People have always looked for ways to prolong the human lifespan and slow down the process of aging. And scientific research combined with technological advances have offered us numerous ways of living longer, healthier lives and reducing the impact of aging on our skin and bodies. But many of the solutions we have found are controversial or inconclusive at best.

One avenue a number of studies support for increasing the lifespan is a calorie restricted diet. There are several schools of thought that follow the theory that restricting your calorie intake may prevent the body and skin from aging prematurely.

Currently, one of the most popular theories regarding aging is the free radical theory. This theory posits that molecules involved in the oxidation processes in the body may end up with only one electron rather than the necessary pair of electrons. The molecules then search for an electron to fill the void. Our bodies control these free radical molecules from causing damage through a process known as apoptosis, or cell suicide. When excessive amounts of calories are consumed, the extra energy created leads to more free radicals than the body can destroy, causing damage and mutations.

By this logic, it stands to reason that restricting calories would limit the amount of free radicals created. This does not mean eat as little as you possibly can. The body still needs calories and nutrients to function. However, it has proven beneficial to restrict your diet to only enough calories to function optimally while ensuring that each calorie is nutritionally beneficial.

It is also important to restrict your calorie intake gradually rather than cutting back drastically all at once. A dramatic restriction of calorie consumption puts strain on the heart and also forces excess toxins held in the body’s fat reserves into the bloodstream.

A popular diet that follows the calorie restriction theory is the Okinawa diet. This diet separates foods into four categories based on their calorie to grams ratio. “Heavyweight” foods contain three to nine calories per gram; “middleweight” are 1.5 to three calories per gram; “lightweight” are 0.8 to 1.5 calories per gram; and “featherweight” are 0.8 calories per gram or less. Followers of this calorie restriction diet attempt to eat primarily nutrient-packed foods that fall into the lighter weight categories.

While research on calorie restrictive diets has not been entirely conclusive in linking calorie intake to the aging process, eating a low-calorie, highly nutritious diet has provided evidence of improving health and preventing premature aging. It is always a good idea to consult a nutritionist before drastically altering your diet.

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