Eating Less Helps Your Brain
Research has shown that eating less can help your brain. So whether or not you’re trying to shed some body fat or not, reducing food intake has additional benefits beyond fat loss that you should be aware of.
A calorie restricted diet helps your brain because it:
- Reduces the production of brain-disabling proteins
- Repels brain plaques associated with Alzheimers
- Helps neurons maintain their vitality
In addition to the benefits your brain receives from a calorie restricted diet, it can also help you live longer. This is because a calorie restricted diet:
- Reduces age related diseases such as diabetes and cancer
- Reduces cholesterol levels
In fact, an animal study found calorie restriction is better at extending life span than exercise.
The amount of calorie restriction used in the studies ranged from 30-50%. However, researchers state that people would benefit tremendously by even a moderate reduction in calorie intake.
The amount of calorie restriction used in the studies ranged from 30-50%. However, researchers state that people would benefit tremendously by even a moderate reduction in calorie intake. 
When you reduce your calorie intake, it’s important to maintain a well balanced diet.
“Calorie restriction is not about starvation,” says Chhanda Dutta, chief of the Clinical Gerontology Branch of the National Institute on Aging in Bethesda, Maryland. “It’s about lowering caloric intake, minus malnutrition.”
It’s also important to note that calorie restriction is NOT for everyone and may be in fact dangerous, especially for those over age 65, ill or very thin. Always seek your Doctors advice before embarking on such an eating plan.
References:
CR (calorie restriction) has been tried and found to work in animals from nematodes (C. elegans) through primates (rhesus monkey tests remain to be finished, but interim results are compelling). The best source of information about human CR is the Calorie Restriction Society (calorierestriction.org), and their mailing list (subscription available at the site). There are also several good books, including most recently “The CR Way”. Practitioners of CR claim it greatly enhances their mental functioning.
Thanks for the comments Aoi!
I plan to check out calorierestriction.org.
Огромное спасибо за потрясающие идеи!!! Буду следить за блогом, много всего интересного. А мой блог о науке, надеюсь, тоже понравится
Thanks for your comments Olechka! I also enjoyed your science blog.. Although I had to use http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ to translate it from Russian since I don’t speak or read Russian.;-) Again, thanks for your comments.