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Rating: 
Summary: smart
Review: (...) Dr. Walford explains four categories of evidence: testimonial, argumentative, correlational, and experimental. Testimonial is the weakest form and is highly unreliable. It is usually based on a single case. For example: if a person knows someone who smokes and that person lived to a ripe old age they might be tempted to claim that smoking is healthy. Or if a person lost weight and then had a heart attack they might be tempted to claim that losing weight causes heart attacks. The same type of faulty logic is used by reviewers who claim that the contents of the book are invalid because the author is ill.(...)The national average life expectancy for males is 74 years. Dr. Walford has already exceeded the national average. He might have died or developed his illness earlier without the diet. There is no way of knowing. (...) The most reliable type of scientific evidence are double blind experiments using control groups where all factors for all groups are as identical as possible except for the variable in question, in this case the diet. There must also be enough subjects for statistical significance. The more subjects involved the better. Remember that the goal is to make generalizations on diet that are valid for the entire population. Dietary experiments with humans are difficult for a variety of reasons, not to mention the long life span. Scientific proof or disproof of Dr. Walford's theories will probably be far into the future. The most relevant experiments that are going on now use chimpanzees. The chimp life span is over fifty years. Although there is much time remaining in the experiment, the chimps on the CRON (Caloric Restriction with Optimum Nutrition) diet already seems to be more youthful than the control group. It is an undisputed scientific fact that CRON diets lengthen the life span of laboratory animals. The diet has been shown to be effective in all species tested so far such as bacteria, worms, fish, and mice. But the controversy is whether the diet will lengthen the maximum human life span. Dr. Walford concludes that the maximum human life span can be extended because the maximum life span of lab animals was extended. However the control group of lab animals was allowed to eat as much as they wanted. But humans who have lived the longest are generally light eaters. They might have eaten a diet similar to what Dr. Walford is recommending. In that case the CRON diet will not further extend the maximum life span of humans. However it should extend the average life span if the whole population adopts it. Scientific evidence is not yet available to either support or refute claims of the CRON diet for humans. It seems undeniable that persons have a greater chance of living longer by restricting their calories (the optimum amount is controversial) and eating highly nutritious food (the definition of this is also controversial). Roy Walford's book is an excellent presentation of his theories and a wealth of information on diet and aging. He covers:
- medical tests for measuring physiological age versus chronological age
- the latest evidence on various supplements as well as hormones such as human growth hormone
- information on various diseases of aging and the evidence linking them to dietary causes
- exercise and stretching, and
- recipes and tips on how to begin the program and maintain it. DR. WALFORD WARNS THE READER NOT TO START THE PROGRAM WITHOUT FIRST SEEING A DOCTOR WHO WILL CAREFULLY MONITOR THE DIETER'S BLOOD LEVELS OF VARIOUS NUTRIANTS AND MEASUREMENTS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AGE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT OVER THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE PROGRAM! Dr. Walford does cover the very important concept of "Nutritional Density" which might prove to be a tremendous advance in nutritional science. This concept is also presented in the book "Eat To Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I believe doctor Fuhrman's book provides an easier and superior approach to nutrition. Dr. Fuhrman's book contains references to over 500 medical studies on nutrition. Dr. Fuhrman includes Dr. Walford's book on his suggested reading list. I highly recommend Dr. Fuhrman's book. In conclusion, the world owes Dr. Walford its debt of gratitude for his great contribution to human knowledge and his theories stimulating further dietary and aging research. Dr. Walford is a highly dedicated and brilliant scientist who has written a very thorough and well documented book relating caloric restriction with optimum nutrition to aging. This should prove extremely interesting, especially to those not familiar with this dietary approach. (...)Although I prefer "Eat To Live", the diet book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I nevertheless recommend Dr. Roy Walford's book as well for those seeking information on diet, health, and aging.
Rating: 
Summary: Yes he died, but his diet probably had nothing to do with it
Review: Another reviewer (wallis25) suggests that because Roy Walford died at 79 of ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease, we should dismiss his diet advice; that because he did not himself live to 120 years old, as he said calorie-reduced-diet practitioners are more likely to do, that his ideas are flawed.
That's just silly.
I don't believe anyone thinks of ALS as a symptom of normal aging -- and normal aging is what Walford (and others) said is slowed by the calorie-restricted diet. None of them ever said that *all* CR dieters would live to be 120, and I don't believe they ever suggested that the CR diet would prevent all diseases.
People with ALS are usually expected to live 2 to 5 years after the onset of the disease. Walford apparently lived for 3 years after diagnosis. No one is sure what causes ALS, but some cases seem to be hereditary, and others seem to have been "brought on" by exposure to some toxins. I don't think any reputable scientist seriously thinks Walford's diet caused or worsened his disease.
This is a decent book with sound information based on solid science; dismissing it completely because its author died doesn't make sense. Note that, as another reviewer pointed out, there are errors in it, though fewer than average for this kind of book -- and see Walford's website for a list of corrections.
