Customer Reviews

Beyond the 120 Year Diet : How to Double Your Vital Years

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

(...) Dr. Walford explains four categories of evidence: testimonial, argumentative, correlational, and experimental. Testimonial is the weakest form and is highly unreliable. It is usually based on a single case. For example: if a person knows someone who smokes and that person lived to a ripe old age they might be tempted to claim that smoking is healthy. Or if a person lost weight and then had a heart attack they might be tempted to claim that losing weight causes heart attacks. The same type of faulty logic is used by reviewers who claim that the contents of the book are invalid because the author is ill.

(...)The national average life expectancy for males is 74 years. Dr. Walford has already exceeded the national average. He might have died or developed his illness earlier without the diet. There is no way of knowing. (...)

The most reliable type of scientific evidence are double blind experiments using control groups where all factors for all groups are as identical as possible except for the variable in question, in this case the diet. There must also be enough subjects for statistical significance. The more subjects involved the better. Remember that the goal is to make generalizations on diet that are valid for the entire population.

Dietary experiments with humans are difficult for a variety of reasons, not to mention the long life span. Scientific proof or disproof of Dr. Walford's theories will probably be far into the future.

The most relevant experiments that are going on now use chimpanzees. The chimp life span is over fifty years. Although there is much time remaining in the experiment, the chimps on the CRON (Caloric Restriction with Optimum Nutrition) diet already seems to be more youthful than the control group.

It is an undisputed scientific fact that CRON diets lengthen the life span of laboratory animals. The diet has been shown to be effective in all species tested so far such as bacteria, worms, fish, and mice. But the controversy is whether the diet will lengthen the maximum human life span.

Dr. Walford concludes that the maximum human life span can be extended because the maximum life span of lab animals was extended. However the control group of lab animals was allowed to eat as much as they wanted. But humans who have lived the longest are generally light eaters. They might have eaten a diet similar to what Dr. Walford is recommending. In that case the CRON diet will not further extend the maximum life span of humans. However it should extend the average life span if the whole population adopts it. Scientific evidence is not yet available to either support or refute claims of the CRON diet for humans.

It seems undeniable that persons have a greater chance of living longer by restricting their calories (the optimum amount is controversial) and eating highly nutritious food (the definition of this is also controversial).

Roy Walford's book is an excellent presentation of his theories and a wealth of information on diet and aging. He covers:
- medical tests for measuring physiological age versus chronological age
- the latest evidence on various supplements as well as hormones such as human growth hormone
- information on various diseases of aging and the evidence linking them to dietary causes
- exercise and stretching, and
- recipes and tips on how to begin the program and maintain it.

DR. WALFORD WARNS THE READER NOT TO START THE PROGRAM WITHOUT FIRST SEEING A DOCTOR WHO WILL CAREFULLY MONITOR THE DIETER'S BLOOD LEVELS OF VARIOUS NUTRIANTS AND MEASUREMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AGE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT OVER THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE PROGRAM!

Dr. Walford does cover the very important concept of "Nutritional Density" which might prove to be a tremendous advance in nutritional science.

This concept is also presented in the book "Eat To Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I believe doctor Fuhrman's book provides an easier and superior approach to nutrition. Dr. Fuhrman's book contains references to over 500 medical studies on nutrition. Dr. Fuhrman includes Dr. Walford's book on his suggested reading list. I highly recommend Dr. Fuhrman's book.

In conclusion, the world owes Dr. Walford its debt of gratitude for his great contribution to human knowledge and his theories stimulating further dietary and aging research. Dr. Walford is a highly dedicated and brilliant scientist who has written a very thorough and well documented book relating caloric restriction with optimum nutrition to aging. This should prove extremely interesting, especially to those not familiar with this dietary approach.

(...)Although I prefer "Eat To Live", the diet book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I nevertheless recommend Dr. Roy Walford's book as well for those seeking information on diet, health, and aging.

