Saul

I'm lucky. I'm in Rochester, NY. We're under lockdown -- Gov. Cuomo shut down the whole state. BUT (1) I'm a full Prof. of Math at the University of Rochester. I'm teaching two courses. UR has had us switch to remote teaching, using Zoom. So I'm teaching from home, using Zoom, getting my full salary, and viewing and conversing with my students. (2) My wife is an NP, working in a small off-hospital site of Rochester Regional Health. Since she's a health professional, she's fully employed, going to her office 3 days a week, getting full salary. (Rochester Regional Health may eventually switch her to caring for patients remotely. Fortunately she doesn't work in the Hospital.) (3) We live very near the largest Wegman's Supermarket -- I but food there most days. (4) The gym where I work out on a top quality Elliptical has of course been shut down. BUT, many years ago I purchased two top quality exercise machines for my wife -- an Elliptical Cross-trainer with Hand Motion and a top quality treadmill. She uses them occasionally -- and now I use the Elliptical, getting a workout comparable to what I'm used to in my gym, 6 days a week. So, I continue to be in excellent health -- combining the three pillars of good health: Diet (CRON) Exercise Adequate Sleep. SUGGESTION: This is the Calorie Restriction Society Forums -- Not the world planning organization for handling the world pandemic. Maybe let's discuss something more relevant to these forums, rather than waste your time imagining that the world will listen to your thoughts about the pandemic. (Or, we can all babble on forever) -- Saul

I would guess otherwise. Whether the sugar is in a fruit or in a sugar bowl, it's sugar. (Of course, fruits have useful soluble fiber.)-- Saul

Hi Dean! I'm due North of you (you're in Pittsburgh). I'm doing fine, teaching full time at the University of Rochester. Spring break has been extended, to give instructors time to teach remotely -- we're using Zoom. All undergrads are banned from campus -- they're learning on-line. It's surreal. When I go to buy food at the largest supermarket (the original Wegman's), all paper products are gone -- people are hoarding the weirdest things. And Wegman's is having trouble getting certain vegetables -- apparently they're being hoarded in California (I guess). The University and Wegman's are unusually nearly empty. I sometimes like using the phrase "Coronophobia". 😊 AKA (all kidding aside), how should we respond to the pandemic? Dr. Fauci pointed out that he's a senior citizen -- but that the group that's most vulnerable to the plague are those with pre-existing conditions. Therefore, he feels that he's not in the "most vulnerable" group. I feel pretty much the same way. The worst effect of the pandemic on me is that my gym has closed -- so I'm beginning to work out at home. Fortunately, I bought a large, high resistance elliptical cross-trainer with hand motion for my wife many years ago; I started using it today. IMO, those of us on this List who are healthy, exercising, and on a healthy and restricted diet have little to worry about, regardless of age. Hope all is well with you Dean. -- Saul

I have a feeling that you're a Democrat. ☺️ -- Saul

Hi Kuhram! My understanding is that although serious CRONnies have fewer white blood cells (most types), each cell is more effective. So it's a total positive.

Hi Matt! I'm 80, on CR, healthy and a vigorous exerciser. I fully agree with you. -- Saul

Sometimes, but not always. I know a lot of very brilliant people. Almost everyone I know at the University of Rochester eats tons of meat, potatoes, breads and sugar. When I go to a department dinner, I'm usually the only one eating decent food. -- Saul

No surprise. I'd expect a positive correlation between intelligence and health consciousness My guess: Junk food, with adequate nutrition, in childhood might not have a negative effect in adulthood -- as long as the individual in question improves their diet during teens or twenties.

The article is more than a little sensationalist. IMO, there are two points that are either hinted at or obsessed in the article, that I would make: (1) Children and teens should not be on heavy CR or veganism; it might hurt brain development. (2) All health conscious individuals -- CRONnies, vegans, etc -- should be sure that they are getting all the nutrients that they need. (E.g., B12 supplemtation for vegans). Tools like cronometer and bloodwork are hepful. -- Saul

Hi Tom! Like flu, it is an RNA virus. But it is not related to flu. It's a coronavirus. Two other examples are MERS and SARS. Unlike previous coronavirus infections, it does not show obvious symptoms early; other respiratory diseases -- such as flu and the other coronaviruses -- show symptoms like a runny nose. This one does not. It attacks the respiratory tract further down. Often, the first observed symptom is pneumonia. -- Saul

Hi Dean! I agree. My primary physician, who is a young gerontologist, recommends that older adults -- including me (grammatically incorrect -- should say "I" 🙂) -- should heavily supplement B12, even if they eat meat. He believes -- and I do as well -- that testing serum levels is the way to know the success of your B12 supplementation. My serum levels with my current supplementation are good. And, as I indicated, I'm skeptical if the results in the article are measuring the dangers of excessive B12, or rather the dangers of meat. -- Saul

Hi coryboro! The study wasn't one on intermittent fasting -- it was on dietary restriction. I didn't find the results surprising -- it's been well-known for a long time that yo-yo dieting is harmful to health. The quote that I find most relevant in the article was: "The findings also suggest that changing diet repeatedly or abruptly could be harmful to health in certain situations." (I guess that one could worry whether intermediate fasting resembles CR or yo-yo dieting. I don't know -- but I suspect that intelligent IF -- no food one day, MODERATE eating the next day, repeating the pattern -- should probably be OK. I attempt CR myself.) -- Saul

.Hi! This article in Science News describes how draught-stressed killfish (an African fish) enter diapause, which can double their normal lifespan. Studies are being made of the genes that are turned on or off. -- Saul https://www.sciencenews.org/article/how-african-turquoise-killifish-press-pause-button-aging?utm_source=Editors_Picks&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=editorspicks022320

Hi Paul! My sympathies. I think your plan to attempt mild CR is a good idea. Even though you are 65, once you achieve mild CR, you might try to intensify it, very gradually. Also, be sure to continue exercising; again, maybe intensifying what you do very gradually. -- Saul

The elliptical with arm motion does strengthen the upper body as well. That's what I use, at a high resistance. -- Saul