On my MAJOR WEIGH DOWN journey I have been on a portion control plan. A portion control plan would be be the same as caloric restriction in my opinion. With my portion control I am indeed restricting my calories. I know reducing my calories will enable me to lose weight and improve my health. With improved health, I hope to be able to enjoy a longer, more active and productive life.

Recently the National Institute on Aging conducted a study. This study was on the safety and benefits of calorie restriction on slightly overweight people in their thirties. These people reduced their calorie intake by 25% for 6 months. Of course the people in the study had a decrease in their weight as well as health improvement. They showed less liver fat, improved DNA damage, better blood pressure, reduced triglycerides and better insulin numbers.

They also included an study on people in the fifty to sixty range. In this part of the study they showed the same good results. However this age group had some negative results. People in this age group lost muscle mass and strength. Therefore it is very important to include regular exercise to reduce the loss of muscle mass and strength.

They also studied the effects on age related illnesses and diseases. The study showed that by decreasing calorie intake the DNA and cellular repair was increased. It also showed a decrease in inflammation in the body. Inflammation has been linked to several diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular problems. This is something that needs to be checked with blood work and decreased if a problem is found.

Resveratrol has been found to have the same results on aging as calorie reduction. Resveratrol can be found in the skin of red grapes. It is a great source of antioxidants. It fights many age related illnesses and fights tumor production. Resveratrol has been created in a synthetic form and can be purchased at health food stores. It might be something to add to our daily supplements.

We all know by decreasing the empty calories from our diets we can lose weight. By this simple act we may also increase our longevity. Check out the link below to find out more information on this interesting study.

http://www.naturalnews.com/037388_calorie_restriction_longevity_lifespan.html