The thread on longevity and health

[mccoy]

Lately, I've been devoting hours of research and study to the recent advancement in the nutrition science. A topic which has fascinated me is longevity. Some authoritative experts mantain that, by some practical interventions like nutrition, exercise and others, it is possible to mimic the situation of the centenaries who are born with a genetic setup which favours longevity, health and lifespan. I have started to follow such strategies, which are compatible with the science of yoga.
For those who are interested, the starting point are two incredibly instructive videos. I am amazed that we have now access to such invaluable material. The government may be owned by oligarchies but sheer knowledge now is in the hands of everyone.

I highly suggest, even if by installments, to view Dr. Attia's video first. If anyone is interested, I can post a very brief summary of the very simple, practical strategies to  follow to increase our lifespan.

As far as I could see, the very best info on longevity and health can be accessed in the U tube video I'm going to link here. The video is longish, but invaluable. This is so far the best concentrate of practical strategies for longevity I ever saw. Dr. Attia's credentials are absolutely solid to say the least. He's considered a reinassance man, with a degree in mechanical engineering and one in medicine, plus he's an expert in a host of medical camps like surgery, health diseas, lipidology, endocrinology, nutrition, athletic performance. The fact that everyone has free access to such info today is a testament to the undisputable evolution of civilization, as far as sharing of knowledge goes. We are in Dwapara and knowledge is no more the realm of a few academical lords. This is a vid I highly suggest to those who are over 40 years of age.
Pls note that Dr. Attia's strategy is based upon 8 fields of intervention. Among these, stress management is implemented by meditation. And Life purpose and social support is implemented by keeping active and helping others. We should not lack of a purpose in life, which is our spiritual evolution. Social support should come automatically as an expression of our common relationship with other souls.

[mccoy]

Another suggested video, after the one with Dr. Attia, a shorter one and extremely interesting, on the ancestral body sensor of nutrients, the mammalian target of rapamycine, or mTOR.
The message here is clear: eat less proteins, live longer. As simple as that. mTOR is a genetic sensor which is activated by an abundance of proteins. This in ancestral times was the signal to grow and reproduce. Growth, after youth, is at the expense of manteinance & repair. Apparently, the body cannot grow and significantly repair at the same time. Growth, past the age of youth and barring exceptional circumstances like pregnancy, recovery and so on,  is also a mode which favours cancer cells growth and degenerative disease = premature death.
Again, I'm astounded that such doctors give out freely their time to the dissemination fo such priceless knowledge.

Dr. Ron Rosedale - 'The Early Ancestral Connection Between Protein, Cancer, Aging and TOR'

[mccoy]

If you guys are interested we can speak about the very practical interventions to attempt the way of longevity and prevention from cancer and degenerative disease, proposed by the cited doctors.

[ding dong]

It's all interesting stuff, Mccoy. I can say that I am certainly not ready to go and seem to be very much attached to the body. But I did want to give a counterpoint to think about regarding this topic. It comes fro Sri Ramana.

Deathlessness is our real nature, and we falsely ascribe it to the body, imagining that it will live for ever and losing sight of what is really immortal, simply because we identify ourselves with the body. It says in the Upanishads that the jnani looks forward eagerly to the time when he can throw off the body, just as a laborer carrying a heavy load looks forward to reaching his destination and laying it down. - Day by Day with Bhagavan, pg. 272

Sorry to interrupt. Let the discussion ensue.

[guest88]

hi mccoy,

im almost finished with the first video but am intruiged by the "simple" rules which aren't always so simple.

i think the parts that ring for me are managing stress, managing sleep and meditating.

i used to research transcendental meditation it makes sense with everything he's looking into.

i've slowly been going back to being vegetarian. i think though, most important, is also maintaining activity. my job has me sitting in front of a computer for 9 to 10 hours a day and then i go home and sit on a couch to "unwind"

lol

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

If you guys are interested we can speak about the very practical interventions to attempt the way of longevity and prevention from cancer and degenerative disease, proposed by the cited doctors.

