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Greg's Phenomenal Results

The CR Way — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:47:14 GMT

We are thrilled to report the life-changing results gained by our friend, Greg, from the UK. Paul started corresponding with him several months ago. At that time, it became clear that Greg had several foods in his diet that were not optimal. He also probably was exercising too much to activate CR biochemistry.

Rather than say "Don't do this" and "Don't do that," Paul just introduced basic CR Way principles to Greg and let him proceed in a way that was natural for him.

Greg was smart: He tested his biomarkers regularly (see CR Way Benchmarks Panel, p. 145), making sure that his dietary changes had the desired effect. And, perhaps most important, he did not try to make huge dietary changes right at first. Rather, he moved at his own pace, letting go of certain foods when he was ready. This is so important: The CR Way is most effective when people design a CR program that works for them - that they can stick with. The "CR As You Like It" chapter can be a place to start.

Greg was kind enough to give permission to share his results:

�

�	Start 1/16/09	Now 11/5/09	Change
Weight��	170 lbs��	141.5 lbs	�
This is a perfect weight. Thinner is not better.
�Lower body fat	21.4%	14.0%	down 7.0%
�Upper body fat	23.3%	14.9%	down 8.6%
Upper body fat	36.6 lbs	22.1 lbs	down 14.5 lbs.�� (Impedance measurement)
�BMI	26.2	21.8	down 4.4
His�BMI is almost exactly the same as Ralph, who died at 104 - the longest lived member of the CR Society.
Systolic BP	�103	�94	down 9
Diastolic BP�	�87	�72	down 15
Excellent blood pressure. It may drop further as he continues.
�Resting heart rate	�75	�41	down 27
HR is perfect.
�Ear temperature	35.3C/� 95.5F	34.9C/ 94.8F	down 0.7
Normal ear temp ranges from 96.4�F to 100.4�F. Greg's lower body temperature is consistent with other CR practitioners and with animal studies showing CR lowers body temperature

2009 - Foods eliminated or very substantially reduced:
January	Alcohol
February	Cheese
March	Pastry & batter
April	Crisps/chips
May	Doughnuts, sweet pastry, naughty desserts
June	All fatty foods (1 cheat meal a week)
July	Carbohydrates (1 cheat meal a week) I assume this means simple carbs rather than complex carbohydrates. This is what The CR Way recommends and is similar to the diet of long lived Okinawans.)
August	Eggs
September	Dairy
October	Fully Vegan
November	Processed foods

Exercise - reduction in running miles to around 50%: twice daily short runs to practice and back (1 mile x 2) + 10k once a week.

This is a bit more than we recommend. However, continuing things you enjoy is very important. No one knows exactly how much exercise is best.

Daily weights so each body part is exercised twice per week (12 reps x 2 as heavy as possible). Daily stretching / yoga 15 minutes. Karate 5 minutes a day + 2 hours on a Sunday.

This is the same amount of heavy weight exercise we do. We also do some yoga and include a daily Centering Meditation.

Greg also shared these motivational observations:

It is the positive effects of the less easily quantifiable results that I find most interesting e.g. mood status, libido, energy, stress management, et cetera. In addition, I keep waking up earlier than usual - in my "pre-CR" life this would be due to stress. Now it is due to increased energy. I am sure my memory has improved as I seem to be able to recall and quote scientific papers, telephone numbers, names, et cetera. At 46 I expect my eyesight to slowly deteriorate but it has actually IMPROVED! All these benefits cannot be coincidences.

Greg is a highly motivated, accomplished individual in his personal life. Seeing him carry that into his CR practice - achieving a great deal in a short time - is wonderful. We predict that he will enjoy even more benefits in the years to come, amazing his friends and family with his youthful life as the years roll by.

Boosting Immunity and Swine Flu

The CR Way — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:22:00 GMT

When Paul made a presentation at Harvard Medical School recently, he had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Lenny Guarente (http://web.mit.edu/biology/guarente/), one of the world's great scientists who is has been a central figure in sirtuin research.

