If you carefully read the studies on various diets and their effects on health the benefit of all of them comes down to one key factor: reduction in intake. There is nothing magical about fruits and vegetables in regards to health, except their caloric density. It's simple: 100 g of beef has about 250 calories, while the same amount of apple is about 70 calories. There is nothing wrong with Big Mac, it is a piece of bread, a beef patty, couple of slices of tomato and lettuce and some sauce. Not very different from a sandwich your grandmother used to make you for school. But then again, for about 250g of food you get around 700 calories of energy. Moreover, it is very palatable (moist and soft) and easy to swallow, so you eat it quickly, and because of that and a tasty sauce your appetite at the end of the meal is not satisfied. Compare it to the bodybuilder's pre-contest staple of chicken breast (170 calories per 100g) and rice (100 calories per 100g) - you get the same amount of energy from larger amount of food. If you look into any diet that is considered beneficial (Mediterranean, Okinawan, Sonoma Valley and what not) they all have reduced caloric density compared to "bad" diets. So yeah, a diet containing lots of vegetables and fruits is likely to be beneficial for health, but not because of fruits and vegetables, but lower intake.

Consumption of meat, on the other hand, is often associated with other risk factors. Some time ago Michael Mosley did a very unethical movie, Should I Eat Meat and Why Not. The premise was, he doubled his meat intake for one month to see how it would affect his body. Guess what, along with doubling his meat intake he also doubled up on French fries, onion rings and other stuff that has nothing to do with meat. At the end of the movie he was lamenting about the harms of meat and how long it will take him to get back to his previous state. Meat eaters tend to be of lower socio-economic class, which is not only a risk factor on its own, but is associated with many other factors, such as working long hours, lack of exercise and sleep, more harmful jobs etc.

Anyway, for those interested in controversy here is a good interview. Worthwhile listen.

Dr Paul Mason

In terms of specific effects on the immune system there are heat and cold exposure. Sauna and cold water in various iterations, such as cold showers, swimming in cold water of a variation of Wim Hoff madness. All has been shown to improve immune markers.

ursus 

If you carefully read the studies on various diets and their effects on health the benefit of all of them comes down to one key factor: reduction in intake. There is nothing magical about fruits and vegetables in regards to health, except their caloric density. It's simple: 100 g of beef has about 250 calories, while the same amount of apple is about 70 calories. There is nothing wrong with Big Mac, it is a piece of bread, a beef patty, couple of slices of tomato and lettuce and some sauce. Not very different from a sandwich your grandmother used to make you for school. But then again, for about 250g of food you get around 700 calories of energy. Moreover, it is very palatable (moist and soft) and easy to swallow, so you eat it quickly, and because of that and a tasty sauce your appetite at the end of the meal is not satisfied. Compare it to the bodybuilder's pre-contest staple of chicken breast (170 calories per 100g) and rice (100 calories per 100g) - you get the same amount of energy from larger amount of food. If you look into any diet that is considered beneficial (Mediterranean, Okinawan, Sonoma Valley and what not) they all have reduced caloric density compared to "bad" diets. So yeah, a diet containing lots of vegetables and fruits is likely to be beneficial for health, but not because of fruits and vegetables, but lower intake. Consumption of meat, on the other hand, is often associated with other risk factors. Some time ago Michael Mosley did a very unethical movie, Should I Eat Meat and Why Not. The premise was, he doubled his meat intake for one month to see how it would affect his body. Guess what, along with doubling his meat intake he also doubled up on French fries, onion rings and other stuff that has nothing to do with meat. At the end of the movie he was lamenting about the harms of meat and how long it will take him to get back to his previous state. Meat eaters tend to be of lower socio-economic class, which is not only a risk factor on its own, but is associated with many other factors, such as working long hours, lack of exercise and sleep, more harmful jobs etc. Anyway, for those interested in controversy here is a good interview. Worthwhile listen. Dr Paul Mason In terms of specific effects on the immune system there are heat and cold exposure. Sauna and cold water in various iterations, such as cold showers, swimming in cold water of a variation of Wim Hoff madness. All has been shown to improve immune markers.

Excellent share. I feel these were the roots as to why many societies (I've intentionally omitted word religions) in the past had stressed on the "fasting". They may or may not have realised this but I feel end result was desirable. As long as people didn't overdo it.

Thanks!

I was wondering why a nutrition thread would be here but a good diet will make you think better and you will trade better. I follow Aajonus Vonderplanitz and eat a diet of raw meat, liver, raw eggs and milk. I have not been ill in several years and most of the people I have introduced to the diet it has changed there lives.