SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Settling a persistent scientific controversy, a long-awaited report shows that restricting calories does indeed help rhesus monkeys live longer, healthier lives.
...
First, the animals in the two studies had their diets restricted at different ages. Comparative analysis reveals that eating less is beneficial in adult and older primates but is not beneficial for younger animals. This is a major departure from prior studies in rodents, where starting at an earlier age is better in achieving the benefits of a low-calorie diet.Second, in the old-onset group of monkeys at NIA, the control monkeys ate less than the Wisconsin control group. This lower food intake was associated with improved survival compared to the Wisconsin controls. The previously reported lack of difference in survival between control and restricted groups for older-onset monkeys within NIA emerges as beneficial differences when compared to the UW-Madison data. In this way, it seems that small differences in food intake in primates could meaningfully affect aging and health.
Third, diet composition was substantially different between studies. The NIA monkeys ate naturally sourced foods and the UW-Madison monkeys, part of the colony at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, ate processed food with higher sugar content. The UW-Madison control animals were fatter than the control monkeys at NIA, indicating that at nonrestricted levels of food intake, what is eaten can make a big difference for fat mass and body composition.
The study says nothing about whether the monkeys lived happier lives.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18 2017, @07:59PM
Unless you can manufacture pleasure in foregoing life's pleasures, you're in for a long, healthy, and incredibly unsatisfying life.
"Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy."
—Benjamin Franklin
If I had to give up indulging in alcohol, then I'd probably just leap from a building and be done with this whole patently useless experiment we call "life".
(Score: 4, Interesting) by DannyB on Wednesday January 18 2017, @08:27PM
I know most people feel that way. I find it puzzling. I have never indulged in alcohol or drugs. Yet I find my life quite satisfying. Even as I age and have more aches and pains.
Kidney stones not too long ago. I was given narcotic pain killers. I used them. When that whole episode was over, I stopped using them. Now I have a drawer with more narcotics than any sane person should have. I have no desire to want to take them. Not even a little bit. In the back of my mind, it's nice to know that they are there if I ever had a genuine need for them.
As for food and weight, I could probably stand to lose twenty pounds. But I'm happy. I know I'm not going to live forever. I'm fine with that. I'm not sure that calorie restriction would make me happier. Is quality of life more important than quantity?
Maybe happiness is partly because I have a fairly non stressful life.
So, I have never understood the alcohol thing. Or drugs. I don't get it. What is the appeal? When I took narcotic pain killers I hated being in a drug induced stupor and not having full control of my mind.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18 2017, @08:46PM
I didn't like narcotic pain killers either; in fact, they just made me feel nauseated. Alcohol, however, is awesome—when administered appropriately. You touch my alcohol, and I'll kill you.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday January 18 2017, @09:00PM
In case it wasn't clear, I have no interest in taking away your alcohol. Or your guns. Although I prefer to have neither.
I do believe that both cause certain problems in society and need *some* moderate amount of regulation. With an emphasis on moderate.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18 2017, @09:58PM
Of course it was clear; I was just trying to juxtapose your disinterest with my fanaticism.
The questions are these:
Under the influence of alcohol, for me: aches and pains become tolerable, food tastes exquisite, colors are more attractive, the world fuller of mirth, theatrical catharses more intense, sex seems noticeably more passionate and spontaneous, philosophical discussions seemingly new, etc.
Once you go there, you just have to get back. You HAVE to! Alas, over the years, the effect has become increasingly muted; is the future doomed to dour sobriety?
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Wednesday January 18 2017, @10:54PM
In normal life: I can take drugs for aches and pains, even prescription drugs. Food is great, which is a problem that I have to regulate. :-) I like colors, especially bright ones, but also find other more plain designs sometimes appealing. Sex would seem to be diminished on alcohol, not enhanced. Philosophical discussions would seem to be best if you are sober enough to think straight and write code you are willing to commit. I don't understand theatrical catharses, and did not google it.
As for going there, I did try alcohol in college (very early 80s) but didn't see the appeal of it. Similar for cigarettes. Tried weed a few times. Interesting, but it is not really anything I need. I don't see that it would improve my life any. Who knows, maybe one day for medical reasons. But that is hopefully not any time soon.