After Meredith and I thanked him for the profoundly beneficial effect he and his colleagues have had on us and on The CR Way, our conversation turned to the immune system and we thought many of our blog visitors would enjoy hearing it.

Dr. Guarente first asked about colds and flu and whether we get them more frequently with CR. Indeed, it has been just the opposite: We get far fewer colds and flu, possibly because CR preserves the efficacy of the immune system.

Dr. Guarente's perceptive immune system inquiry was prompted by CR's effect of lowering the white blood cell count, which some people feel may make CR folk more susceptible to certain fast acting pathogens. In fact, low white blood cell count as a direct result of CR is probably a beneficial indicator. Use this link for more on this: http://www.livingthecrway.com/home/blog/08-08-31/Low_White_Blood_Cells_a_longevity_indicator.aspx .

However, he still has a point that must be considered. As our conversation progressed, we cited the accidental insight that we gained when we went for blood tests to look at immunity, and unbeknownst to us we were both coming down with Lyme disease. Lyme disease is carried by a tic-borne virus that likely bit us when we were working in our wildflower field. The testing revealed that although our WBC and some of its components were lower than normal - our natural killer cell, T-cell, and B-cell (all essential to the immune response to a pathogen) activity was four times greater than normal. Further, our doctor said that we responded better to treatment than any of the other 300+ cases he had treated.

Impressive, perhaps, but Lenny still made the point that there may be some pathogens that will pose a challenge to calorie restrictors. Perhaps - but studies, showing this, were looking at lab animals. And we don't have to practice CR in such a controlled way. CR Way practitioners are free of lab protocols and can be proactive about their immune response. Consider the HiN1 virus that has everyone concerned. We met with one of our doctors and formed a strategy to boost our immune system to ready our response to this nasty virus:

A. Vaccination

1) Get a vaccination for normal flu http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0906453

2) Get a vaccination against bacterial pneumonia, a killer that is a known complication of flu.

http://www.homeland1.com/Public-Health/articles/532273-Swine-flu-fighters-pursue-pneumonia-vaccine/#

3) If the HiN1 vaccine becomes available, take it.

B. Vaccination facilitation

Keep glucose low for at least 12 hours after receiving a vaccination. This facilitates gluconeogenesis (making of glucose from fats and proteins), which activates T-memory cells - essential for a beneficial immune response.

See this link for more:

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20090603/diabetes-drug-makes-vaccines-work-better

For healthy ways to keep glucose low consult The CR Way Chapter 4: "Glucose control: the Sweet Spot in Longevity." Also see glucose and glucose control in the index for the many other entries in the book.

For further immunity-boosting tips consult The CR Way Chapter 7: "Cancer Prevention."

# # #

Harvard Presentation a Success!

The CR Way — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:30:00 GMT

On Wednesday, September 23, I was pleased to make a presentation at the Aging and Healthy Lifespan Conference, Harvard Medical School. Greeting our friends who came was quite meaningful. Hugging you in person and sharing the friendship that has grown online was very nice.

The conference was made possible by the brilliant scientist, Dr. Christoph Westphal. He is a kind visionary who has extraordinary gifts for bringing people together and motivating them to collaborate in the use of the science.

The day was truly a great event for CR science and practice. This was the first professional conference to focus on both. By listening to speakers like David Sinclair, Cynthia Kenyon, and Lenny Guarente - audiences got a sense of CR history, how we have arrived at a new way to think about CR - focusing on the cell signaling that underpins the benefits. This understanding will take the world to a new level of controlling and eventually intervening against the ravages of aging.

In my presentation, I dispelled a lot of myths about CR, e.g., CR is difficult to do, it's no fun, you have to be hungry, etc. I also explained that the word "restriction" really applies to lab animals that live under tightly controlled conditions and mischaracterizes the better life that humans can enjoy. Echoing the focus on cell signaling, I showed people what that really means when planning diet and lifestyle.

