Roy L., M.D. Walford
1 possibly the best "diet" book ever written
that title say a lot given the millions of diet books produced and the general uncertainty regarding the science of diet. but it is not an overstatement.
walford is a true scientist and makes the case for cr with extensive sources of research properly considered. 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 cherished viewpoint, but a very smart individual with superior integrity presenting valuable information.
quite plainly, the evidence shows that cr is the "ultimate" diet. whether or not it's for you is up to you. the cr lifestyle is not easy to accomplish but it will work for those who enjoy challenges. and the benefits far 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 diet in general) in an easy to read format.
walford also makes excellent criticisms of the various bestselling diet books available from the standpoint of an informed scientist. there is a very good section on supplementation, which 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)
for people of intelligence and will, desiring health and a long life, this is the book you should read on diet. if you are only interested in health, i recommend the south beach diet.
2 Look 90 at 79 - like Dr. Walford
The basic problem is not just that Dr. Walford -- the 120 year diet guru -- died at 79. The bigger problem is that he looked 90 when he died. Now that is something hard to explain for the many fervent apologists from his sect. And it is a sect. Because otherwise you cannot explain their fervor, despite all the facts which would have stirred up some doubt in you or me.
Yes, Walford was a credible scientist who did some important research. But in his ill-advised pose as anti-aging guru and in his books, he did himself a big disservice. Because the truth is, caloric restriction works. But Walford's regimen to practice caloric restriction did not an does not work. It is unworkable. It makes a difficult thing impossible. And Walford looking 90 at his death was exhibit A of this irrefutable fact. So buyer beware!
3 Yes he died, but his diet probably had nothing to do with it
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.
4 An informative and beneficial text.
As a registered nurse I would recommend this book to anyone considering diet modification. While everyone can't adhere to the strict regime, there is a great deal of sound information to take away from the text. As far as the nameless ratings nay-sayer and his negative comments go, I want to see his medical credentials. He should also take the time to learn about ALS before he makes additional absurd statements.
5 Reality bites!
The truth hurts. The fact is that calorie restriction with optimal nutrition is the only diet shown to increase maximum lifespan in a growing number of organisms. Unfortunately, this diet will never catch on. All one has to do is look at the plethora of best selling diet books and TV commercials pandering to the gullible and the lazy to understand the food psychology of our big, fat country. Dr. Walford had ALS, which has no known risk factors, besides some hereditary correlations. However, those reviewers and others who wish to use Dr. Walford's premature demise as a basis to dismiss his theories either: (1) did not read his book very carefully, (2) are charlatans trying to direct readers to their own fad diet, or (3) are grasping for anything in a desperate attempt to avoid the painful facts. Using one individual, even if he is considered the "guru" of longevity, as a representative sample to disprove the theory reflects either ignorance or dishonesty. This book is packed with solid health and nutritional information that you will find no place else. Dr. Walford presents the facts, and very articulately and engagingly applies these facts to everyday life. Unlike most other "diet" books, "Beyond the 120 Year Diet" is not presented in the style of a self-help book. Dr. Walford treats his readers as intelligent adults who can follow his recommendations - or not. At the very least, they will learn something about the latest reasearch on the topic. Calorie restriction is tough. If you decide to try it, keeping this book close by will greatly enhance your chances of success.
6 I have tried it
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.
7 smart
Dr. Walford is dying of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. ALS is a progressive, fatal
neurological disease. The pathogenic mechanism of ALS is UNKNOWN. In about 5 percent of cases, the disease is inherited,
but in most cases the cause is still unknown
Give the man a break. I have the book and found the accumulated research interesting and compelling. I trust his facts over 99%
of other diet book authors. He's got the creds.
8 Please ignore previous reviewers who said author is ill
(...) 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.
9 Evidence Versus Assertion: A Response to "r_shattuck"
I am currently reading, but have not yet finished, _Beyond the 120 Year Diet_, so it would be improper for me to provide a complete review at this time. (I have, however, read other books by Walford.) That said, a few words are in order concerning the unconscionable evaluation of this book by "r_shattuck".
"R_shattuck" begins his dishonest tirade against Dr. Walford with a deliberately incomplete excerpt from a _New York Times_ article. What is dropped from that excerpt (notice the ellipsis: "'Dr. Walford...is..dying...'") is that Dr. Walford has been afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease), a fatal degenerative disease of the nervous system for which the causes are, as yet, largely unknown. The reviewer obviously expects the reader to jump to the conclusion that eating highly nutritious, low calorie food *causes* ALS. In other words, one is admonished not to follow Dr. Walford's advice because "it will prematurely kill you." If you are inclined to swallow this form of baseless, fallacious reasoning, then Walford's book is not for you. If, on the other hand, you want to see reasons for accepting the principle that "undernourishment without malnourishment" is key to a long life--of which there are plenty--then I encourage you to read this clear, well written book.