For anyone interested in the how and why of calorie restriction, this book offers all you could want to know, including what to do to get started on a calorie restriction program, how to measure your progress, where to find support and supplies, and most of all, extensive, honest explanations of what life extension is and is not, of what the diet can and cannot do, and what it will take for you to succeed. The book is well-structured so that you can find key pieces of information quickly, without having to read through more detail than you may want at a particular time, and even includes extensive endnotes with more technical (or esoteric) information. Walford discusses specific nurtitional considerations for CR and nutritional supplements at length, offers suggestions for exercise regimens, and provides sample menus and nutritional reference tables. Most of all, Walford shows you precisely, honestly, and with no hype what you will need to do to add "years to your life and life to your years." A welcome update to Walford's original book on calorie restriction for life extension, and a must-have for anyone interested in nutrition for optimal living.

Not to get personal, but some of the other reviewers might want to learn to read before complaining too much about Dr. Walford. There is an explanation of the glycemic indices: there ARE two, this is clearly explained anywhere that I've ever seen glycemic index mentioned. The glycemic index information that Walford gives for grains is confirmed by independent sources. Futher, independent sources confirm Walford's nutrional tables to be accurate. Walford's book cites more sources (from the Journal of the AMA, to publications of the CDC) than any "diet book" I've ever seen. This may be too technical for people who already believe in the diet and just want a cook book. For them I recommend _The Anti-Aging Plan_. _Beyond the 120 Year Diet_ is great if you're a skeptic and want hard scientific evidence of what this diet Might do. Walford is the only person I've ever heard of with a "diet book" who also has the decency and honesty to point out that nobody knows for certain that this will extend human life-span. We simply haven't had enough time to collect data yet. (If you want to know absolutely that someone will live to be 120, you will probably have to wait 120 years, obviously.) But the animal study data is more compelling and more rigorously obtained than for any other diet of which I'm aware. I wonder if some of the other reviwers are reviewing the wrong book. (?) The material in _The Anti-Aging Plan_ is much less technical and much less rigorously presented, but that book is designed essentially as a cook book. There are a FEW typos in _Beyond the 120 Diet_, particularly on some of the tables, but far fewer than in any other technical publication I have seen for years. Overall, an excellent book on the scientific basis for a calorie restricted diet.

At the age of 40 and just beginning to have heart problems, I decided I needed to find a healthy diet...at diet whose primary focus is health, not weight loss.

Beyond the 120 Year Diet is that diet. While weight loss is a part of this diet, reading the book didn't leave me with the impression that weight loss is the main focus as it is in other diet books. The main focus here is health and very long life.

I have been hearing about the principles of this diet for many years and decided to check it out.

The book contains alot of scientific ideas and research to support the ideas...unfortunately, some may find the animal research a little disconcerting only because the research is primarily with animals and not people. But as with many things in life, a person has to make a choice and stick with it for whatever reason and something about this diet and this book rings true.

I think what makes this diet interesting is that when I looked at the daily menus and the recipes, I found there isn't much I would have to give up. In fact it's quite the opposite. I'm not giving up anything...I'm adding foods to my diet that I never tried before. The foods listed in the daily menus are there because of the nutrition they offer and I have gradually begun to think about eating foods primarily for their nutritional value and that's a very good thing.

I'm finding this diet very easy to understand and to stay with.

Well I read this book in detail and was happy with the different types of evidence he carefully described. Having an engineering background myself I found most animal and primate studies convincing.

When I read it I came away with the question, can this be done?

Read a lot since then also "Eat to Live" by Fuhrman.

Conclusion; now I know how It can be done practically;
Eat 2 Lbs of raw and cooked green veggies a day, eat any fruit, some beans and some (1 oz) of nuts. Leave out everthing and I mean everything else.

You will feel full, healthy, no cravings for fat, sugar, etc,
You will eat only when hungry in your throat,
And hey... you went from 2600 kCal aday to 1200-1400...
statistically you shift the chance distribution (yes you can still die of a heart attack or cancer tomorrow but much much much less likely)

I thought I include some of this to make it practical for readers to act upon.
enjoy.

I bought the book The 120 Year Diet back in the early 90's. I went on my version of a restricted calorie diet, leaning more toward vegetarian, though I did allow some animal, yogurt and occasional splurges of chicken or icecream -I did this for almost one year and in that time, I experienced greater energy, weight loss, and one wonderful side effect, my skin cleared up for the first time in 20 years.
However, I was not able to sustain it. It was more than I had bargained for - how attached I was to food,in celebrations, for consolation, I missed all of that too much. I hope I will have the strong desire to try again soon. I never felt so well in my life since I was a child as I did during the time I restricted my diet in this way. I thank Dr. Walford for at least pointing me in this direction. Also Dr. Furman and his book Eating and Fasting for Health are really excellent reading as well as making the diet more healthy, but Dr. Walford was the first I had read on the subject.

