Animal Protein

Luigi Fontana's research in longevity and health also examines diet composition. Although timing of eating can improve longevity, what is eaten is even more important. The book which piqued my interest in diet and nutrition, The China Study, by Campbell and Campbell, emphasized the harmful health effects of animal protein in Campbell's laboratory research, confirmed with epidemiological statistics in China where it was clear that those who ate the least animal products lived longer and avoided most chronic illnesses including cancer and heart disease. Fontana has reached the same conclusion through analysis of his own and others' research. When minimally processed plant foods form the bulk of the diet all animals studied, including humans, live longer and enjoy better health.

Animal protein promotes cellular aging and encourages cancer growth at least partly by causing an excess of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a naturally occurring hormone which aids tissue growth. A diet with more than very small amounts of animal protein causes an excess of this hormone. Our western diet is wonderful for producing huge NFL players, cancer, other chronic disease and premature death.

Why do some "experts" still promote high protein diets? The agriculture and food industries have a giant stake in maintaining our current eating habits. They support research labs and the press to spread misleading, incomplete or false information. There is no doubt what Fontana and other top scientists have discovered about food, but money can buy a lot of misinformation.

Fontana has also emphasized the economic and environmental value of a whole food plant based diet. Changing to this way of eating will drastically reduce pollution and save huge amounts of money in food production, medical and other costs. 

              Intermittent Fasting

Dr. Luigi Fontana is professor at Brescia University Medical School and Washington University Medical School where he is also co-director of the Longevity Research Program.  His longevity work on simple organisms, animals and humans is among the the most cited by researchers around the world.

Calorie restriction has been highly correlated with increased lifespan and a much lower incidence of chronic conditions especially cardiovascular disease and cancer. People who long term have eaten 40% fewer calories than standard needs for age, weight, sex and activity levels appear 20 years younger by many tests of body and tissue age. Although some people choose this eating style, most of us are unwilling to consider it. Dr. Fontana has looked at many variations in eating patterns to determine whether total calorie restriction or dietary restriction (changes in eating patterns and/or foods eaten) determines health and longevity. His conclusion is that eating patterns and the food eaten are what is critical. Those who calorie restrict control times of eating and what they eat but calorie restriction itself is not the key to health and longevity.

Patterns of eating which are particularly healthy:

Consuming most of your calories early in the day

Consuming all calories in one 5-7 hour period during the day (intermittent fasting)

Fasting every other day or at least two days a week

My son John switched to intermittent fasting a few years ago after I told him of Fontana's research. He has his first meal of the day after noon and an early dinner- no breakfast, snacks or late night meals. He finds this pleasant, not difficult and it does not harm his strength(he's a weight lifter) or energy. He also lost 15 -20 unwanted pounds. Intermittent fasting does not lead to weight loss unless calories are also decreased. John and many others on this regime do lose weight because they naturally eat less with this schedule.

Fontana L and Partridge L: Promoting Health and Longevity through Diet: From Model Organisms to Humans. Cell 161(1) 
26 Mar15 106-118

                                    Salt

The popular press has regular articles about health issues and salt in the diet. A typical message is that 20-25% of people are salt sensitive: they have a rise in blood pressure after eating more than minimal salt. Often a suggestion is made to test for salt sensitivity by checking blood pressure after a high salt meal. If sensitive, limit salt; otherwise eat salt as you please.
This is an incorrect message since excess salt causes serious problems for everyone. A high salt meal depresses endothelial function, the ability of blood vessels to dilate when necessary. The effects of a high salt diet build up over years with resultant vascular and kidney damage.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24401240
Excess salt also interferes with immune function and some studies have shown improvement in asthma with salt restriction. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17109669
Scientific studies are unequivocal- excess salt is a problem for everyone and is a major cause of preventable disease and death.
The food industry has an enormous interest in promoting salt use. Most prepared and fast foods have large amounts of salt. For most people the primary source of salt is food eaten outside the home. Many meats have salt water injected to increase weight and improve storability. 

Most of us are use to and like salty food, but eliminating salt at the table and when preparing food will allow a change in preference. After two weeks of a low salt diet most prefer low salt foods and enjoy other flavors salt was masking. It's not a hard transition and it's much better for health. Deb and I now prefer food prepared with little or no salt. Restaurants often will prepare low salt meals on request.