Thursday, July 7, 2011

Zombie Ball - Video Update/BioPsych Low Calorie

I am currently in the process of getting another zombie ball game organized and have decided I will for sure sit out a round and video tape the proceedings. Hopefully the video will explain the basics so that you all can try it out some time. It is honestly a ton of fun to play.

In other news I have been learning about something exciting in my Biopsych course about low calorie diets and their effect on aging. Basically a low calorie diet that is still balanced in nutrients has been shown time and time again since the 80's to extend the life of rats dramatically. Flashback to post WWII and you have the island of Okinawa in Japan already practicing this sort of diet. So by the time the researchers had done the rat studies they were able to study this island's inhabitants as well.


Turns out, the low calorie diet seems to have a dramatic effect in humans as well! The researchers involved found that the level of centenarians (those of age 100 or older) was in some cases 40 times higher on the island of Okinawa than the rest of Japan. It is notable that the Japanese already have a calorie reduced diet in comparison to the rest of the world so the Okinawans are eating less than less than normal. Along with the longevity comes other perks as well. It was found that there was absolutely no daibetes or other insulin diseases, cardiovascular health was improved significantly and levels of disease were lower than normal as well.

So what do you guys think? Is it worth sacrificing calories for a longer healthier life? Is it worth it to live your life this way without adequate research done to prove this is the cause of the Okinawan's health? Post in the comments.

14 comments:

  1. zombie ball is coool.
    wanna see more!

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  2. Hmm, I guess eating healthy is good for you and all that, but I just can't resist a bag of chips every now and then.

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  3. The struggle is the balance, I would be willing to bet that the calories/mass of those residents is skewed as well. They are below average in size and it is directly attributable to diet and lifestyle, they are mobile but not athlete levels of activity. I would be curious to see bone density scans, and strength to mass tests on these reduced calorie people.

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  4. Yes, a zombie ball video would be appreciated, being a visual learner.
    And I'm just going to sit back and wait 4 years to hear about the report that completely contradicts the current findings.

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  5. zombie ball sounds cool, you should link a video of you guys.

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  6. Well, I had a comment but Google decided to error on me.

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  7. I've heard about the improved life expectancy of that area. Though who really wants to live to their 100s?

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  8. Would love to see zombie ball in action. I know I need to start eating healthier, I mean, being surprised you didn't have a massive coronary while sleeping isn't the best thought to have, heh. Damn those cheeseburgers and jalapeno Cheetos!

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  9. @zemzero Jalapeno Cheetos? Oh man we don't have those where I live, now you have me craving something I CAN'T EVEN BUY!

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  10. That's why I'm on a diet too! Followed!

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  11. If I could live on a diet similar to the Japanese I would, but fish is pretty expensive where I am.

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  12. I wanna see what the zombie ball game looks like!

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