The Longevity Diet: Slow Aging, Fight Disease, Optimize Weight

Valter Longo is a renowned scientist in the field of human longevity. He did not only published over 100 peer-review articles, but was also nominated for the Nobel Prize recently. As a matter of fact, he is a humble scientist. For example, 100 percent of his book royalties and all his shares in his fasting mimicking diet company are committed to charities and nonprofit organizations involved in cancer research. Now let's share some thoughts about the book. First I wanted to say that it is a short and easy-to-read piece. The goal of Longo's book is to present a realistic and sustainable diet/lifestyle program to promote health benefits over long periods of time. He starts with an interesting and worth-reading introduction that about his studies—and how we could properly apply them. Then he explains the "5 pillars of longevity" which create a strong foundation for dietary recommendations based on the evaluation/filtration of thousands of studies related to aging and disease. These 5 pillars are: Juventology Research, Epidemiology, Clinical Studies, Centenarian Studies, and the Study of Complex Systems. Applying these pillars in combination, his team was able to determine a specific combination of nutrients/foods for optimal longevity. After that he digs deep into the longevity diet itself, and how physical movement can also bring some positive benefits. The climax is when he explains in good detail the positive effects of fasting. But here is the caveat, we don't need to starve ourselves all the way to improve our health markers. Through his extend research studies, he discovered that we can actually mimic the benefits of water fasting by eating a small but well-designed diet for 5 consecutive days to bring virtually the "same" benefits. And these cycles could be done once a month, to even twice a year, according to our own needs. Explained that, we can either buy our own food by following the meal plan based on the right type of food and adequate quantities during the 5 days, or even better, we could purchase a 5-day natural pre-packaged meal plan he developed to make it easier our compliance and therefore amplify the benefits with accuracy during these days. Again, 100 percent of his profits go directly to nonprofits organizations towards cancer research and charities. Finally, the last chapters are dedicated to the benefits of fasting, in this case the mimicking diet, concerning weight management, prevention and treatment of many diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as autoimmune diseases. Finally, he finishes up with a closing chapter on how to stay young which can be summarized in a few points: – Eat mostly a vegan diet, and consume some fish if desired. – Consume low but sufficient proteins. – Minimize bad fats and sugars by maximizing good fats and complex carbs. – Add enough nutrients to be well-nourished. – Eat a variety of food that were common to grand and great-grandparents. – Eat twice a day plus a snack. – Restrict eating time to 11-12 hours or less per day. – Take advantage of periodic prolonged fasting mimicking diets. – Exercise moderately for at least 2.5 hours a week. – Try to stay connected to family, friends, and social circles. In my case, I have done already two cycles of his fasting mimicking diet and can't express how happy and grateful I am. Together with his work, I do love Gundry's "The Plant Paradox" approach, as well as Mercola's "Fat for Fuel" principles. These three experts bring, in my humble opinion, strong knowledge to help us thrive. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did, and if you do so, please try his 5-day fasting program at least once. Sincerely, Haical

