As far back as the 1930's, both mice and men were scientifically proven to outlive their well-fed peers. Albeit under drastic (and closely monitored) circumstances calorie-restricted diets had participants outliving their peers by as much as 40%. How does a diet verging on the brink of starvation extend a lifespan?

Researchers have found that persistent hunger promotes long life and identified a critical gene that specifically links calorie restriction (CR) to longevity. Genetic evidence has finally emerged in labs to explain the increased longevity in response to calorie restriction. This link was also identified between calorie restriction and aging. Of course this discovery immediately provoked the scientists to ponder the potential of the next generation of drugs to bestow the health benefits of calorie restriction without the discipline.

Fasting dates back as far as ancient Greek philosophers. Heck, even Mark Twain was a firm believer in fasting. In one of his essays he wrote, "A little starvation can really do more for the average sick man than can the best medicines and the best doctors. I do not mean a restricted diet; I mean total abstention from food for one or two days."

The work was funded by grants from the NIH, American Diabetes Association and the Ellison Medical Research Foundation. I graduated from Ward Melville High School with Brooke Ellison in 1996. It's fascinating to see my peers lending a hand in scientific research. Good for you, Brooke!