[ExI] Biological immortality and the paleo diet

[Max More]

Each person will have to do the cost-benefit calculation individually.  
We all experience both sides of the equation differently. As far as  
I'm concerned, the costs of going paleo are very small. Even when  
traveling, I haven't had much difficulty. It helps that extremely  
stable blood glucose levels mean that I can easily skip a meal without  
hunger.

I don't experience the diet as "restrictive". Since starting, I've  
been eating a much wider variety of meats, fruits, and vegetables  
before. Salads are more colorful and tasty than ever. The diet has  
also spurred me to learn how to cook more dishes. Your terms  
"discomfort", "pain", and "suffering" just don't enter into my  
experience. More familiar would be "pleasure", "satisfaction", and  
"pride" in taking control of my diet.

You also ask: "how do you know that is due to your diet?" I'm quite  
sure my significantly reduced blood pressure is due to the diet. It's  
never been this low, and it dropped immediately after starting paleo.  
My next set of blood tests (which I get regularly) should be another  
good indication, since I haven't radically changed much else relevant  
to those readings.

YMMV

Max


Quoting BillK <pharos at gmail.com>:

> 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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-- 
Max More, PhD
Strategic Philosopher
The Proactionary Project
Vice Chair, Humanity+
Founder, Extropy Institute