It is astonishing and ironic that the same reviewer asserts that Walford "preaches" the Calorie Restriction with Optimum Nutrition (CRON) principle. (Ironic because it is "r_shattuck," not Walford, who is guilty of making groundless claims.) As a scientist, Walford does not deliver a sermon devoid of evidence; to the contrary, he makes the point of presenting hard, exhaustive empirical evidence and logical arguments in order to let the reader understand for himself the scientific basis of CRON.
The reviewer concludes with a postscript: "... It is absolutely unethical and probably legally liable for [Walford] to not reveal [he has ALS] in his books." This is a non sequitur, since there is no established causal relationship between practicing CRON and developing ALS.
10 Walford Dying -- New York Times
In case you are about to buy Walford's book and practice Caloric Restriction as preached by him, consider today's (Nov. 32, 2003) New York Times article by David Hochman which reveals that Walford is dying.
According to Times story, "By almost anyone's standards, Dr. Roy L. Walford is an old man. At 79, he is confined to an electric wheelchair and his voice is so weak, he speaks into a microphone wired to a small tabletop amplifier...Dr. Walford...is..dying..."
If you really want to retard aging and extend your lifespan, why model yourself on a failed anti-aging guru? Someone who is prematurely dying?
Don't be conned by the uncritical reviews by Walford's little sect of true believers.
Check out The ImmorTalist Manifesto: Stay Young & Save the World" on Amazon. This is not a diet book. But it will lead you to The Elixxir Program.
Elixxir has been called "the only anti-aging guru who has actually stayed young." (Investor's Business Daily)
So if you're like me, you would rather model yourself on an anti-aging guru who's not prematurely old and dying, but one who has stayed young!
The Elixxir Program cuts out all the needless puritanism and self-deprivation and abstinence from wine, etc. in Walford's regimen. And leaves in what is scientific and what works.
P.S. Walford's condition is sad and tragic. But it is absolutely unethical and probably legally liable for him to not reveal this in his books. So that you can take it into consideration. So your choice is Walford or Elixxir?
11 Walford is Dying! -- New York Times
In case you are tempted to buy this book and practice Caloric Restricion as preached by Roy Walford, consider today's Nov. 23, 2003 New York Times article by David Hochman which reveals:
"By almost anyone's standards, Dr. Roy L. Walford is an old man. At 79, he is confined to an electric wheelchair and his voice is so weak, he speaks into a microphone wired to a small tabletop amplifier. ...Dr. Walford...is dying..."
Yes, caloric restriction does work. But apparently Walford's version of it does not.
If you want to retard aging and extend your lifespan, why would you wish to model yourself after someone who is prematurely aged and dying?
Walford has a little sect and his sect members are in denial. But you don't have to.
Do check out The ImmorTalist Manifesto: Stay Young & Save the World" on Amazon. It is the philosophy part of The Elixxir Program which has turned the only scientific anti-aging regimen into la dolce vita (the sweet life).
It will lead you to "How to Stop Aging & Start Living: The Elixxir Program" which contains Elixxir's anti-aging eating program.
Elixxir has been described as "the only anti-aging guru who has actually stayed young." (Investor's Business Daily) So if you're like me, you would rather model yourself on an anti-aging guru who has stayed young, not one who is old and dying.
12 Walford's Shocking Condition Exposed by AARP
I want my money back! Dr. Walford touts himself as an anti-aging guru. But I am shocked to discover an expos by the magazine of the American Assoc. of Retired Persons (AARP). The article pointed out that this so-called anti-aging guru who claims he will live to 120 cannot even walk in his seventies. Walford is a total invalid! And I checked the old mail on the CR (caloric restriction) list and discovered many members of the list were shocked when that story came out.
Dr. Walford should have had the decency to give us a FULL DISCLOSURE of his physical condition in this and his other book, of which this is a rehash. He claims of course it has nothing to do with his interpretation of how CR should be done. But I am not at all persuaded. I have concluded he is doing CR wrong. And that we follow his prescription at our own risk.
It's obvious many of the "rave" reviews here are from a few members of his small but very cultic mailing list. They will never tell us this important fact -- that this anti-aging life-extension guru cannot even walk! That he is doing worse than most seventy-somethings who eat all the calories!
