Open Mike: How Not to Age (OT)

["Open Mike" is the often off-topic Editorial Page of TOP. It appears whenever it's good for you.]

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Although I seldomly write about food and diet, when I do the posts appear to have a high profile among readers; in examining the "exit interviews" from people who used to be Patreon supporters and aren't any more, several people specifically withdrew their support because of my "promotion of diet quackery" as one wrote. Cf. Dr. Greger's fascinating summary of attitudes toward smoking in the 1950s—start watching at about 8:36. I promise, it's interesting, at least if you weren't an adult in the '50s. By the way, most people, I'm not(!) happy to say, gave, as their reason for defection, "My financial situation changed."  :-(

But far more people have thanked me for introducing them to How Not to Die, in which author Greger tells us what science knows, so far, about how what we eat influences the fifteen leading causes of death. One friend locally seems to thank me every time I see him! I've given away many copies of that book, and many of you have bought it through our links.

If you think it's quackery, I have only one retort: do the research yourself. Get the Apple app and try it yourself for six weeks. (Here it is for Android.) Then, you decide. I warn you, though, it could quite literally change your life.

At any rate, I would be remiss toward all of you who liked that book not to mention that the set is now a trilogy. How Not to Age is hot off the presses and selling like...well, hotcakes (here we call them pancakes)...although those would not be on the author's list of recommended foods. For the short version of what the new book is about, there's an 11-minute video for that.

The author donates all the profits from his books (which are considerable) to charity.

But that's enough of this, because a few people also stopped supporting me due to "too many off-topic posts"! Uh-oh!

Mike

Original contents copyright 2023 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below or on the title of this post.)

Featured Comments from:

MikeR: "Have both books. My wife just started Whole30. Meanwhile, I just bought Dr. Peter Attia's Outlive. Lots of useful information in print. Interesting title I spotted in the Health and Wellness shelves at Barnes and Noble, If It Sounds Like a Quack..."

Kenneth Voigt: "The more off-topic posts the better!!"

ASW: "I'm pretty sure there's only one way to stop aging. Although I haven't read the book, I suspect it's the Epilogue of How Not to Die."

Mike replies: Or, as David Vestal used to say, "no one gets out of here alive."

Comments

[darlene]

Writing is an act of courage, a leap of faith into a world filled with diverse opinions, backgrounds, and expectations.

When you publish each TOP post, you put a piece of yourself out there, opening the door to admiration and critique. It is a pipe dream to think you can achieve universal approval. Take the diversity of opinions as a sign that you are stirring thought and sparking dialogue -- that's a hallmark of successful writing, even if it doesn't make everyone happy.

PS: I enjoy everything you write about except automobiles, but I read it anyway because the comments are always the cherry on the TOP. ;)

[Grant]

Why would someone cancel their Patreon support?
Where else can you get so much eye-rolling, head-slapping, blood-boiling entertainment for one low monthly payment?

[Jeff1000]

The most important factor in preserving your health and longevity is not what you eat (although you should try to always eat nutritious foods), but WHEN you eat.

Insulin, or rather low levels of insulin (called "flatlining"), is the element that allows the body to burn fat, produce elevated growth hormone levels, and to trigger autophagy, which means "self eating," where the body cleans itself in all the nooks and crannies, even working at a cellular level. This is only possible by extended periods of not eating, not watching what you eat.

Elevated insulin, no matter what you eat, is responsible for storing fat, halting fat burning enzymes, preventing growth hormone spikes, and not allowing the body to enter into a state of ketosis.

Mainstream science, still, hasn't caught up to the miraculous benefits of intermittent fasting, focusing seemingly always on what you eat, not when you eat.

[David Maxwell]

Mike, these posts are always my favorite. About three years ago I read several books about whole food plant based eating at your recommendation. I haven't eaten meat since then, but have struggled with the rest of it. However two weeks ago I decided to fully commit myself to whole food plant based. I have done pretty well although I still need to cut out the last bit of oils and honey. It is quite an adjustment for my body to get used to the amount of plants that must be consumed in order to get enough calories. I'm trying to do less snacking (nuts, dates, and the like), and instead get full at meals.

When you did WFPB, at what point did the pounds start dropping? I'm just shocked I haven't started losing weight yet. I remember your comment about the safecracker, but even though I'm not totally compliant, I have fully cut out cane sugar and artificial sweeteners, all dairy, and processed stuff. Surely I am eating a ton less calories than before.

Anyways, thanks a lot for all of your posts. I've lost track of how long I've been reading your blog, but Xander was a little boy when I started.

[John Krumm]

You could probably write a pretty good tongue in cheek post called "How Not To Blog," and yes, I am mostly kidding, though I bet it would be funny.