Sweets, like chocolate, they're great. But don't have any mind altering effects I can perceive.
So does that inform you of anything?
It is an interesting thought whether my sober brain is like yours on alcohol.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18 2017, @11:38PM
Drugs affect people differently, if you didn't care for it then its hard to experience the pleasurable sides.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 19 2017, @12:14AM
I've got your theme song right here. Gimme That Wine [genius.com]
"I can't get well without Muscatel"
Lyrics by Jon Hendricks [genius.com] are just freaking awesome repeatedly. [googleusercontent.com] (orig) [secondhandsongs.com]
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Aiwendil on Wednesday January 18 2017, @11:38PM
"You can't miss* something you've never had"
(* = emotional sense, not "suffer a lack of")
Personally I find life boring without tea (not caffeine, but tea), mainly due to the ritual of preparing and drinking it (and I get downright mean without my morning cup of hot chocolate).
But to answer with regards to painkillees - when you are in pain they normalise you (this is why you don't get addicted if you use them right), but when you use them recreationally (usually a much stronger dose than medically justified) you basically put a few of your systems in overdrive (or shut them down if it is a downer) and later on feel "off" when not operating at the drugged level and want to get "normalised" to it.
So - yeah, the reason why you don't get it is because you've never been put in the state that demonstrates it.
(Also - individual responses matter. I get nauseous from epinedrine/adrenaline, so I've never understood the point in stuff that causes surges of it (like winning in competition, or non-precision sports (e.g. running, fotball and so on), or riding a fast car/ride, or "the joy of completing a task"))
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 19 2017, @09:01AM
I smoked, then I stopped. I got drunk and picked the habit of drinking beer every waking free hour. Then I lost it.
I guess some people, like me and you, are just not that much into addiction. But that is not to say that there are things that you will feel with a substance that you won't ever feel without it. I personally loved marijuana, and had it for many years. Then one day I felt like it isn't giving me anything new, so I stopped it.
Btw, I will definitely have marijuana when watching marvel movies, specially the good ones. These movies like guardians of the galaxy etc. are not meant to be seen multiple times, and they are just amazing with ganja.
(Score: 2) by Username on Thursday January 19 2017, @04:50PM
Now I have a drawer with more narcotics than any sane person should have.
That’s dangerous to have. There is a common tactic of leftist crybullies called swatting. If you offend them, they call the police with wild stories of you being a dangerous drug dealer, rapist, home intruder. SWAT will crash through your door, arrest you and find this stash. Now you’re up a creek without a paddle.
I’ve assembled a lot of medical supplies in order to have my kitchen double as an infirmary for when SHTF and I cannot get to the bunker. The main thing it’s laking is good set of analgesics and anesthetics, not because I cannot get them, but because the liability they pose to my non-incarceration lifestyle. It irritates me to no end. I hope Trump legalizes all drugs.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday January 19 2017, @09:10PM
I don't think it's enough to get into trouble for. They all have a prescription label. My doctor knows exactly why I have them.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday January 20 2017, @02:49PM
One other thing. People who would engage in swatting are not all leftist. While I'm sure beyond doubt that some of them are, you would have to be blind to think that (some) right leaning people would not also engage in such a despicable act.
The people who rely on government handouts and refuse to work should be kicked out of congress.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18 2017, @10:56PM
hmm get some mushrooms then, you may no longer need the alcohol.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 19 2017, @12:46AM
It's probably a wise to develop a panoply of vices, so as to jump from one to the other in moderation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 18 2017, @11:41PM
Alcohol has its place, but over the last few decades it has had diminishing returns for me personally. The negatives outweigh the benefits, and being sober is a little more boring but overall more pleasurable. Alcohol has subtle effects on your mood for days if you get nice and drunk, not just the next morning. If you drink regularly then your body is depressed and you've traded the short term alcohol "fun" for the long term body satisfaction. Not saying to not drink, just 1x a week at most if you want to manage the negative effects properly.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 19 2017, @12:51AM
Is it better to get hammered infrequently, or slightly buzzed not-infrequently?