I have been absolutely fascinated for the past 3 weeks since the night I discovered Valter Longo and his research by watching the documentary (free on amazon prime) for "The Science of Fasting". I am not sure when they added that title, but I am so incredibly grateful to have discovered this very important research and all the implications that I have learned over the past weeks! I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 in the early Spring and my life has taken that difficult path of trying to get a cure from the typical "standard of care" type of treatment. Before I learned about the concept of starving around your chemo sessions, I had already endured 4 rounds of Adriamycin/Cytoxin and 1 round of Taxol. I was in the depressing situation of being numb in my feet, starting to get numb in my hands, and totally freaked out about it. Also, that first round of Taxol had almost crippled me for 3 days, making all my joints unstable to the point that I had to use a walker. I am only 47, so I started to think that I'll be left so numb in my feet that it wouldn't be safe for me to ride my bicycle anymore, which would truly be sad to me. So about 3 weeks ago, I was depressed about those thoughts and desperate to find something to watch other than "The Walking Dead" (terrible show now), and I found a documentary that I could watch for free on Amazon Prime ("The Science of Fasting") and I decided to watch it. I was kind of skeptical until I saw the interview with Valter Longo, who was showing the lab mice who had been starved versus the lab mice who had been allowed to free feed prior to and during a massive overdose of a chemotherapy drug. Then I knew that I had to consult google to see if this was really true. I expected to only see alternative medicine people talking about it, but I realized it was all TRUE, while also having a sickening realization: many of my loved ones have died of cancer in the past 4 years and there was actually a lot of talk occurring on the internet about this topic, about research and promising results for a variety of illnesses including cancer. I consider the man behind the book to be exactly the type of person we all needed to be doing this, because he can't be discouraged from taking a better and more insightful look at these incredibly important issues. There is nothing more important than living in a way that sustains and protects life, since life is beautiful but delicate and should be held with respect. I truly appreciate that the perspective of this book is that people should live longer and healthier lives, combined with what science says on the topic. By the way, I can't resist adding that I think Lord Byron must have jumped for joy in his grave when this book was published. If only he had known that his habits of starving himself and then bingeing on "fish and vegetables" was actually a huge boon to his health, and not just to his fashion sense. Byron also spoke greatly about the mental clarity he enjoyed when he was in starvation mode, which is fascinating when you learn that brain neurons are created, new brain neurons, when you fast and then re-feed. Imagine this: Byron's worst problem, his hated tendency to get fat, drove him to a cycle of fasting and re-feeding that literally galvanized his poet skill? Not sure about that. But I like to think so, because I honestly would not have even dreamed of thinking about that unless I learned of Valter Longo's research. I'd also like to add that this book is wonderfully written and intelligent. I did feel a slight twinge of uncertainty about the diet but I realized that I can follow the eating plan by measuring ingredients on a scale, and believe me, after you finish a fast... you literally have tons of energy and fascination with preparing healthy and small portions of highly nutritious food. This diet will sound like hell to you if you are already stuffed on a rich diet, but if you actually fast, you will find that this is exactly the kind of food that you crave. I am so grateful for your kindness and fortitude of spirit that you brought this book out now. Bless!!! Edit: I forgot to mention the most important thing, which is that I was able to do a 4 day water fast around my 2nd infusion of taxol. I faster for only 2 days prior to chemo day (I was afraid of getting too run down, and I didn't know what to expect), plus I fasted the day of the infusion and the day after. The first thing that I noticed was that my neuropathy almost totally went away after only 24 hours on the fast! So that neurapathy eased even before I got in the chemo chair. I felt fine after chemo, and pretty ok the day after, and then the day after that (so on my 4th day of fasting), I knew that this method of starving yourself to protect from the toxic effects of chemo actually works. Because I was walking with good balance, in a normal gait, without any limping or feeling like I must walk with the aid of a "walker". That is what happened to me when I had my first taxol infusion, without any fasting. So to me, this was totally proven and I realized this book was coming out within a couple of days, so I ordered multiple copies to share with EVERYONE. Because all proceeds go to charity, and people are being damaged by chemo drugs every day around the world. Patients have the right to know about this!!!! I am so happy and active right now that nobody can believe I just had chemo.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is simply seeking to live a long, healthy life, or for someone who has specific pathology that needs to be addressed and managed if not possibly even cured. Dr. Longo expresses the results of decades worth of scientific testing, both double blind and peer-reviewed studies. He doesn't give blanket statements that one thing works for everyone, and he suggests alternatives to people of different conditions or age. The fact that he bases his conclusions on Five Pillars versus one or two facets speaks volumes. With so much contradicting information regarding nutrition and lifestyle, it is empowering to hear information that is based on studies that are not bought and paid for by various big corporations or that are simply only based on intuition. I believe in intuitive living combined with being concretely informed. As a vegan, I respect that he promotes a plant-based diet with only a very small portion of meat per week... Only two or three small servings per week of fish. He backs his proposal with data sourced from a variety of aspects. The only reason I gave this book only four stars is because it does become a bit repetitive. That said, I find that many non-fiction books with emphasis on nutrition and/or longevity subscribe to the same formula of repetitive writing. I'm sure that is a very helpful method of writing if the information is completely new to the reader. I downloaded this book, and the audible so that I could listen to it while working out at the gym. I will, however, be buying a hard copy so that I can refer to the appendices easily, and for referring to other chapters more readily. Unfortunately, I am not tech savvy enough to do that efficiently. 😃

Before purchasing the book, I had read of Dr. Longo and saw his Ted Talk video. This peaked my interest to learn more given that, even though I was great at exercising, my diet was terrible consisting of regular North American fare (i.e. fast food, too much animal protein and sugars, and not enough vegetables). The book has been life changing in that I have incorporated the diet as well as the fasting mimicking diet about once every 3 months given my family risk factors (i.e. cancer and cardio vascular disease). I have lost nearly 20 pounds (200+ to 180) and have lowered my cholesterol profile significantly (240 to 190). The book is well organized and progresses through the basic longevity diet, fasting mimicking diet, exercise and then the positive effects on several pervasive conditions (e.g. cardio vascular disease, cancer, auto-immune diseases, etc.). After explaining the science in each chapter, the main points are then summarized again at the end of each chapter in bullet format. This is nice, since it allows you to quickly reference back to the main points without having to weed thru a lot of text again. Regarding the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), contrary to what some reviewers have said, the basics are laid out well enough in the book for someone to do themselves without having to purchase Prolon each time. Yes, Prolon is expensive! While I have purchased Prolon a few times now, I have also come up with a nice five day regimen on my own that works just as well. It takes a bit of time and effort, but it can be safely done. This book is based on well over 20 years of global research, clinical trials (which are ongoing) and testimonials of many people. I have purchased a few extra copies and have given them to friends and family to encourage them to seek a healthier lifestyle as well. Definitely worth the money!

