CRON Progress Measurements

[Guest guest]

Hi folks:

The issue of measuring the effects of CR on our bodies and trying to

use those measurements to help assess our progress, and prevent

possible problems, is an important one I think. But it appears to be

far from being an exact science.

We are aware of BMI and BF%. Both are inexact indications of the

information we are looking for - but certainly better than nothing.

Can anyone suggest other measures that we can determine ourselves, at

home, that will assist in this process?

Level of caloric intake is the most obvious indicator. But there

seems to be a huge range in caloric intake among people who believe

they are on CR. Change in weight below set point is an obvious one -

but for many of us it is not easy to determine set point.

Body temperature, or change in body temperature since pre-CRON, might

be a good one. Can anyone (especially those who have been doing CR

for at least a couple of years and can relate their personal

experience) suggest what to look for in terms of level of, or decline

in, degrees (F or C) when fully established on CR?

What other measures are there that we could use to keep track of

progress, and avoid possible problems? Is there an official list?

There are, of course, all the medical tests that can be done, but I

am thinking here about those we can do periodically at home without

needing the assistance of our physician.

Rodney.

>

> > Knowing that the brain is over 50% fat, and that the myelin sheath

> > of neurons is 70% fat, I would be cautious about trying to lose

too

> > much body fat, some brain and neural functions might go along

with it.

> >

> > A. Zamora

[Guest guest]

Number one in my book is blood pressure. Because it can be done as often as I like. It can be taken right after exercise, during stops in exercise to evaluate differences in diff routines. The info that I look for is an indication of arterial health, not adipose tissue appearance.

I weigh what I weighed in 1972, but my BP is higher - that tells me something. BMI is the same, but BF is probably higher.

Routine 6 month blood tests yield the same old thing. Some measure BG in the belief that the lower the better, but that has to vary with exercise and rate of metabolism of carbos. I think the best I can do there is eat less quick carbos.

How I feel is interesting. How I perform is interesting. But those decline with aging and I have no way to judge the aging rate. I can't change those much anyway.

So if my routine gets me lower BP in the morning, I think I've bettered myself. Or if I can lower medication, I've bettered myself. If I lose weight my BP goes down to some asymptote perhaps. If I eat no fat, my BP is lower. If I avoid certain other foods, it's lower.

So I watch weight and BP.

Regards.

----- Original Message -----

From: Rodney

Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 11:03 AM

Subject: [ ] CRON Progress Measurements

Hi folks:The issue of measuring the effects of CR on our bodies and trying to use those measurements to help assess our progress, and prevent possible problems, is an important one I think. But it appears to be far from being an exact science.We are aware of BMI and BF%. Both are inexact indications of the information we are looking for - but certainly better than nothing. Can anyone suggest other measures that we can determine ourselves, at home, that will assist in this process?Level of caloric intake is the most obvious indicator. But there seems to be a huge range in caloric intake among people who believe they are on CR. Change in weight below set point is an obvious one - but for many of us it is not easy to determine set point.Body temperature, or change in body temperature since pre-CRON, might be a good one. Can anyone (especially those who have been doing CR for at least a couple of years and can relate their personal experience) suggest what to look for in terms of level of, or decline in, degrees (F or C) when fully established on CR?What other measures are there that we could use to keep track of progress, and avoid possible problems? Is there an official list? There are, of course, all the medical tests that can be done, but I am thinking here about those we can do periodically at home without needing the assistance of our physician.Rodney.