Walford pioneered calorie-restricted science, so if you're interested in the CR concept, you should probably read this book. It isn't the only good book on the subject, of course, and Walford's no "guru" to be followed blindly. Fortunately, the book covers the science thoroughly enough that you don't have to follow blindly -- you'll be educated enough to lead yourself into CR territory, if you decide you want to go there.
Rating:
Summary: An informative and beneficial text.
Review: As a registered nurse I would recommend this book to anyone considering diet modification. While everyone can't adhere to the strict regime, there is a great deal of sound information to take away from the text. As far as the nameless ratings nay-sayer and his negative comments go, I want to see his medical credentials. He should also take the time to learn about ALS before he makes additional absurd statements.
Rating:
Summary: I have tried it
Review: I bought the book The 120 Year Diet back in the early 90's. I went on my version of a restricted calorie diet, leaning more toward vegetarian, though I did allow some animal, yogurt and occasional splurges of chicken or icecream -I did this for almost one year and in that time, I experienced greater energy, weight loss, and one wonderful side effect, my skin cleared up for the first time in 20 years.
However, I was not able to sustain it. It was more than I had bargained for - how attached I was to food,in celebrations, for consolation, I missed all of that too much. I hope I will have the strong desire to try again soon. I never felt so well in my life since I was a child as I did during the time I restricted my diet in this way. I thank Dr. Walford for at least pointing me in this direction. Also Dr. Furman and his book Eating and Fasting for Health are really excellent reading as well as making the diet more healthy, but Dr. Walford was the first I had read on the subject.
Rating: 
Summary: Walford is Dead. At 79, Not 120
Review: Roy Walford has died of Lou Gehrig's Disease. Or ALS. At 79. Far from the 120 years that he bragged he would attain. It seems "the anti-aging plan" did not work for him. If you look at picture of him at his own site, he looked awfully old. He was in declining health for most of the last decade. Needed a cane to walk many years ago before he became total invalid. And if you look at the picture put up by his devotees, Walford looked horribly prematurely aged. Walford's physical condition was first revealed in a Modern Maturity story. It pointed out: "For a man who plans to live forever, he's alarmingly feeble and cannot walk unaided. He moves around his kitchen by hanging from a series of straps slung overhead." (Modern Maturity, 2001) In a November 23, 2003, the New York Times wrote: "By almost anyone's standards, Dr. Roy Walford is an old man. At 79, he is confined to an electric wheelchair and his voice is so weak, he speaks into a microphone wired to a small tabletop amplifier....(Walford) is dying from the fatal nerve disorder known as Lou Gehrig's disease." To be fair, caloric restriction does work in all the specie tested so far. And is most likely to work in humans too. And Walford was a scientist who did important research. But a good scientist does not translate usually into a good anti-aging guru. **The question you have to ask is whether Walford's adaptation of caloric restriction is seriously flawed.** Might it be linked to his ALS? To his premature enfeeblement? To his premature aging? To his premature death? His regimen is a very tough one. And if the reward is merely 79 years, which many free-eating, free-drinking and even obese gourmands can achieve, then you have to wonder if it's worth it. Caloric restriction works. But the question is does caloric restriction as preached and practiced by Walford work? If your aim is to retard your aging and extend your lifespan through caloric restriction, you need to ask yourself whether it is possible that Walford did it the wrong way. And if those erros are part and parcel of his "anti-aging plan." And in this book. For the last 30 years of his life, Walford abstained from alcohol. He was fanatical about fat calories. And for the most part vegetarian. And he ate only 1600 calories. All this for a mere 79 years? And starting to get sick as early as in his sixties? Not very "anti-aging" if you ask me. The alternative? Well, to me it's The Elixxir Program. I can't speak for the author but it seems they are both based on the same science. But on The Elixxir Program, you can drink in moderation. Eat anything in moderation. And do away with all this Prohibitionism in Walford. In other words, you can have a life! I have found The ImmorTalist Manifesto by Elixxir to be a good start. It is not a diet book but provides the new anti-aging worldview you need for The Elixxir Program. And you can get it on Amazon. Visit elixxir's site too. And get on the Yahoo mailing list called The ImmorTalist Chronicles if you can. Good luck in the journey.