Well, I feel totally deceived. And stunned! I want my money back! This is totally unethical. It is deceptive advertising to say the least. Go to AARP website and find that article and read for yourself!
13 Interesting, very interesting
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.
14 For Life Extension, this is the only book
Walford's book is focused on the one and only method that has definitely been proven to retard the aging process in all species on animals on which it has been tested. The method is to reduce calories so that you remain about 10-20% below your normal weight (your "set point"). At the same time you need to insure you are getting the maxiumum nutrition from each meal.
He discusses other diets and supplements, but it all comes down to whether they really slow down the aging process like a low calorie diet will (nothing else even comes close).
He doesn't really approve of Dr Atkins Diet due to the rapid weight loss (which can release large amounts of stored pesticides, toxins) and he seems to favor the more conventional low fat diet approaches. But a central point of the Atkins diet and Zone diet, and others, is to regulate the glucose/insulin level. He agrees that this is important. He favors losing weight gradually over a 6 months to 1 year.
The book appears to be very well researched and up to date on the latest studies (which he cites a lot of). This is not a dummies book but well worth the effort since no other book on the market comes close in discussing life extension in such a scientific way. You will find information here on supplements that appears no where else in popular books. He discusses the pros and cons of supplements unlike 99% of the others who only point out the good parts of supplements. In some situations the evidence is not clear and he is honest enough to tell you that.
I haven't tried the recipes he gives but that is secondary for me because given the principles and nutrional knowledge (some of which I had prior to reading the book) I can figure out my own recipes.
15 Nothing beats good healthy food
Mr. Walford's book makes good sense. It is sometimes difficult to follow but you get used to it after a while.It is full of technical information and advices. All the information is very valuable and gives you a good understanding of the how and why in calory restriction. The diet itself is sometimes difficult to hold on but i found another helpfull book from Pritikin. It helps me to overcome the feeling of hunger i sometimes experience in the Walford diet. Overall the diet gives me more energy and i need less sleep ( so i can read even more books on my favorite subject). So if you like a excellent and thorough explanation on life extention and calory restriction this is the book for you!!!
16 How to do This Difficult Diet
Walford's book gives the facts on why Caloric Restriction scientifically and dramatically slows down aging and extend lifespan. But it does not tell you how to do it. This is an extremely difficult diet. So how do you have the willpower to go against 99.99% of the population in how and what you eat?
I read this book. But it did not teach me how to do Caloric Restriction. How to stsy on the diet when I am at a cocktail party, or all alone in a hotel and it is past midnight.
Then I found The Elixxir Program which builds on this scientific foundation but transcends it and turns it into something doable, livable, pleasurable. I don't have to be vegetarian on it, I can eat meat. And I can drink my two glasses of fine wine every day. Walford is basically a vegetarian, and he is very puritanical and ascetic about food. He makes you feel guilty about it. So The Elixxir Program is literally la dolce vita for me. It has slimmed me down dramatically, and make me look years younger. And I can see myself living on this for the rest of my life!
The Elixxir Program insists that the only way a diet can work is if it is part of a lifestyle and worldview. The worldview part is in The Immortalist Manifesto, also by Elixxir. Which you can find on Amazon. It is a life-changing book! Read it, and beg if you need to to get on The Elixxir Program.
17 Get and stay healthy just by eating right
Even if you are not interested in living to be 120 years old, no one wants to age into a sickly, decrepid old person. The thought of growing old is frightening enough, but according to Dr. Walford, you can grow old AND stay healthy just by eating right. And I believe it. By eating properly, you have much less illness and maladies, and much more energy and mental power. I read this book not because I want to be 120, but because I don't want to have the various illnesses often associated with aging and death. Dr. Walford has amazing medical research that shows that eating right can reverse many health problems and prevent the major illnesses that cause early death. I highly recommend this book just for the nutritional data it supplies. If you are even vagely interested in getting healthy, you need to read this book.
18 Warning Vegetarians! Don't buy this book!
This book contains a sample diet which includes some selection of meat everyday. As the whole premise of the book is to reduce caloric intake while maximizing nutrition, the reader is left to wonder what vegetarian option could be substituted. It's hard to believe that this subject was not even addressed.
So if you are a carnivore, I think you will find this book contains tons of helpful information. If you are not, then buy a different book.
Look for my copy @ half.com
19 Another showstopper by Dr. Roy
This is the latest of Dr. Walford's books regarding CRON (Caloric Restriction with Optimum Nutrition). This work builds upon previous issues such as the first "120 Year Diet" and the "Anti-Aging Plan" but can stand alone on its own merits.
