discuss weight loss on this site plus I very much believe in the ‘health at every size approach’. I am not a fan of strict diets or calorie restriction. However this book contains a large amount of useful information that relates to ageing and keeping yourself young, that is what this post will focus on. This site is aimed at a 25+ audience and is for prevention only. Please consult your doctor or alternative health practitioner before you decide to change your diet or undergo a fasting period for improved health outcomes. -B xx

Dr Valter Longo became obsessed with the science behind ageing while pursuing musical study and playing in a jazz band. So much so that he decided to change majors and study how we age full time. He was fascinated by his long living ancestors in Calabria, Italy who regularly lived to over one hundred, while remaining active, mentally alert and in good health.

He proposed that it had strong links with the food that they ate after also studying many other long living cultures throughout the world. It was not until after years of scientific research that he really discovered why this was the case and how diet, how much we eat or even when we eat can directly impact how well we age.

“It’s not just the idea of living longer that has driven me; it’s living healthy longer, staying vibrant and youthful beyond the traditional life expectancy”. – Dr Valter Longo

In his early research, he discovered how a diet high in sugar and protein (amino acids) can impact key genes and pathways causing someone to age more rapidly. He has since done further research finding that a diet high in protein rapidly increased cancer risk and overall mortality rate. Specifically animal-based protein high in saturated fat.

Adopting a low protein diet high in carbohydrates and full of healthy plant-based foods has been associated with much lower rates of disease and also has a preventative effect instead. Dr Longo is a big fan of the Mediterranean diet for increased longevity (and so are we!).

However, from his research, he has made some key changes and suggestions here and there that may differ slightly. Below are his recommendations for the best ‘Longevity Diet’ as outlined in his book. He does not promote strict dieting but instead offers suggestions based on many studies and his own scientific research.

The Eight Longevity Diet Guidelines:

1. Plant-Based Diet/Pescatarian Diet:

He advocates eating a predominantly vegan diet with fish perhaps no more than 2-3 times per week. If you eat fish avoid the breeds known to be high in mercury (like tuna, swordfish, mackerel and halibut). If you are vegan you can get many of the same nutrients and omega 3 fatty acids found in fish simply from consuming different varieties of edible seaweeds! He does recognise in his book that consuming animal-based protein from fish does have both positive and negative effects.

However, if your diet is mostly vegan/plant-based that will have a much greater impact on delaying ageing and preventing disease than eating a small amount of fish which should have little negative impact. It is the red meat (coupled with the prolonged sitting) that is most destructive to your health. (I would also like to add that I have been eating predominantly vegan for two years now and I was a pescatarian for six years before that and even though I definitely feel healthier on a vegan diet I still felt really well on a pescatarian diet and I still believe it is a really healthy way to live!).

“What you eat is the primary choice you can make that will affect whether you love to 60,80,100 or 110 – and more important, whether you get there in good health” – Dr Valter Longo

2. Low Protein Diet:

Consuming a diet that is high in plant-based foods is automatically going to be lower in protein than a diet that is high in animal-based protein. Many popular diets favour a high fat, high protein approach for weight loss and muscle growth. He mentions in his book how muscle size may not automatically lead to increased muscle strength. He also discusses how studies show that this type of diet is going to lead to the worst health outcomes. A low-protein, high-carb diet increases longevity along with increased levels of health and vitality.

He also mentions in his book Dr Colin T. Cambell who was the author of ‘The China Study’ who also advocates for a low protein plant-based diet throughout life. Dr Longo thoughts differ in that he recommends after age 65-70 including small amounts of animal protein back into the diet only if there are signs of weight loss/muscle loss.

He suggests small portions of fish, eggs, soft cheese or goats milk yoghurt while also increasing veggie based protein. Protein in the diet should still be predominantly from plant-based sources. (I personally think that exercise is what mainly keeps the weight and muscle on so as long as you keep exercising into old age that should also help retain muscle mass). After seventy he believes that keeping a bit of weight on can have a protective effect against disease and mortality because your body is stronger when you do get sick.

3. Minimise Bad Fats/Sugars + Maximise Good Fats/Complex Carbs:

Eats lots of healthy fats. You can get them from fish, like salmon (or those edible seaweeds if you are vegan!), nuts like almonds, walnuts, macadamias and healthy oils. He highly recommends olive oil (try not to cook with it – sprinkle it on your salad and whole grain pasta instead for the maximum benefits!) He also states that the medium chain fatty acids found in olive oil can help protect the brain against Alzheimer’s.

Avoid saturated, hydrogenated, and trans fats (A whole foods plant-based diet is going to be extremely low in all of these fats!). Eat plenty of complex carbs, whole grain products, along with cooked grains, legumes, beans, veggies etc. Avoid white pasta, white rice, white bread etc. Unlike the Mediterranean diet which is much higher in fruit intake, Dr Longo recommends consuming less sugar from fruit and loading up on veggies instead. Fruit is perfectly fine instead just focus on adding more vegetables into your diet first!

