> Date: Sat, 17 Oct 1998 00:12:01 -0400
> From: "John Clark" <jonkc@worldnet.att.net>
> Subject: Genes and a low calorie diet
>
> The other interesting thing is that the Dave-2 gene in humans makes a
> receptor for insulin and a growth factor called IGF that's deeply involved
> in food metabolism. The mutated roundworms eat a normal diet but their
> metabolism is similar to an unmutated roundworm on a very low calorie diet.
Interesting... I'm not surprised that this link between aging and insulin has been discovered. I've been on a low carb diet for some time now, and the theory behind low carb diets is to counteract Insulin Resistance Syndrome (IR).
According to the theory, high carb foods such as grains and sugar, were not available to primitive man, so are bodies are not equipped to properly deal with them. And by repeatedly shocking our system with high carb foods, we cause our bodies to produce very high levels of insulin. And as our bodies become accustom to high levels of insulin, the insulin receptors in the cells of our bodies become Insulin Resistant. So the level of insulin required for insulin to do its job, progressively becomes higher and higher.
This obviously creates all kinds of havoc with our food metabolism. It creates a condition where the non insulin resistant cells of our body (fat cells & cancer cells), hog all the blood sugar in our body before our brains and muscles get a chance. Thus we grow fatter while paradoxically, experiencing low energy.
But high insulin levels cause all kinds of other problems besides weight gain. To begin with, insulin suppresses Human Growth Hormone levels, while causing the amount of cholesterol the body produces to sky rocket. High insulin levels can also cause high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, and type II diabetes.
> A low calorie diet has extended the life span of every animal it has been
> tested on.
Perhaps the reason why a low calorie diet is effective, is because it is one way of controlling insulin levels.
======{ Cynthia Allingham }======
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