Dr. Walford reiterates the findings of his campaign in Biosphere II and how the workers there who had to cope with dietary restriction experienced healthful changes in their blood cholestrol, blood pressure and other functions which indicated that they were undergoing aging rate retardation. Dr. Walford also discusses hot topics such as tofu and accelerated brain aging, the uselessmess of supplments such BHT and BHA, the value of fruits and vegetables in actually rejuvenating mental function in lab animals and how moderate supplementation (NOT megadosing) has its place in a healthful lifestyle.
Rich in technical information, his book gives one a solid nutritional and medical foundation for life's long journey.
I have but one criticism; Dr. Walford correctly points out the importance of flexibility and posture in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He then cites static stretching as the key to achieving this goal. I would recommend as an adjunct to his plan Pavel Tsatsouline's "Russian Flexibility Secrets" and/or "Relax into Stretch" both of which teach specific techniques for remaining suitably flexible without the damage to ligaments and muscles that static stretching can cause.
20 Another showstopper by Dr. Roy
This is the latest of Dr. Walford's books regarding CRON (Caloric Restriction with Optimum Nutrition). This work builds upon previous issues such as the first "120 Year Diet" and the "Anti-Aging Plan" but can stand alone on its own merits.
Dr. Walford reiterates the findings of his campaign in Biosphere II and how the workers there who had to cope with dietary restriction experienced healthful changes in their blood cholestrol, blood pressure and other functions which indicated that they were undergoing aging rate retardation. Dr. Walford also discusses hot topics such as tofu and accelerated brain aging, the uselessmess of supplments such BHT and BHA, the value of fruits and vegetables in actually rejuvenating mental function in lab animals and how moderate supplementation (NOT megadosing) has its place in a healthful lifestyle.
Rich in technical information, his book gives one a solid nutritional and medical foundation for life's long journey.
I have but one criticism; Dr. Walford correctly points out the importance of flexibility and posture in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. He then cites static stretching as the key to achieving this goal. I would recommend as an adjunct to his plan Pavel Tsatsouline's "Russian Flexibility Secrets" and/or "Relax into Stretch" both of which teach specific techniques for remaining suitably flexible without the damage to ligaments and muscles that static stretching can cause.
21 EXCELLENT !
I'm an RN and have seen the effects that diet changes can make with various medical problems.I've reviewed several diet books for patients and found most of them are too difficult for the patient to follow or were not medically sound. Dr Walford's diet is well explained and is medically sound . It is also easy to follow and the medical benefits are obvious.I highly recommend this book/diet to everyone who is serious about improving their health via diet!
22 Rebuttal to some negative comments made by others.
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.
23 Way Too Much "Technical" Information....
This book had a lot information that "ordinary people", which I consider myself to be, do not need, want or even care to try to understand. Less of the indepth info and more recipes would have made this book very helpful. I copied the recipes and passed it along to somebody else, maybe they want to plow thru all the stuff in it, I didn't. I just want to know what I need to eat, I don't want to analyze the food. Thanks
24 Doubling your vital years
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!
25 Good ideas but poor scholarship
This book contains many interesting ideas but the author's poor scholarship brings it all into question. For example he gives no references for his nutritive value charts, making them useless. Most of his assertions are unreferenced, so they are useless. He states one list is "accurate and usable" but it gives two glycemic indexes for lentils: 30-39% and 20-29%, so you can take your pick. Walford lists the virtues of liver but fails to point out that it is extremely high in cholesterol and arachidonic acid. He says most grains have a low glycemic index - which is nonsense. Walford compares almonds by the "teaspoon" with cashews by "14 large" which is useless. Perhaps his most surprising omission is to ignore the evidence that the nutrient content of food varies enormously depending on its source. However Walford openly admits that his advice is "not competely verified", and much of his evidence results from work on rats. Perhaps this is why I smell a rat.
26 The Best Book of Its Kind
This book is truly outstanding: Extremely well-written, up to date, practicable. A great read. By a pioneer in this branch of science.
27 Beyond the 120 Year Diet
"Beyond the 120 Year Diet" should be in everyone's survival toolkit. "We are what we eat and drink." Quality and term of life are affected by our ability to learn and grow from our experience. This book is a guide to survival. It doesn't cost anything to find a bookstore that has it sitting on the shelf or would be willing to order it for you. Look inside and you will be just as amazed as I was. For further information, take a tour of www.walford.com. I'm sending a copy of this book to my son.
28 Wow!
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.
29 Excellent explanation of calorie restriction
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.