Then I showed how easy CR is to do with the new approach for optimal living, The CR Way. Delicious foods, increasing happiness, better sleep, relieving stress and improving brain health were all part of the presentation.

One of the most meaningful exchanges took place right at the end of the conference, when a bright, good looking woman came to see us at the book-signing table. She had traveled from Colorado for the event. She told us that if people love living, she couldn't understand why they would not want to practice CR. We agree. Especially if you missed this event, do consider joining us for Sunday classes:

http://www.livingthecrway.com/home/longevity.aspx

The next big event is the CR Society Conference in Atlanta, November 18-22. We look forward to seeing you there.

October Sunday Classes

The CR Way — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:55:00 GMT

Now that we're OPEN, we look forward to welcoming everyone to classes and meetings, and whatever else strikes the fancy of the CR community.

THE CR WAY LONGEVITY CENTER classes: First up - October Sunday classes, 10 AM to 1 PM.

SAMPLE TOPICS: Happy Dieting, How to Live The CR Way, Fighting Osteoporosis, Low-Calorie Living Made Fun, Controlling Blood Sugar, and Preventing Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart Disease.

See the Longevity Center tab on the Homepage: (http://www.livingthecrway.com/home/longevity.aspx) for details.

Appearance on WEtv

The CR Way — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:58:00 GMT

Yesterday, we appeared on a WEtv special. We chose not to publicize it until we actually saw the show, because of the title: "Extreme Dieting." Frankly, if we had known the title that would be used, we probably would have chosen not to do it because we hardly consider living The CR Way extreme. As we have pointed out, The CR Way is about optimal living. Moreover, we emphasize over and over again that the best is for people to practice the lifestyle in a way that works for them. To consider that extreme requires some tabloid editorial work that we try to avoid.

What convinced us to be part of the show was the talented independent film company that shot it -- Pangolin Pictures. We were impressed with producer Amelia Hanibelsz, who seemed to have a true understanding and appreciation for The CR Way of Living. So we decided to go through with the production and we were glad we did.

Overall, they portrayed our lifestyle well - giving viewers a good presentation of just how much fun it can be. They actually let people see some of the romantic and personal aspects of our life that just naturally emanate from feeling so good. They also showed us jumping rope with weight vests, doing back extensions for protection against osteoporosis, and walking and running -- all of which demonstrate the active lifestyle that CR makes possible.

As for the other three diets that were included in the one-hour special, you'll form your own opinions. The CR Way is one of the most tested lifestyles on Earth, and the results speak for themselves. All who truly practice the lifestyle are destined for real benefits that will make huge differences in their lives.

For those who didn't see the show, here are a few more air dates:

Tuesday, September 1 at 11pm | 10c
Wednesday, September 2 at 2am | 1c

Invitation to The CR Way Longevity Center's Opening Celebration

The CR Way — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:01:00 GMT

The CR Way Longevity Center will celebrate its Opening on Sunday, this coming September 13. Please check out the details and make plans to join us!

The CR Way to Better Eyesight

The CR Way — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:49:00 GMT

Hi Paul,
Did I read somewhere, maybe your book, that after doing CR your eyesight returned to 20/20? If so, how long after starting CR did you start to notice a change? I just started a CRON diet, and am loving it. If I could ditch these reading glasses after a year or 2 that would be an added bonus.
Thanks,
A.

Hi A.,

Thanks for your excellent question. Yes, you may have read that and it's true! I am 61 and my eyesight remains 20/20. My eye doctor tells me that in his 26 years of practice, he has never seen anyone at my age with 20/20 vision.

For the first ten years of my CR life, I noticed a slow, almost imperceptible, decline in my eyesight. Probably, CR slowed my eyesight decline, but just limiting calories did nothing to reverse what seemed inevitable.

By my mid-fifties, I was communicating regularly with well-known CR scientists and began to understand CR much better at the molecular level. I realized that keeping glucose low might have great additive benefits to "Normal" CR and began to apply my knowledge of physiology to that as well as key learnings from Washington University Medical School research http://www.livingthecrway.com/science.aspx to perfect a glucose control system.

