Longevity & Why I now eat One Meal a Day | What I've Learned

Exploring the intricate relationship between our modern eating habits and our evolutionary design, What I've Learned delves into the concept of a 'hybrid body' in a complex health environment. Drawing a thought-provoking analogy with a car's fuel usage, we journey through the history of human diets, the biology of glucose metabolism, and the potential benefits of embracing ketosis. What I've Learned challenges conventional eating norms, questioning whether our current eating patterns align with our biological needs for health and longevity.

Longevity & Why I now eat One Meal a Day | What I've Learned

1. Complicated Health Environment:

   • Drawing an analogy between a car's design and our modern health environment.
   • Bill, a gifted engineer, created a car with electricity as its main fuel source, but people used gasoline most of the time, leading to breakdowns.
   • Similarly, modern eating habits are complicated despite the desire for good health and longevity.

2. Evolution of Human Diet:

   • Human history spans around 200,000 years, during which the food environment drastically changed.
   • Agriculture emerged only around 10,000 years ago, making current food choices different from historical diets.
   • The Paleo Diet is based on the idea of adapting to the ancestral diet.

3. Frequency of Eating and Longevity:

   • The frequency of food availability has shaped how our bodies adapted to eating patterns.
   • The natural frequency of eating may promote health and longevity.
   • Most modern diets recommend three balanced meals a day, but this pattern might not be biologically optimal.

4. Caloric Restriction and Longevity:

   • Studies show that caloric restriction can extend lifespan in various organisms.
   • Homo sapiens haven't been deliberately tested for caloric restriction's effects on longevity.

5. Biological Basis of Eating Habits:

   • Cultural norms have led to the concept of three meals a day.
   • Native Americans ate based on natural urges rather than fixed meal times.
   • The 3 meals a day paradigm isn't biologically necessary.

6. Hunter-Gatherer Diet:

   • Hunter-gatherers feasted on big catches and survived without food for extended periods.
   • The Pirahã people and other cultures had irregular eating patterns.
   • Eating three meals a day was almost impossible before the advent of agriculture.

7. Glucose Metabolism and Ketosis:

   • Glucose is metabolized for energy production, with insulin regulating its usage.
   • Excess glucose gets stored in liver, muscles, and fat cells.
   • Maintaining constant glucose levels with frequent meals can lead to insulin resistance and cravings.

8. Benefits of Ketosis:

   • Ketosis occurs after glucose stores deplete, leading to the production of ketone bodies for energy.
   • Ketosis is a stable and efficient energy source that avoids negative effects of glucose overload.
   • Humans can live without carbohydrates due to liver glucose production.

9. Fasting and Health Benefits:

   • Fasting has been practiced throughout history for health benefits.
   • Fasting stimulates DNA repair and neuron growth in the brain, contributing to longevity and preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

10. Intermittent Fasting and One Meal a Day (OMAD):

    • Intermittent fasting and OMAD allow glucose stores to deplete and encourage ketosis.
    • Author's experience with intermittent fasting led to a shift in eating preferences.
    • Trying OMAD provided health benefits, stable energy, and reduced hunger compared to intermittent fasting.

11. Conclusion:

    • The author found success in adopting OMAD for health and cognitive benefits.
    • Reframing meal patterns and prioritizing health over societal norms is encouraged.
    • The article ends with an invitation to subscribe to the author's content.