World's oldest man (113) says diet is the key to his longevity

[scheming daemons]

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — So what does the world's oldest man eat? The answer is not much, at least not too much.
Walter Breuning, who turned 113 on Monday, eats just two meals a day and has done so for the past 35 years.

"I think you should push back from the table when you're still hungry," Breuning said.

At 5 foot 8, ("I shrunk a little," he admitted) and 125 pounds, Breuning limits himself to a big breakfast and lunch every day and no supper.

"I have weighed the same for about 35 years," Breuning said. "Well, that's the way it should be."

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Much longer and entertaining full article here:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-24-oldest-man-diet_N.htm



How wonderful to be that age and still have all of one's mental faculties and be in generally good health.

[noiretextatique]

1. he's right

i've recently lost 25 lb by reducing my calorie intake to a third of what it used to be. i need far less food than i thought i did.

[Taverner]

2. Yep - your body's urge is to gorge yourself - goes back to caveman days

Because back then, when's the next time Wooly Rhino is going to be on the menu again? Or even have a menu?

[timeforpeace]

9. World's Deadliest Title: World's Oldest Person.

[Toucano]

10. Congratulations! n-t

[1955doubledie]

3. Call it a hunch, but I think genetics might play a small role, too

Just a hunch.

[onehandle]

4. My grandpa has eaten fried steak dipped in melted butter 18 times a day for the last 114 years.

Which is what the "Correlation does not imply causation" crowd will be saying when they get here.

[lysosome]

17. well, he's dead now.

I guess it finally caught up to him.

Seriously, calorie restriction is supposed to work, the question is how well. It takes a while to test this out in humans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calorie_restriction

[appamado amata padam]

5. Glad to get his advice;

after reading his, and other stories, it seems that secure employment and family life are part of the mix (though he touches on that only briefly).

So many people are starting/stopping, running back/forth, jumping in/out all the time now. That's gotta take it's toll...

(Edited for typo, slight revision.)

[SidDithers]

6. Breuning should watch out...

that title he's holding is cursed. Like being a Spinal Tap drummer.

Sid

[scheming daemons]

7. Curius about the unrec... why?

What is objectionable about this OP?


Not going to browbeat anyone... just wanting an explanation...

[Shell Beau]

8. I was wondering too. I think some people just like to be

assholey, for lack of a better word! :7

[elocs]

20. Do you also question Recs for threads for threads you believe to be objectionable?

Would you want an explanation for those also? That door should swing both ways. I am sure there are those who give unRecs just to get the kind of attention you gave this one.

Personally I don't obsess about Recs/unRecs one way or the other. Threads which merit Recs get all the ones they deserve.

[scheming daemons]

26. I completely respect the rec/unrec system that is in place

I was just as to what was objectionable about this particular thread.

Looking for some insight. I'm not being critical of it. Anyone can rec or unrec any thread they want, and I certainly have no problem with it whatsoever.

I just want to understand it (in this case), I'm not trying to change it.

[elocs]

29. I made hundred of Recs and also some unRecs and I've explained my reason for any of them

and I never thought to question anyone else's reason for a Rec or unRec. Maybe in a lot of cases there is not any thought out reason, but just a gut reaction. A lot of it is capricious.

[BlooInBloo]

11. It's easy to find someone who wins 10 fair coin flips in a row...

Get 1024 people, and pair them off in a winner-move-on coin flip contest. The ultimate winner is guaranteed to have won 10 flips in a row.

It would be funny if the winner said "I attribute my obvious coin-flipping skills to my diet".

[scheming daemons]

12. The difference ... 8,000 years of medical science shows that diet and health are directly correlated

..

[BlooInBloo]

13. I bet you there are 100 people with the same diet as that guy, none of which...

will/did live to his age.


EDIT: In any case, the most important part of your post was "How wonderful to be that age and still have all of one's mental faculties and be in generally good health." - and that I completely agree with.

[scheming daemons]

14. No... but will they live longer than they would have otherwise?

[BlooInBloo]

15. Maybe, but the the old dude didn't say...

"I attribute living longer than I would otherwise have to my diet".

Very different statement.

[Stephanie]

32. Calorie restriction diets are well known to be beneficial to longevity

And living in Montana couldn't hurt. Three of my grandparents lived to be 90 in Montana. Had they followed this diet, maybe they would have lived even longer.

http://abcnewsstore.go.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DSIProductDisplay?catalogId=11002&storeId=20051&productId=2028189&langId=-1&categoryId=100030

[Hassin Bin Sober]

16. How many do you suppose there are of 12 sandwich eating 500 pounders?

[Posteritatis]

18. Given all the conflicting "secrets" I imagine the real trick is simply not dying. (nt)

[Matariki]

19. My 101 year old great-great uncle used to swear by a daily beer, cigar and banana.

He was pretty trim though too.

[librechik]

21. I hope it's bacon and cheese 6 times a day

damn--just my luck--eating LESS!

imagine that ahem.

[elocs]

22. I am 5-8ish and if I weighed anywhere near 125 people would think I was dying.

I have no desire to measure the quality or worth of my life by the number of years I live. Everybody dies sooner or later and I must confess I have no desire to live to be 100, most likely outliving all my loved ones and friends. No thank you.

[JuniperLea]

23. My 111 year old, 250 lb great uncle...

Attributed his longevity to having bacon and eggs every morning for breakfast, and two shots of whiskey and a fat cigar after dinner every night. None of his four siblings died before the age of 97, my great granny being one who passed on at 99.75. She took a daily nip too... and I'm quite sure she weighed over 200 pounds.

It's all in the genes... thankfully, mine seem to be awesome! I'll not put on the extra poundage to be sure, however:)

[mzmolly]

31. LOL

That's a riot! :rofl:

[JuniperLea]

36. Here they are as younguns:)

[mzmolly]

37. That's great.

They look like a nice bunch JuniperLea. :hi:

[Stephanie]

34. Secret of longevity

Choose your parents well.

[Liquorice]

24. I wish it was true, but I think it has more to do with genes than anything

else. The oldest woman in the world, who just died at 115, said she ate a "steady diet of crispy bacon, fried chicken and ice cream." I guess if she would have just cut out the bacon, she would have made it to 116.

http://newsone.com/nation/worlds-oldest-woman-dies-at-115/

[TwilightGardener]

25. I thought there was some scientific basis to this--that lean, hungry mice

consistently outlive normal weight or fat mice, all other factors controlled. Oh well, good for that old coot. We should all be so lucky.

[lysosome]

38. It's quite true. Look up calorie reduction.

On the other hand, it's not entirely proven that it would work on humans. In addition, it could be that it would work on humans - but just the additional longevity that the mice enjoy. About 165 days.
Who wants to give up so much for that?

[SilverShield]

27. Always seems the Oldest man dies...

just an observation

[uppityperson]

28. I recently asked a 103 yr old woman how she did it. Her advice "be yourself".

Thank you for this wonderful story.

[Obamanaut]

30. Many years ago Johnny Carson asked a very old lady what was

her secret for longevity.

"Don't die, Johnny."

[girl gone mad]

33. That, and being small.

He's probably naturally skinny and short. Both are huge factors in longevity.

[Stephanie]

35. Is that true?

Never heard that before.