Consuming coconut oil has also been controversial as the American healthy heart guidelines advocate against eating it (I also discussed this in my taking care of your heart post as the New Zealand guidelines also say no to coconut oil). Dr Longo is also a fan of consuming coconut oil as it provides necessary healthy fats plus the medium chain fatty acids have been shown to have a protective effect on the brain against Alzheimer’s.

4. Be Nourished:

Make sure you get enough essential acids (omega 3 and 6). Dr Longo recommends taking a multi-vitamin as back up to make sure your body has all the nutrients that it needs to continually repair itself. He also recommends an omega 3 fish oil supplement (you can definitely also purchase vegan options instead of fish oil). Vegan/Vegetarian/Plant-Based Diets usually contain plenty of omega 6 fatty acids. (Check on my whole post on all of the plant-based foods to eat that are high in omega 3 fatty acids).

5. Eat Like Your Ancestors:

This information is really interesting and I have not really come across this advice ever before. Dr Longo attributes some of the dietary intolerances and allergies to globalised eating and people eating foods that their ancestors would have never had access to. We have evolved in certain parts of the world to be used to eating certain traditional foods. When we upset this balance and eat a wide range of all different types of foods found in different parts of the world he believes that it can be unsettling in sensitive individuals. He believes this to have links with the rise in chronic autoimmune conditions.

Cow’s milk is a good example as a large percentage of adults in Western cultures do not make the lactase necessary in their gut to digest the lactose present in cow’s milk (We shouldn’t really be drinking milk in adulthood anyway!). He also says to be mindful about consuming all of the latest superfoods or health crazes if your body is not used to it. Introduce new foods slowly and see how your body reacts.

6. Two And A Half Meals Per Day:

If you are at a healthy weight or underweight definitely stick to the traditional three meals a day plus a snack. However, if you need to try and cut down on your calorie intake Dr Longo recommends having two large meals per day and then having one half size meal or a snack. Ideally one of the large meals will be of breakfast (don’t skip breakfast!) and then perhaps another large meal mid-afternoon and then a snack meal at dinnertime to last you throughout the evening (It is better for our bodies and our sleep not to eat after dark).

He says that obesity is often due to habitual overeating. When you eat fewer meals you are better able to regulate how much you are eating and only eat when you are hungry. Plus it is not as easy to overeat when you are mostly only eating plant-based foods! You would need to eat huge amounts of beans, tofu or kale 😉

7. Eat Your Meals In 12 Hours Or Less:

Dr Longo recommends eating all of your meals within a twelve-hour window (or even eleven hours if you can manage it!). This is quite easily done it you make sure your last meal is before, say 7 pm and then you eat breakfast after 7 am.  This will give your body a good twelve hours to finish digesting food, detoxify, and repair and regenerate cells.  Try not to eat a good 3-4 hours before you head to bed!

8. Undertake A Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) x2 Times Per Year:

Dr Valter Longo has developed a special fasting diet called a ‘Fasting-Mimicking Diet’ or FMD which he discusses at length throughout the book along with its ability to help with weight loss, disease prevention, and for patients undergoing cancer treatment. A big problem with traditional treatments, like chemotherapy, is that they not only attack the cancer cells they also attack the healthy cells.

Dr Valter Longo has experienced success in helping patients undergoing drug treatment with FMD because starved normal cells will put up a defensive shield against any drugs whereas cancer cells will remain vulnerable. This means that treatment can be given, cancer cells can be targeted and there is less damage overall to the healthy cells after undergoing FMD.

It is also shown to stimulate the loss of abdominal fat without losing any muscle or bone mass. Excess weight around the abdominal region has strong links with cardiovascular disease plus it can be difficult to shift!

The FMD Diet mimics a fast and provides all of the benefits of fasting without any nasty side effects, deprivation or hunger.

Dr Valter Longo does not recommend the FMD diet for people over the age of seventy. It generally runs for only five days at a time. In healthy individuals already eating similarly to The Longevity Diet described above, you might only want to fast for a couple of times per year. People who are already overweight or fighting various diseases might want to practice the FMD more often for the most benefit to their health.

This fast is best done under medical care and supervision, and with minimal activity and stress to the body, while also undergoing a period of relaxation and rest. For the full info on FMD please read the book and you can even take the book into your integrative doctor for expert attention and advice before you begin your fast.

FMD is designed to help promote the destruction of damaged cells while also creating new stem cells which help to replace any damaged or dysfunctional cells with newer younger cells. Keeping your body and vital organs younger in the process!

“If ageing is the central risk factor for all major diseases, it’s much smarter to intervene on ageing itself than to try to prevent and treat diseases one by one” – Dr Valter Longo

Lot’s of great info in this book. I definitely want to try the 5-day FMD at some stage so maybe if I do I will do a whole post on it. Feel free to take or leave what you want from this post. He does not specifically outline the FMD within the book perhaps because it is something that needs to be undertaken under expert guidance. He does, however, give you a really great two week suggested meal plan for ‘The Longevity Diet’ filled with really great healthy foods at the back of the book.

It’s fantastic to get new ideas from leading researchers/doctors on the best ways to take care of ourselves! ♥

Links:

Interesting TedX Talk by Dr Valter Longo covering all of his research

(Photo by Edgar Castrejon via. Unsplash)