Intermittent Fasting and the Longevity Diet

Ramesh Bjonnes

From August 23-27, we will feature a retreat about the practice of intermittent fasting here at Prama. There are a variety of intermittent fasting techniques, since not all forms work for all types of people. At the retreat, you will learn about all of them and how you can pick the one best suited for you.

The goal of intermittent fasting is to develop a balanced lifestyle and to live not only long but healthily. Many people today live longer, but they are unhealthy and their lives are filled with a lot of suffering. Therefore it is not a question of lifespan per se, but about healthspan—to live a long and healthy life. 

For those who tend to skip meals rather than eating too often and too much, it is better to learn how to eat regularly and then fast on fixed days, such as once a week or twice per month for one day. That is also a kind of intermittent fasting lifestyle. But for many people today, a daily intermittent fasting lifestyle can be very helpful.

One such lifestyle has been developed by Dr. Valter Longo and it is called the longevity diet, which involves intermittent fasting for some people.

Here are some its main features:

• Eat mostly whole vegan food. If you eat fish, limit that to 2-3 times per week.
• If you are below the age of 65, keep the intake of protein low—at about 40-47 grams per day. If you are older than 65, increase your protein level to 60 or more grams per day. Consume beans, chickpeas, and other legumes as your main source of protein.
• Minimize saturated fats from animal and plant sources. Reduce sugar and increase whole grains and eat maximum amounts of green vegetables. Eat high quality olive oil and ground flax seeds daily.
• Take a food grade multivitamin every three days.
• If you are overweight or tend to consume three plus meals per day, then start an intermittent fasting diet of two meals per day.
• Confine all eating within an 8-12-hour period. End your last meal at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.
• Practice 3-5 days of fasting with juice or one meal per day every 3-6 months.

At the Intermittent Fasting Retreat starting August 23, you will learn about these and other intermittent fasting programs in much more detail. We will also practice intermittent fasting during the retreat, so that you can personally experience the benefits of this practice.