Keeping glucose very low in addition to CR produced startling results all over my body. Not only did my eyesight improve, but cognitive capabilities I thought were gone began to return. It was wonderful - I could do things I never thought would be possible at my age.

Meredith and I also better understood how to minimize AGE (Advanced glycation endproducts (see The CR Way, pp. 68-71). so we applied that knowledge as well to everything we ate. As you may know, AGE is biological garbage that accumulates in the body. The eye lens is one of the first places that it shows up.

While we were creating a much better physiological backdrop for better eyesight, we went to a three-day workshop by the great holistic eye care specialist, Dr. Marc Grossman, our optometrist (see here under recommended doctors http://www.livingthecrway.com/home/resources/DoctorRecommendations/DoctorRecommendationsOphthalmology.aspx).

Under Marc's influence, we began to apply several eye exercises he recommends in his books that can really made a difference in our sight.

So there you have it. Many aspects of The CR Way probably combined to help me regain perfect vision. I hope this is helpful and that you can let those reading glasses go.

Aging and Healthy Lifespan Conference at Harvard Medical School

The CR Way — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:42:00 GMT

I am honored by the invitation to present at THE AGING & HEALTHY LIFESPAN CONFERENCE at Harvard Medical School. World-famous CR scientists will be at the podium, including many whose work has profoundly benefited our health and influenced what we wrote in The CR Way. This is the opportunity of a lifetime: Just look at who is going to be there: http://www.healthylifespanconference.com/

I will also join my friend, Dr. Stephanie Lederman from AFAR (the American Federation of Aging Research), in a panel discussion led by Dr. Michael Roizen, famous for co-authoring the YOU BOOK series. Meredith and I have appeared with Dr. Mike on radio and I can categorically state that his perceptive interviews always provoke good discussions with takeaway information that people can really put to use.

Regarding my own presentation, I thought attendees would benefit most if I dealt with some of the disinformation that's so prevalent. With that in mind, I plan to show how themes from important studies can help people right now by being distilled into guidelines that help them make informed choices. To show how such guidelines can be practically applied, I will provide a poignant look at the lives of two serious CR practitioners who diligently followed low-calorie diets for most of their lives.

We would expect extraordinary outcomes for both of them. Yet one now lies in a hospice ward where he is expected to die soon from stage 4 prostate cancer, which has metastasized to his lungs. The other exceeded all statistical predictions - becoming part of the one-tenth of one percent of single males over age 100 in the United States who are living in their own home.

I will analyze the diets and lifestyles of these two individuals in detail and draw a surprising conclusion that one of them was probably not activating CR biochemistry at all. The same easy-to-make mistakes that may have caused this person to develop cancer are repeated by millions of people every day.

No one can say for sure who will develop cancer or who will live a long, healthy life. But all who apply the information shared at the AGING & HEALTHY LIFESPAN CONFERENCE will increase their chances of living longer and better.

This conference will be held on Wednesday, September 23. The price of admission is $795. The Harvard organizers recognize that the event is extraordinarily applicable to those practicing calorie restriction, so they have dramatically lowered the price of admission for CR Society members to only $100!

It is probable that this event will sell out quickly, so if you are a paying member of the Society (which only costs $35 a year) and want to attend, send an e-mail message immediately to confirm your reservation: info@BostonBiotechConference.com.

Hope to see you there,

Paul

Eating out The CR Way

The CR Way — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:48:07 GMT

A question that often comes up: What do you do when you want to eat out? Many people decide to eat at their favorite restaurants and enjoy whatever they want when they eat out, assessing that if they follow a CR diet most of the time, splurging occasionally is fine. We agree.

If you prefer to continue limiting calories when you eat out, you have many choices. We often eat at the Olive Garden when we visit family in Tennessee. We've found things on their menu that work fine.

Another of our TN favorites is a regional supermarket that has wonderful prepared meal selections that are served hot and cold in buffet style.