It is nice to see u r enthusiastic about something and want to share it with us mccoy. i see no reason for not sharing it with us if u would like. It looks like we are taking an interest! i want to mention this; i have spent considerable amount of years in academia and am not impressed by credentials like Masters' Doctorates etc. i honestly have seen some extremely ignorant unbalanced and prejudiced people having degrees and captalizing off them. Credentials and degrees can give knowledge but may not give understanding and often suffocate wisdom. Even though they may have solid credentails does not give them the added quality of being 'solid people' u would want in your life. i would be more inclined to listen to a friend then many many professionals or especially listen to a an advanced yogi or shaman.

The shamanic journey can often put the puzzle of the fragmented picture of one life into the context of a whole picture of the souls evolution and the difficulties it may have intentionally decided to work out this life. While others seem to have a smoother life living longer and healthy, they may not have chosen a spiritually victorious life but rather are satisfying various desires to increase the length of their life, the health of their life or finding the right mate for their life. These are only a few examples to be sure. With that in mind thanks for the offer we can learn from.; should you have or make time to post here it is always welcome! i hope to also find time to see what treasure u may have found.

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

If you guys are interested we can speak about the very practical interventions to attempt the way of longevity and prevention from cancer and degenerative disease, proposed by the cited doctors.

mccoy your latest thread has inspired me to go back to srf lessons 81 thru 83 which are devoted to health. I must confess that i have not felt an overwhelming desire to read these specifc lessons since my health thru the years has been quite good and when it was not i recieved a miraculous healing from Paramahansa Yoganada. However like everthing else in this life the circumstances and with it my health has changed.

Although driving a truck seemed like a good way of making a living i have had to take a break from it because it seems to have contributed to health issues that have a genetic basis and environmental exposure as well. It is also very difficult to eat the proper nutritional food while 'on the road'.  While driving a semi you can only stop at certain areas to park where parking lots will accomodate such large vehicles. At these places you are forced to eat what corporate America offers at McDonalds, Burger King, Arbies,Subway and Dairy Queen etc. Perhaps i will drive again but for now it is more important to heal and address service related issues that are more suitable to changing circumstances.

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

Another suggested video, after the one with Dr. Attia, a shorter one and extremely interesting, on the ancestral body sensor of nutrients, the mammalian target of rapamycine, or mTOR.
The message here is clear: eat less proteins, live longer. As simple as that. mTOR is a genetic sensor which is activated by an abundance of proteins. This in ancestral times was the signal to grow and reproduce. Growth, after youth, is at the expense of manteinance & repair. Apparently, the body cannot grow and significantly repair at the same time. Growth, past the age of youth and barring exceptional circumstances like pregnancy, recovery and so on,  is also a mode which favours cancer cells growth and degenerative disease = premature death.
Again, I'm astounded that such doctors give out freely their time to the dissemination fo such priceless knowledge.

Dr. Ron Rosedale - 'The Early Ancestral Connection Between Protein, Cancer, Aging and TOR'

Mccoy

We have been told as vegetarians all our lives that we do not get enough protein and here is a guy that is telling us the opposite for longevity. i doubt that we have to be too concerned about too much protein however maybe we do not have to think about getting suplements and maybe the standard daily needs of protein are not correct (about 50 grams a day) What do you think? I have a close friend who continously recomends i get 60 grsms a day to help in recovery and fighting di-sease. It seems like what this man is saying favors our diet and a vegan diet since it has even less protein. However he never mentioned either.

[Jitendra Hy-do-u-no-us?]

Today i fasted again; a practice which i have done all my life up till recently because of a heavey schedule driving a truck. Yogananda recommends fasting at least one day a week or 3 days a month. Usually on water or fruit juice. i believe this falls easily into the longevity program. A vegan diet would fit stronger into a low protein diet.

