Q: Dear Dr. Mao,
One of your tips is that you should “eat less to live longer”. I run every day for an hour, bike, and lift weights. Wouldn’t I need more calories in order to build and maintain muscle and endurance?
A: Of course you need more calories. The statement of “eat less, live longer” is a relative question to each individual. In a healthy body, the more energy you burn, the more demand for energy you have. However, there is truth to a lower caloric intake having a direct impact on the health of your cells, intestinal functions, and longevity. Every time you digest, you produce toxic bi-products in your body that adversely impact the cellular life. The process of digestion also severely damages the intestinal structure.
The intestinal lumen of an average person is completely replaced once every 24 hours. This is a dramatic aging process. I am sure all of us have overeaten some times and felt the effects. My recommendation is to consume less wasteful energy compounds and more highly packed energy compounds.