We also have identified many restaurants where CR Way eating is easy and delicious. One of them is LIFETHYME NATURAL MARKET in Manhattan's West Village. In fact, we just did an interview there for ABC Evening News. You can read all about it here: http://tinyurl.com/CRWay-FriendlyRestaurants-Blog.

As you can see, we are creating a new resource section: CR Way-Friendly Restaurants. We will add several restaurants to this section and invite your suggestions and reviews for healthful eating wherever you are in the world.

High Glucose after Meals is a Risk Factor

The CR Way — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 10:46:22 GMT

The CR Way recommends keeping glucose low for optimal health. Having high fasting glucose levels (above 100 mg/per deciliter) is recognized as a risk factor for diabetes. In fact, clinical laboratories include fasting glucose as a routine measurement in their metabolic panels.

However, fasting glucose is only part of the story. High postprandial (after eating) glucose is also a risk factor.

In an excellent International Diabetes Federation ( IDF) report, Guidelines for Management of Postmeal Glucose, high postprandial glucose levels are identified as a risk factor for damage to the retina, increased carotid intima-media thickness (atherosclerosis), oxidative stress, increased inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, decreased myocardial (heart muscle) blood flow, increased cancer risk, and impaired cognitive function in elderly type 2 diabetics.

Recommendations include -

Keeping postprandial glucose below 140 mg/dl
Self monitoring for risk assessment.

As readers of The CR Way know, glucose levels are intimately tied to the rate of aging (See "Limit Calories or Limit Glucose?" pg. 11, The CR Way). The sirtuin family of genes, which is thought by many to play a fundamental role in calorie restriction's beneficial effects, becomes active when glucose levels fall and NAD (an enzyme that 's essential in the release of energy) increases. Another enzymatic complex - mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which facilitates cell growth and is the object of much aging and cancer research - is also deactivated when glucose levels fall.

Some in the longevity movement take metformin or certain supplements to keep glucose low. However, it is much better to control glucose naturally through food selection, timing, and other methods outlined in The CR Way, Chapter 4: Glucose Control, The Sweet Spot in Longevity. In both The CR Way and The CR Way to Happy Dieting, all foods, recipes, and meal suggestions are designed to help keep glucose low.

We prefer to keep a tight rein on postprandial glucose level - aiming to keep glucose rises to no more than 20mg/dl: That results in postprandial glucose often not more than 100 mg/dl. The IDF also makes the very important point that self-monitoring is essential.

Doctor Recommendations

The CR Way — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:13:11 GMT

�

Everyone who has read The CR Way knows that we emphasize forming a relationship with a doctor and getting the Benchmark Panel of lab tests done before you start. And even if you've been doing CR for years, a doctor's input is always important.

�

It took us a long time to find the doctors that we wanted to work with. We wanted not only great physicians but professionals who were flexible and able to respond and integrate the latest research into their practice. So we are pleased to provide a growing section of doctor recommendations. The doctors listed here are our personal physicians.

�

We want to provide the very best resources for medical care to those who follow The CR Way. We encourage our physician readers who are interested in calorie restriction to contact us if you would like to be listed here.

�

http://www.livingthecrway.com/home/resources/DoctorRecommendations.aspx

�

Workshop News

The CR Way — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:33:00 GMT

Thank you for helping us develop the inaugural workshop at The CR Way Longevity Center by participating in the survey. The results are in and, accordingly, the workshop is being scheduled for late in August.

Stay tuned to this blog for an announcement very soon and an invitation to register for the workshop. We look forward to meeting the lucky first twenty who register (because we want the workshop experience to be personal and meaningful, 20 participants per workshop is our limit).

Calorie Restriction

The CR Way — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:10:00 GMT

Even though much of The CR Way is based on 75 years of calorie restriction science, the phrase calorie restriction appears very little on this Web site. And for good reason: The words calorie restriction were chosen 75 years ago by scientists, exploring the effects of restricting calories in the diets of laboratory mice.