In the States we are inundated with with protein advertisements and the meat and poultry business.  At  one time we were told by most people that a vegetarian diet was very unbalanced so i had to trust my guru and intuition. It appears that a vegetarian diet also has dairy products full of protein. i find my self cutting back on dairy products as well...
 no more milk now....soy products and drinks instead and much more fruit juice. Very little cottage cheese and cheese only in an occasional omlet which i have also found less intetest in. i still like mexican food and it is just not the same without some cheese but i have also cut back on the amount. i wonder about yogurt and kefir since they have such good bacteria in them which is good for your stomach; lacto bacilius culture.

i wonder if i lived in California again if i would get back to a basically vegan diet. It is a bit difficult in Michigan where most fruits and fresh vegetables do not grow for most of the year so food prices for fresh foods are prohibitive except for the wealthy.

Perhaps there is more need for protein when recovering from illness..  At least that is what a close friend is trying to convince me of and i am so confused by what the experts on nutrition say i do not know what to believe. You can find any view you want to fit yours on the internet if that is your intention.

[mccoy]

Steve, I'm collecting info from recent research, I'll be back here soon to post more. There is fascinating materia.

Yes, when recovering there si a greater need for proteins, unless you are in particular conditions

[mccoy]

Sorry guys, I've not logged in frequently but the recent news in nutrition has revived powerfully my old interests in this field.

First of all, I'd like to reassure Pete that those guys I linked are not just doctors with excellent credentials. they are guys who reasoned against the common beliefs of medicine and experimented their beliefs on their own bodies and on many patients. They are guys who have deep intuition in the topic they speak about and are willing to share those extraordinary insights. I do not believe they are necessarily correct 100%, since individual variability is huge. Dr Attia recognizes that though. He has been an endurance athlete, he graduated in mechanical engineering then in medicine, he has a deep intuitive knowledge in many fields of practical medicine. He is a redoubtable figure. Those guys are indeed bright minds who are disseminating some fascinating aspects of the workings of the human body which were unknown so far to the greater public. I am utterly fascinated by these metabolic pathways, which are sure governed by astral intelligences, They are sort of master switches of the animal kingdom, common to yeasts, invertebrates, mammalians.
Such master switches posses an inherent deep significance in relation to survival of the species. They are intelligent biological procedures which optimize the animal existence and keep the body in repair when there is little or no food, while boosting it into growth and proliferation when there is abundant food.
The astral powers which govern such complex metabolic pathways are semi-conscious. Their work is similar to automatons, they just do what they are meant to do.

I went thru Dr. Rosedale's presentation at least 3 times. It took that to understand fully the implications of his reasonings.

mTOR, or the mammalian Target Of Rapamycine (AKA the mechanistic Target Of Rapamycine) is an ON-OFF biological switch.

mTOR is an organic sensor which senses an abundance of dietary proteins, more exactly of free amino acids and particularly leucine, which is common in many foods.

This is an ancestral mechanism. When food was scarce, mTOR was inhibited, switched OFF. Body in repair and manteinance mode. Since the time was not favourable to growth and reproduction, mTOR OFF told the body to cleanse itself, practice autofagy eliminating the damaged cells, regenerating the immune system and many otehr processes.

When the food was abundant though and provided an abundance of the building block of growth: proteins, mTOR went ON.
It told the body to grow and reproduce. It triggered a cascade of anabolic mechanisms. Pregnancy, growth, lactation. It told animals and people to assure the survival of the species. It still tells that. We are inheriting this ancestral mechanism.

After reproduction has been carried out, the spawn able to live on their own, we have grown older. We are disposable to the inexorable evolutionary process.
mTOR is still an alive sensor, but now there is no more much advantage in growing, except when we want to grow muscle mass after an illness, or during periods of hard physical labour.

When we are past our reproductive age, surely when we are over 40, mTOR in the ON mode is something we want to avoid.