I've read a couple of his books, and enjoyed them. I'm in a diet off-cycle at the moment. Mostly I'm avoiding high salt, which does keep me away from most processed and most restaurant foods. But I did just eat a delicious homemade low-salt hamburger that I know is on the good doctor's bad list.

The main thing that keeps me from doing well on diets is the individualistic approach they require. We are social beings, and we need social ways of eating well.

[David Drake]

I began watching 'Live to 100, Secrets of the Blue Zones' last night:
"Dan Buettner discovers five unique communities where people live extraordinarily long and vibrant lives."
It's very done and on Netlix (and perhaps other streaming services?)
David Drake

[Dan Khong]

I appreciate your off-topic posts as much as your on-topic posts because it shows a holistic part of your personality.

In an American Standard Version of a certain book, it is written: "We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn".

Just wondering if there is some resemblance to your case.

[Michael Fewster]

Absolutely the best and most comprehensive analysis of the various aspects that contribute to Aging, and slowing that process, are in a BBC series by Michale Mosley. It's complex and there is a lot more to it than just diet.
Michael Mosley. Secrets of the Superagers.
It's based on a study of people around the world who have unusually long life spans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqHE8__Z9FA

[Brian Stewart]

I was one of those people who thanked you some years ago when you first pointed out Dr Greger's work, his website in particular. Or at least my wife thanked you. However ... my neighbour recently completed her training as a dietician, and when I mentioned Greger to her I got an earful. They were specifically warned off his work during their training. I can't recall all the details, but I think the critique was about balance and independence. This from someone who was pretty much a vegan before she started her training, I'm not sure what she is now. I don't have a view on him, but it made me wary. YMMV. I guess everyone has their admirers and detractors.

[Stephen Jenner]

In the USA, this concept goes back a long way. A prominent exponent of the twentieth century being Dr. Herbert Shelton from Texas who was a prime mover in the American Natural Hygiene Society.

Even earlier was one Sylvester Graham from the 1800's, who invented the 'Golden Graham'.

I was a long time member of the British Natural Hygiene Society, which was founded and run by a man called Dr. Keki Sidhwa. He was a Parsee from India (as was Freddie Mercury). He first encountered Hygiene when he fell ill whilst training to be a medical doctor at the university in Edinburgh. His mother came over from India, and nursed him back to health, using Hygienic methods, and he continued his medical training, but never forgot what he had learned from his mother.

He spent the rest of his life owning and running the BNHS, which published a quarterly magazine. He also offered hygiene services at his three consecutively owned homes, the first two in Frinton-on-Sea in Essex, and finally at Beckenham in South east London, where he died aged 93 around five years ago. Not bad for someone who was near death in Edinburgh in the 1950's.

The reason that most people have never heard of this form of healthcare is that 'normal' medicine based allopathic healthcare is very lucrative and consequently very close to government.

By adopting to the best of my ability (and willpower) the life of Hygiene, my Crohn's disease (a genetic condition, basically chronic gut-rot) virtually disappeared. One would think that it is simple, particularly since I have had nearly three feet of my bowel surgically removed.

Unfortunately, since it is difficult to maintain the lifestyle, it is easy to re-adopt the habits of childhood (and parental upbringing) and lapse. My Crohn's is giving me merry hell as I write.

Dietary habits are very hard to change, I would say almost impossible, since they are imbued from the moment that breast feeding ends during the first year of one's life. Consequently, I have during recent years re-encountered typical Crohn's symptoms, which are pretty uncomfortable.

It is difficult to self-understand this, since I definitely feel better by keeping disciplined, and yet have continued to lapse and relapse during the last 50 or so years.

A little research on the internet, particularly here: http://www.living-foods.com/articles/naturalhygiene.html is a good place to start.

In the UK, it is even less known, since we, along with the Cubans, receive medical care through taxation, so we do not notice the price that we pay for so-called traditional healthcare.

[Robert Roaldi]

There's an excellent recent 3-hour long podcast on Sam Harris's Making Sense show titled Health and Longevity. It's a discussion with Peter Attia, a researcher in the field. They go over what we know scientifically about maintaining healthy long lives. At 3 hours it's not a light listen but worth the time. I cannot remember if that particular episode is behind his paywall or not, as he makes some podcasts freely available to all as PSAs.

https://www.samharris.org/podcasts/waking-up-conversations/health-longevity

[Mike Mundy]

You could really bulk up the readership by having a KPop post every now and then.

[Except I don't even know what that is. :-) --Mike]

[darlene]

[Except I don't even know what that is. :-) --Mike]

I'll help you out here with famous KPop:

https://youtu.be/yyTtBgr-UJw?si=PgeZDkQPChEFAuz6

[Mike Mundy]

. . . or "How You Like That."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32si5cfrCNc