If anything, "Beyond the 120 Year Diet" is even better than its predecessor, "The 120 Year Diet" -- the book that in 1987 got me interested in longevity and nutritional science in the first place. Anyone interested in weight loss, life extension, gerontology, or health in general needs to buy this book -- it's absolutely top notch and clearly the first of its class. Unlike other books, the credentials and credibility of its author (world-renowned UCLA professor Roy Walford) are not in any dispute. A highly entertaining and readable account of cutting edge advances in life extension by a scientist who was involved in much of the original research.

Another reviewer (wallis25) suggests that because Roy Walford died at 79 of ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease, we should dismiss his diet advice; that because he did not himself live to 120 years old, as he said calorie-reduced-diet practitioners are more likely to do, that his ideas are flawed.

That's just silly.

I don't believe anyone thinks of ALS as a symptom of normal aging -- and normal aging is what Walford (and others) said is slowed by the calorie-restricted diet. None of them ever said that *all* CR dieters would live to be 120, and I don't believe they ever suggested that the CR diet would prevent all diseases.

People with ALS are usually expected to live 2 to 5 years after the onset of the disease. Walford apparently lived for 3 years after diagnosis. No one is sure what causes ALS, but some cases seem to be hereditary, and others seem to have been "brought on" by exposure to some toxins. I don't think any reputable scientist seriously thinks Walford's diet caused or worsened his disease.

This is a decent book with sound information based on solid science; dismissing it completely because its author died doesn't make sense. Note that, as another reviewer pointed out, there are errors in it, though fewer than average for this kind of book -- and see Walford's website for a list of corrections.

Walford pioneered calorie-restricted science, so if you're interested in the CR concept, you should probably read this book. It isn't the only good book on the subject, of course, and Walford's no "guru" to be followed blindly. Fortunately, the book covers the science thoroughly enough that you don't have to follow blindly -- you'll be educated enough to lead yourself into CR territory, if you decide you want to go there.

that title says a lot given the millions of diet books produced and the general uncertainty regarding the science of diet. but i think it is not too much of an over-statement.

walford is a true scientist and makes the case for the cron diet
(caloric restriction with optimum nutrition) by properly condidering extensive research in this area. he is not afraid to change his previous recommendations with updated information and his judgement in weighing conflicting evidence is well balanced. this is not a person trying to support a particular viewpoint, but a very smart individual presenting valuable information with considered logic.

the evidence points to cr as the "ultimate" diet - whether or not it's for you depends on you. the cr lifestyle is not easy to accomplish but should work for hardheaded people who enjoy challenges. and, like exercise, the benefits seem to outweigh the cost.

walford died before his time, of a non-diet related cause. he looked Much younger than his actual years before the disease progressed. intelligent people understand that his early death has no bearing on the validity of cr research.

this book provides excellent, interesting, and specific points of research for the cr lifestyle (and for diet in general) in an easy to read format.

walford also makes considered criticisms of the various bestselling diet books from the standpoint of an informed scientist and nutritionist. his very good section on supplementation is the most practical approach to this conflicted subject that i have seen. i suggest getting the book from the library and copying these pages on supplements. dr. walford provides lower limit, upper limit, and recommended dosages along with insightful comments for those supplements that are known to be of value. he does not weigh you down with those exotic supplements that have more limited research support.

for people of intelligence and will, desiring health as well as a long life, this is a book you should read on diet. if you are interested in health alone, you may be better served by the south beach diet.

This is by far the best, most authoritative appraisal of the current knowledge on life extension by an acknowledged expert in the field. He discusses vitamin supplementation and gives his recommendations based on his best estimates but stresses that the ONLY proven life-extending method is calorie restriction. He makes a good case for the calorie-restricted, optimal nutrition (CRON) diet. He insists you make your own mind up, but makes practical evidence-based recommendations. The research is mainly based on animals, but it will apply to man, and if you want the best available book and method of life extension now, this is it! And it is a clear, simple and excellent read!