But calorie restriction today is about living life fully. It is anything but restrictive. And by comparison, over-eating leads to permanent restriction in every conceivable way: being less able to run, play, work, make love - the things most people want to do.

For those who are alone and trying to do CR without support, remember that friends are here who are going through the same thing you are or have done so in recent memory and who give you a warm welcome to this joyous way of living.

And if some you talk with just don't get it, ask them to look at this YouTube video.

http://tinyurl.com/r7nkn4

This film's message is not just for kids. It's for everyone who wants to live up to their full potential - to live grow and enjoy everything life has to offer for a long, long time.

Diabetes - Lowering Blood Sugar Safely

The CR Way — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:47:00 GMT

Recently a friend of ours, who - like us - is passionate about living long and healthfully, asked:

"Beyond avoiding sweets and an overly sedentary lifestyle, what other effective prophylactic things can one do to stave off Type 2 Diabetes?"

His question provoked a discussion about glucose control that took place in another forum where many thoughtful friends gave advice. Unfortunately, some of the suggestions may actually accelerate aging.

We recommend using the proven science of calorie restriction as a guide to how to control glucose. It doesn't matter whether you practice calorie restriction or not, anyone can benefit from the principles to be learned from 75 years of research and thousands of CR studies that have identified some cellular pathways associated with slowed aging.

We recently wrote an article for Anti-Aging Medicine, a Japanese-language journal, edited by Dr. Kazuo Tsubota who spearheaded the establishment of the Calorie Restriction Society of Japan. Our article, which discusses these pathways in more detail: http://tinyurl.com/47q2vp.

Consider insulin, for example - a vital hormone for a number of functions including processing circulating glucose. However, excessive insulin release very likely accelerates aging (see:

http://tinyurl.com/cxqhez) and increases risk of diseases like cancer (see: Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill, The CR Way, Chapter 7, "Cancer Prevention," p. 113-114) and Alzheimer's disease (see:http://tinyurl.com/d9cqsv).

Since CR is the only noninvasive protocol that has been shown to improve health and slow aging, we use what is known about its physiological actions as criteria when evaluating other substances. This chart from a CR Way workshop * illustrates the contrast between the biological actions of insulin and of calorie restriction:

Effects of Insulin Compared to Calorie Restriction

Insulin CR

Adipose Tissue

Fatty-acid synthesis Increases Decreases

Increased triglyceride

deposition Increases Decreases

Muscle

Glycogen synthesis Increases Decreases

Amino acid uptake Increases Decreases

Protein catabolism Decreases Increases

Ketone uptake Increases Decreases

Liver

Ketogenesis Decreases Increases

Protein synthesis Increases Decreases

Lipid synthesis Increases Decreases

General

Cell growth Increases Decreases

* Glucose Control and Calorie Restriction Workshop Workbook, August 10, 2007 (�Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill)

Given the importance of keeping glucose and insulin low, we would never recommend either a supplement or an overly intense exercise schedule that provokes an excessive release of insulin. The CR Waygives guidelines and results ranges^** for insulin and a number of biomarkers that are associated with healthy longevity.

** Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill, The CR Way, Chapter 8,"Getting Started on The CR Way," p.148

Another easy glucose-control mistake for even people who are interested in optimal heath to make is eating too much protein. Sure, most dietary protein sources like meat and fish provoke little glucose/insulin release, but the increase of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I - a growth-driving hormone with many actions similar to insulin), is not worth the risk.

We have already blogged about some on the dangers of excess dietary protein and IGF-I, which can be seen here: whIQO

The CR Way to Happy Dieting launched!

The CR Way — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:11:00 GMT

The The CR Way online companion is now a reality. You can access it in the middle of the home page here on LivingTheCRWay.com.

Now we need your help. Please give us your feedback so we can continue to grow this online resource so it really makes a positive difference in your life.

We welcome you to take part in live conference calls so we can exchange ideas freely. Please let us know you are interested and your availability including time zone so we can include you in the upcoming call schedule.