New research again supports the notion that eating less and having lower stress are significant factors in extending longevity.
In a study detailed in the journal Nature, US scientists from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, exposed nematode worms were exposed to 88,000 chemicals in turn and mianserin, an antidepressant drug, extended lifespan by almost a third. The drug seems to mimic the effects on the body of the only known animal long-life regime – virtual starvation. However, starvation is not a practical or pleasant solution for most people.
The nematodes have similarities that make the research relevant for further investigation in humans. The scientists believe that the antidepressant may be extending the lifespan by mimicking the effects of starvation in the brain. It is possible the drug disturbs the balance of two brain chemicals which help the nematode decide whether there is enough food around to justify laying eggs, which might produce a “perceived, but not real” state of starvation.
While further research is needed to draw more definitive conclusions, these results support the contention that lower stress and lower calorie intake are healthy. And these can be achieved easily, without drugs, for most of us by eating less and attending to our emotional intelligence.
An introduction to The Science of Mind and Body
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