We want to avoid that since with mTOR ON useless growth is spurred. Cancer cells can proliferate. Repair and manteinance is subordinate, damaged cells are not efficiently disposed of, the immune system cannot regenerate. In this ON mode the probability of occurrence of many illnesses is higher: cancer, degenerative diseases like cardio-vascular and cerebro-vascular disease, alzheimer, Parkinson. The ON mode brings about illness, the OFF mode brings about longevity. Statistically speaking of course, since we cannot avoid karma, although we can minimize it.

Bottom line is that we can downregulate this powerful master switch simply by regulating our own diet and not eating an abundance of proteins. This is a new school of thought which descends from the experiments on caloric restriction.

Now, what's abundance and what is not nobody knows exactly. Dr Rosedale suggests to stick to the 0.75 grams of proteins per kilogram ideal weight per day. He says sticking to 0.6 is best.

I've gone deeper that that, given my geeky nature, and in that I'm similar to Dr. Attia.

Sticking to our minimum proteic requirement would assure us not to starve, at the same time ensuring an OFF mTOR switch.

More on the optimum proteic requirement later.

Here I'll just say that there are other important biological master switches which govern longevity, the IGF-1 switch and the Insuline switch.

IGF-1 (Insuline-like growth factor 1) is also sensitive to dietary proteins. We want it in an OFF mode by eating fewer amino acids, especially methionine.

Low quantities of IGF-1 boost regeneration and rejuvenation of the body. hi quantities of IGF-1 (ON mode) boost cellular growth and anabolism. Bad things in old geezers.

Insuline is a blood sugar sensor. We want to avoid too large an amount of blood insuline and big peaks in its release. Insuline also feels proteins, and has an anabolic function.

To keep the insuline switch in an OFF mode we want to eat moderate amounts of sugars and starches and moderate amount of proteins.

We have seen that just by moderating the amount of proteins we ingest we can downregulate to our advantage 3 fundamental biological mechanisms which favour growth but decrease longevity.

[Beatrice Landcaster]

How ya'all hereabouts been? I'm just goinna cut through the shit and get to the point. I mean to tell you I don't know if our cray fish up the creek our full of protein or plaster but I've been living on them and hickory nuts since Old Hikory defended the south. I mean to tell you my skin is tougher then leather and seeins to how I look now I am goina outlive ya'all but I can'ta tell you if I'm a offshoot of one of those Tortoises ya'all see live 300 years or not. You just come over to grandma Landcaster's place and I will open up a an old cask and ya'll will have Beadies best that will let ya'all out live the aligators in the pond. As long as ya'all don't mind lookin' and behavin' like one. Smoke a little corn husk and drink a little of my cell tonic and ya got a long life ahead of ya young whippersnappers.

                                                                Beatrice Landcaster

[mccoy]

Of course, Beatrice, it is a recognized fact that most centenarians have a genetic setup which is itself conducive to longevity. The people affected by the Leron syndrome in south America have a genetic deficiency in IGF-1, this does not let them grow much but lets them live longer, with no degenerative disease.

What we common mortals can hope to do by actuating the biological master switches is to mimic the metabolic setup of them centenaries like yourself, congratulations for the good karma!

[mccoy]

Excess of proteins, besides triggering mTOR and IGF-1 + insulin, can cause other adverse effects.

Excessive uric acid concentration, with joint and gout problems
Kidney problems in those who are genetically sensitive

Consumption of meat proteins besides entails greater consumption of heme iron, which can be pretty damaging in large quantities

Last, consumption of an excess of animal proteins can be related to consumption of an excess of saturated fats, which depending on individuals (again there is a huge variation), can be bad.

One caveat: after 65, according to the studies of the biogerontologist Valter longo, the body would need more proteins.
According to dr Rosedale this happens only in those who do not eat low carb, which are the majority of people.

[Willie the Shake]

With mirth and laughter let wrinkles come.

                         Willie the Shake