Long Life, or Good Life?

Every day I read research papers relating to calorie restriction, since I practice it to some extent myself. The theory is that calorie restriction can act as therapy, along with a ketogenic diet, for various diseases. In my case, I am using it for colitis.

In many of these research papers, they discuss how calorie restriction is tied to longer life. In many cases though, since they are not using a ketogenic diet, the participants end up always feeling hungry. With a ketogenic diet, however, there really is no problem with hunger. So I believe that a ketogenic diet is an important component to achieving a better quality of life while including calorie restriction.

There are many ways to practice calorie restriction. There are the CRON (calorie restriction with optimal nutrition) followers, who follow a very plant-based diet and try to ensure they reach the recommended daily allowances of the various vitamins and minerals prescribed by the powers that be. There are anorexics, who limit calories severely, usually without much concern for optimum nutrition. Both of those groups end up being hungry all the time, and certainly nutrient deficient in the case of anorexics. In the CRON diets, there is also the problem of nutrient assimilation when using plant-based diets. Plants contain many anti-nutrients which can severely affect one's ability to actually assimilate the nutrients in them.

Then there's calorie restriction within a zero-carb, ketogenic diet. When eating animal fats from 100% grassfed animals, and including all of the offal and marrow which are extremely nutrient dense, this method of eating can allow one to feel very satiated while getting full, easily assimilated nutrition.

In my case, I am not following it to try and increase my lifespan. I just want a better quality of life, free from the pain and discomfort of colitis. But there are so many other benefits to following a restricted-calorie, zero carb ketogenic diet! For one, when using local, grassfed meats, marrow, and offal, the taste and savoriness is amazing! For another, there is the simplicity and ease of cooking! Then there is the ease of maintaining a low bodyfat, and also the comfort on the gut, so no bloating or distension so often caused by plant-based diets. I feel like utilizing zero-carb keto is a very healthy and delicious take on calorie restriction!

Grassfed lamb ribs with smoked salt