[ExI] Biological immortality and the paleo diet

BillK pharos at gmail.com
Sat Dec 18 23:27:31 UTC 2010


2010/12/18 Max More wrote:
> The paleo idea is spreading fast it seems. I'm still not sure about Michael
> Rose's view that you need not switch to paleo until age 35 or 40 (I haven't
> yet found a clear explanation of that, though I'm starting to read a pre-pub
> version of his co-authored 2011 book that might satisfy), but I'm urging
> everyone to at least read up on this approach, if they are serious about
> improving health and longevity.
>
>


I have a big problem with special diets. Basically it comes down to
Cost / Benefit analysis.

Diets are long-term projects. Therefore if discomfort or suffering is
involved it is also long-term and the cumulative suffering cost will
become rather large on the Cost side.
(This would not apply to the chocolate and ice-cream diet, for example).

On the other hand, feeling healthier and possibly living longer get
added to the Benefit side of the equation.

The trouble is, the Costs are added daily and the pain is felt every
day, guaranteed.

The Benefits are more problematical. You may feel good every day, but
how do you know that is due to your diet? You might be generally
healthy no matter what you eat - within reason.
You won't know if you will live longer for another 50 years. And
again, how do you prove it is due to your diet? Some heavy smokers
live to be 100. And you might get crushed by a falling piano next
year.

These long life diet plans always make me think of the Ninja warriors
in Hollywood films who train daily for twenty years, then meet the
American hero who pulls out a gun and shoots them dead. So much for
their twenty years training!


BillK



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