An excellent overview of the nutritional science that's re-writing the way we view, and treat, disease. Not an extreme diet, more like a customisable way of life, a more relaxed approach to staying healthy. This is very important to me. I've stressed myself in the past by trying to stick to incredibly dogmatic diets. Longo's approach is very Mediterranean, eat, don't stress, if something doesn't work for you, adapt it. Having been born and grown up in Mediterranean countries, I very much value this approach. There's chapters on the science of fasting mimicking, an overview of what an anti-cancer diet should look like, and a two week plan for those looking to get healthy but not lose weight, plus advice on how to easily lose weight using light modifications. Others have made the point here that the book doesn't give you the exact breakdown of the FMD for you to do at home. This has always been a concern of Longo's, one he has mentioned time and again in interviews (I know because I interviewed him for my website), that there are risks associated with trying to do it alone, even with the exact recipe. In European fasting clinics like the Buchinger, daily blood tests are administered and vitals are monitored. All in all a great read and valuable addition to the growing fasting literature, only Longo's approach isn't fasting, it's fasting with food. Having tried both, I'll never go back to water alone.

This book provides a case for dietary interventions to slow and even reverse the symptoms associated with chronic diseases (cardiovascular diseases, dementia among them) and is generally well written but suffers from some serious flaws. It is a translation of a book that was originally published in Italy and the fact that it was not originally written for an American, or even an international, audience is one of its problems. First, the author likes to talk too much about his fondness for playing the guitar - this has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of longevity, yet he repeatedly mentions his guitar-playing in multiple chapters. One wonders why. Second, the book takes an absolutist approach to dietary recommendations: no dairy, no beef, pork, or chicken, no potatoes, rice, minimal pasta, and fish only 2-3 times per week. While these recommendations may be appropriate for one with severe cardiovascular disease or dementia, I wonder how many people without chronic disease will closely adhere to them? They seem unrealistic for the masses, even if they would be good for the planet. Third, there are dietary recommendations that are suitable for those in Italy but not so much for those in Des Moines; for example, for breakfast he suggests coffee and non-dairy creamer and whole wheat focaccia. Probably not going to happen in many kitchens across America, if only because of availability. I think the book would have been suitable for a much larger audience if it had been edited for a U.S. or international readership and if its dietary recommendations would have been modified for those lacking disease symptoms who are still interested in his recommendations. For example, minimize consumption of red meat to X servings of size Y per week or month; minimize use of dairy as much as possible (the author even recommends against the consumption of yogurt); eat only X amount of white rice per week, etc. Rather than saying simply don't eat these things, tell us what the culprits are, what the evidence is to prove their negative effects, and what acceptable amounts of these things (meat, dairy, rice or potatoes) might be. I think that had he done this, he would have found a lot more adherents and likely many more who would have wanted to try his dietary recommendations along with his fasting mimicking diet. Worth the read, but I think that there is much room for improvement.

I'm a big fan of health-related books, and have about 30-40 that I'm currently reading. Of them all, this is my favorite. Based on years dedicated to understanding what factors accelerate aging (sugar) and which slow it down (fasting), the author explains the biological processes that occur. I've been doing intermittent fasting with great success for the past 6 months or so, and this past week I did the 5 day FMD, Prolon. It went very well. Day 1 was fine, Day 2 I was completely exhausted by 5pm (unlike me), Day 3-5 my mind became extremely clear and I felt light and calm, and I wasn't that hungry. I can't say enough about the ProLon foods- all, literally, all items were delicious. I plan to repeat it in January and again in March. While I'm often fueled with info on what to eat and what to avoid, I tend to be super clean 5 days of the week and flexible the other 2 days where I may eat things that are not that great for me (pizza, cookies). This book, and doing the cleanse, has reset me in a way that I am really thinking differently about these flexible 2 days, realizing that sugar is doing more than causing me to gain weight, but it's increasing aging which is scary. Of course, I will eat sugar here and there, but not as frequently as before. This book has restructured the way I see food. I'm truly grateful for Dr. Longo's dedication to the study of longevity.

The Longevity Diet isn't just about weight loss. It's about health. The author has impeccable credentials and presents a variety of eating plans, backed up by his research, depending on your age and what health concerns or interests you have. The plans make sense. They are mostly plant-based, with some fish. He specifies the amount of protein you should need based on your age and weight. The recipes are great. They serve one but can easily be increased to provide leftovers or feed family and friends. Don't let the metrics put you off. A basic Pyrex measuring cup has ounces on one side and ml on the other. And Amazon has a variety of inexpensive kitchen scales that weigh in ounces or, with the push of a button, in grams. I've had mine for 8 years and it still works great. So no mathematical conversions are necessary. Only a few of the recipes contain ingredients that aren't readily available (like octopus). Most are vegetables, grains and legumes, with some nuts and dried fruit for dessert.