Luigi Fontana, a professor of medicine and nutrition at the University of Sydney, Australia, who visited Korea to attend the 24th World Knowledge Forum in September last year, is communicating with the audience in the session ‘Intermittent fasting and longevity diet’. Reporter Han Joo-hyung: “When is the ideal time to die? Is 80 years old enough? How about 120 years or older?”
Luigi Fontana, author of ‘The Path to Longevity’ and professor of medicine and nutrition at the University of Sydney, Australia, who has studied the impact of diet on human lifespan, held a session on ‘Intermittent Fasting and Longevity Diet’ at the 24th World Knowledge Forum. In the beginning, the topic of ideal lifespan was raised. What is important is not simply lifespan, but ‘healthy lifespan’, which refers to the period of time one can live healthily. When Professor Fontana asked, “If you could live sufficiently healthy, happy, and satisfied until the age of 120, wouldn’t you want to live longer?” people in the audience nodded.
Professor Fontana emphasized, “Aging progresses through the accumulation of damage to cells and organs over time. This damage can be slowed down or accelerated depending on our lifestyle.” He explained that until a few decades ago, aging was considered an irreversible phenomenon, but scientific evidence has begun to show that it can be slowed down with diet. Professor Fontana said, “Through hundreds of research papers so far, it has been revealed that dietary restrictions that reduce the amount of calories consumed per day or shorten the time have a longevity effect in many living organisms, including humans.”
According to research results published by Jessica Ebert, a specialist at St. Luke’s Medical Center in the U.S., in the international journal ‘The Journals of Gerontology’ in 2003, among a sample of 424 people who lived to be over 100 years old, about 19% suffered from old age and depression before the age of 100. It was found that he did not suffer from any related diseases. It was found that 43% of the total suffered from age-related diseases after the age of 80, and the remaining 38% suffered from these diseases before the age of 80. Professor Fontana emphasized, “According to research conducted on millions of pairs of twins, genetic factors account for less than 10% of longevity,” adding, “Ultimately, this means that how you live determines aging and lifespan.”
Professor Fontana introduced the secrets to longevity revealed through decades of scientific research: a healthy diet, consistent physical exercise, meditation to reduce stress, brain cognitive training and good sleep, cultivating emotional and creative intelligence, and boosting self-confidence.
At the same time, he urged that a healthy diet is most important. According to the American Heart Association, it has been confirmed that increasing intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seafood such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils, and minimizing sugars, processed foods, salty foods, and alcoholic beverages are helpful in improving cardiovascular health.
Professor Fontana explains that while it is important what food you eat, when and how much you eat is also important. He said, “Cellular oversaturation is the cause of all diseases. When intermittent fasting occurs, some cells eat bacteria, unnecessary proteins, cell organelles, and mitochondria to produce energy.” He added, “In the end, intermittent fasting prevents cellular oversaturation and helps dieting. “It can also be said to be very effective for health,” he said. Intermittent fasting refers to fasting for 16 hours a day and eating only between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM for healthy adults. Currently, the recommended daily calorie intake for adults is around 2,000 kcal, but research results are showing that eating 30% less than this is actually better for the health of organs such as the heart.
Professor Fontana emphasized that as physical lifespan has recently increased worldwide, the health system must also be different from before. Without the dissemination of appropriate diets combined with research, education, and medical services, the number of people contracting diseases will increase significantly, which will inevitably lead to an increase in medical costs borne by the nation and individuals. Professor Fontana then introduced Sydney University’s ‘CPC RPA Health for Life Program’. He said, “All patients undergo individual professional counseling and are provided with customized diet and exercise through group sessions and online health management platforms.”
Professor Fontana predicted that the wellness market, which combines technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and wearable devices, will grow explosively, focusing on such personalized medical and health services.
He said, “E-commerce platforms that integrate healthy lifespan research and related products, food and beverages beneficial to health, cosmetics, wearable devices, sleep aids, and exercise-related products are also expected to become popular in the near future.”
[송경은 기자 / 강인선 기자]
2024-01-30 14:01:59
#live #happily #youre #reduce #food #intake