Rating:
Summary: Walford is Dead. At 79, Not 120
Review: Roy Walford has died of Lou Gehrig's Disease. Or ALS. At 79. Far from the 120 years that he bragged he would attain. It seems "the anti-aging plan" did not work for him. If you look at picture of him at his own site, he looked awfully old. He was in declining health for most of the last decade. Needed a cane to walk many years ago before he became total invalid. And if you look at the picture put up by his devotees, Walford looked horribly prematurely aged. Walford's physical condition was first revealed in a Modern Maturity story. It pointed out: "For a man who plans to live forever, he's alarmingly feeble and cannot walk unaided. He moves around his kitchen by hanging from a series of straps slung overhead." (Modern Maturity, 2001) In a November 23, 2003, the New York Times wrote: "By almost anyone's standards, Dr. Roy Walford is an old man. At 79, he is confined to an electric wheelchair and his voice is so weak, he speaks into a microphone wired to a small tabletop amplifier....(Walford) is dying from the fatal nerve disorder known as Lou Gehrig's disease." To be fair, caloric restriction does work in all the specie tested so far. And is most likely to work in humans too. And Walford was a scientist who did important research. But a good scientist does not translate usually into a good anti-aging guru. **The question you have to ask is whether Walford's adaptation of caloric restriction is seriously flawed.** Might it be linked to his ALS? To his premature enfeeblement? To his premature aging? To his premature death? His regimen is a very tough one. And if the reward is merely 79 years, which many free-eating, free-drinking and even obese gourmands can achieve, then you have to wonder if it's worth it. Caloric restriction works. But the question is does caloric restriction as preached and practiced by Walford work? If your aim is to retard your aging and extend your lifespan through caloric restriction, you need to ask yourself whether it is possible that Walford did it the wrong way. And if those erros are part and parcel of his "anti-aging plan." And in this book. For the last 30 years of his life, Walford abstained from alcohol. He was fanatical about fat calories. And for the most part vegetarian. And he ate only 1600 calories. All this for a mere 79 years? And starting to get sick as early as in his sixties? Not very "anti-aging" if you ask me. The alternative? Well, to me it's The Elixxir Program. I can't speak for the author but it seems they are both based on the same science. But on The Elixxir Program, you can drink in moderation. Eat anything in moderation. And do away with all this Prohibitionism in Walford. In other words, you can have a life! I have found The ImmorTalist Manifesto by Elixxir to be a good start. It is not a diet book but provides the new anti-aging worldview you need for The Elixxir Program. And you can get it on Amazon. Visit elixxir's site too. And get on the Yahoo mailing list called The ImmorTalist Chronicles if you can. Good luck in the journey.
Rating:
Summary: possibly the best "diet" book ever written
Review: that title say a lot given the millions of diet books produced and the general uncertainty regarding the science of diet. but it is not an overstatement.
walford is a true scientist and makes the case for cr with extensive sources of research properly considered. he is not afraid to change his previous recommendations with updated information. and his judgement in weighing conflicting evidence is well balanced. this is not a person trying to support a cherished viewpoint, but a very smart individual with superior integrity presenting valuable information.
quite plainly, the evidence shows that cr is the "ultimate" diet. whether or not it's for you is up to you. the cr lifestyle is not easy to accomplish but it will work for those who enjoy challenges. and the benefits far outweigh the cost.
walford died before his time, of a non-diet related cause. he looked Much younger than his actual years before the disease progressed. intelligent people understand that his early death has no bearing on the validity of cr research.
this book provides excellent, interesting and specific points of research for the cr lifestyle (and diet in general) in an easy to read format.
walford also makes excellent criticisms of the various bestselling diet books available from the standpoint of an informed scientist. there is a very good section on supplementation, which is the most practical approach to this conflicted subject that i have seen. (i suggest getting the book from the library and copying these pages on supplements)
for people of intelligence and will, desiring health and a long life, this is the book you should read on diet. if you are only interested in health, i recommend the south beach diet.
Rating:
Summary: Look 90 at 79 - like Dr. Walford
Review: The basic problem is not just that Dr. Walford -- the 120 year diet guru -- died at 79. The bigger problem is that he looked 90 when he died. Now that is something hard to explain for the many fervent apologists from his sect. And it is a sect. Because otherwise you cannot explain their fervor, despite all the facts which would have stirred up some doubt in you or me.
Yes, Walford was a credible scientist who did some important research. But in his ill-advised pose as anti-aging guru and in his books, he did himself a big disservice. Because the truth is, caloric restriction works. But Walford's regimen to practice caloric restriction did not an does not work. It is unworkable. It makes a difficult thing impossible. And Walford looking 90 at his death was exhibit A of this irrefutable fact. So buyer beware!
Rating:
Summary: An informative and beneficial text.
Review: The truth hurts. The fact is that calorie restriction with optimal nutrition is the only diet shown to increase maximum lifespan in a growing number of organisms. Unfortunately, this diet will never catch on. All one has to do is look at the plethora of best selling diet books and TV commercials pandering to the gullible and the lazy to understand the food psychology of our big, fat country. Dr. Walford had ALS, which has no known risk factors, besides some hereditary correlations. However, those reviewers and others who wish to use Dr. Walford's premature demise as a basis to dismiss his theories either: (1) did not read his book very carefully, (2) are charlatans trying to direct readers to their own fad diet, or (3) are grasping for anything in a desperate attempt to avoid the painful facts. Using one individual, even if he is considered the "guru" of longevity, as a representative sample to disprove the theory reflects either ignorance or dishonesty. This book is packed with solid health and nutritional information that you will find no place else. Dr. Walford presents the facts, and very articulately and engagingly applies these facts to everyday life. Unlike most other "diet" books, "Beyond the 120 Year Diet" is not presented in the style of a self-help book. Dr. Walford treats his readers as intelligent adults who can follow his recommendations - or not. At the very least, they will learn something about the latest reasearch on the topic. Calorie restriction is tough. If you decide to try it, keeping this book close by will greatly enhance your chances of success.
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