Hello Reader

The way we eat is a touchy subject these days.

It would be laughable to see vegans and carnivores argue online about why their diet is superior without every seeing eye-to-eye, if it wasn't for how confusing it gets.

Somehow, we've managed to make eating so stressful!

What is good? What is bad? Should I cut this out?

When it comes to longevity, the real impact of diet is difficult to establish.

That's why, instead of a diet, I personally use principles.

I stay away from any dogma. Today, I share with you 3 tips for making food choices that support longevity.

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1- Quality is key

In his book "Outlive", Peter Attia compares two identical studies that were done on monkeys to establish the link between caloric restriction and lifespan.

Two groups/diets were compared: one group was fed a reduced-calorie diet for 2 decades, eating 25-30% less than the other. The other could eat as much as they wanted.

In this first study, the team of scientists found that the monkey fed less calories lived markedly longer and were less likely to die from age-related diseases than the monkeys who ate freely.

But in the second study, the scientists were not able to replicate these results.
In the second study, there was no difference in the lifespans of the 2 groups.

Same design, same animals, same diet.

Or so they thought....

There was actually one difference the scientists had not considered, that turned out to be the culprit.

In the first study, all the monkeys were eating a monkey chow that was made of highly processed ingredients and rigorously titrated. This monkey chow also contained 28% sucrose and 30% corn oil/starch.

This study also found that 40% of the monkeys who ate freely had developed insulin resistance and pre-diabetes, probably due to the high amount of sucrose in their food. They were more likely to die of heart disease or cancer.

In the second study, they ate the same amount of calories but from a natural monkey chow, custom-formulated from whole ingredients. This monkey chow had 4% sugar.

Unknowingly, the 2 teams of scientists were actually studying the difference between a diet rich in highly processed foods vs a whole-food diet.

In the first study, the monkeys who were on a restricted diet lived longer because they ate less of a diet that was aging them and making them sick.

In the second study, eating less of a high quality diet made no difference in lifespan. Only 1 in 7 of the monkeys who ate freely became diabetic.

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The quality of our diet impacts longevity by way of metabolic health.
Calorie restriction doesn't seem to matter for longevity when eating a high quality diet.

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2- Diet matters less than fitness

In an interview, I heard Dr. Mike Joyner, exercise scientist say :

"Cooper institute established that for the fittest people, diet didn't make a huge difference for mortality."

I looked for the data he was referring to, and could not find it. But this really stuck with me.

This made me think of Courtney Dauwalter. She's an outstanding runner who is basically running on junk food.

Now, we don't know what this is going to do for her long term.

But it's quite possible that for people who are elite athlete, what they eat is not as punishing as it is for those of us with lower fitness levels.

Using these 2 points, I think that we should strive to choose whole food as much as possible, but keep in mind that diet doesn't prolong life as much as being super fit.

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3- The most bang for your buck

You don't need to go monk mode with your habits, and follow rigid routines to unlock extra life.

There are ways to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to your food choices.

It works in 2 ways: eliminating the biggest offenders and adding the most nutrient dense food to your choices.

For the vast majority of people, taking these offenders off the table is enough to see major improvements in how they feel and on their weight.
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​The biggest offenders are:​
- Sodas, sugary beverages and fruit juices
- The top 6 most inflammatory foods
- The #1 source of calories in Americans' diet: Grain-based desserts (cakes, cookies, donuts, pies, crisps, cobblers, and granola bars)

Why are these offenders?

They completely dysregulate our metabolism and immune system. Grain-based deserts displace calories. That means they make us feel full but they are in fact nearly devoid of nutrients. They take room in our diet without bringing nourishment.

They cut our lives short.

The top 10 most nutrient-dense foods to add to your food choices

I hope this guides some of the choices you will make in the coming week.

There is NO ONE DIET that is best. To argue the contrary and push one way to eat on everyone is like being part of a cult.

Instead, we can use guiding principles.

I have 5 principles for a diet that supports longevity: they are proven, timeless, and easy to follow.

You can get them in this cheatsheet to download right here and start making food choices that will make you feel younger, boost your energy and focus, and will help you keep a healthy weight effortlessly.

I hope this helps.

I'm rooting for you.

Jihane

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PS: Can you think of someone who feels sluggish and is lost when it comes to food choices but really hate dieting? If so, do me a favor and send this to them. It helps them, and it helps me. Double whammy. Thank you for your support!

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