FASTING: THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL IN YOUR WELLGEVITY TOOLBOX
WHAT IS FASTING?
Fasting refers to deliberate abstinence of food, or cycling before “feasting” and “fasting” periods – intermittent fasting
It is the most powerful tool we have in our “nutrition toolbox”
There are different intermittent fasting methods, all explained below.
The benefits include stubborn weight loss, improved body composition, mental clarity, improved metabolism, improved insulin resistance and a reset of the immune system. It also has long term protective effects against neurodegenerative diseases, liver and heart disease and cancer
The ancient art of fasting has been practised for thousands of years by all the major religious groups designed to improve clarity of thought, focus the mind and cleanse the body.
Hippocrates, often regarded as the father of modern medicine said: “to eat when you are sick is to feed your illness”. The Greeks observed that sick animals did not eat. They also believed fasting could improve cognition and heal illness.
Think about how we evolved, our ancestors, indulging in feasts in times of plenty and then facing long periods of scarcity in-between. It was feast or famine. Our metabolisms appeared to prefer this.
Now, look at the current state of modern society. We are prone to fatness, often sick, tired and depressed. Cancer rates are soaring, and our incidence of lifestyle preventable diseases is off the charts. In 2015, for the first time in history, more people died globally from lifestyle-related diseases than infectious diseases. Lifestyle choices influence our health. We have a degree of control over our disease destiny.
However, in this is an era “doctor google” and notification bombardment, how are we to really know more than the basics of eat less, move more, sleep better?
Science tells us that it is not just the what but when and how much we eat that impact on our healthspan. Fasting for many offers a simple approach to long term health improvements.
Why Fast?
Fasting broadly refers to the deliberate abstinence of food for a set period of time. 12hours, 24hours and “prolonged fasting”. Intermittent fasting refers to eating within a certain time window, in accord with your circadian rhythm – when you wake and sleep. E.g from 8pm to midday overnight.
Dietary restriction, including caloric restriction and intermittent fasting, may, all other things being equal, extend lifespan and delay diseases of ageing. Intermittent fasting can promote weight loss and may improve metabolic health over time, via effects on nutrient signalling, circadian biology and the gut microbiome.*
*( www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28715993)
We like to think of daily use of one of the 3 LEVERS – as identified by Longevity Expert Peter Attia MD.
1. Dietary Restriction. Type of Food eaten should be restricted to limit carbohydrates to <50g (if not exercising) – this put the body into a state of ketosis which has been shown to have multiple health benefits when done well and “cycled”.Type of Fats eaten on a Keto diet matters – see upcoming blog specifically on the Keto Diet. We identify it as a therapeutic diet.
2. Calorie Restriction. Total Calories eaten would be less than burned. For the average man, we suggest 1500/day and a women 1200/day.
3. Time Restriction. You eat all your calories within a 6-8 hour time period. This may be as two main meals.
What Happens When We Fast?
For most people eating a “balanced diet” including a mix of protein, carbs and fat our bodies preferentially burn glucose. As we stop eating, gradually the body’s stores of glucose (in liver and muscle) run down and we shift to using fat as fuel instead. Fat breakdown – ‘burning’ produces ketones. Ketones can be used by the brain efficiently as fuel. Some people notice that they feel very clear when they enter so-called “ketosis”. Ketones have therapeutic effects on the body aside from their use as a fuel – hence all the interest in the scientific community about the benefits of a “ketogenic diet”. A diet which produces ketones in the blood.
There is no doubt that as one fast, there is weight loss, this is partially due to the depletion of glucose stores as glucose holds water with it. But additionally, the breakdown in fat to provide a source of energy/calories. In a brain not used to using fat/ketones for fuel – you can feel pretty rubbish when either starting a fasting regime – so-called “keto flu” – it will and does pass.
THE 3 MAJOR FUELS
The Stages of Fasting
Approx 12 hours of fasting we enter a metabolic state called ketosis.
Ketone bodies, which are produced by the liver used as fuel, which is a much more efficient energy source, usually resulting in a feeling of mental clarity, higher focus and positive mood.After 16-18 hours Ketone levels are higher and fat burning mode accelerates. Here we enter autophagy - the body starts breaking down old cells – cleaning out the old, unwanted and unneeded cellular material, as well as fixing and recycling damaged parts. Complicated!
48 hours of fasting or on a “fasting-mimicking diet” – see below – you get a growth hormone level peak- as much as five times as high as when you started your fast.** This can preserve lean muscle and reduces fat tissue accumulation. Your insulin levels descend.
**(academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/74/4/757/3004645?redirectedFrom=fulltext)If you can go 72 hours, the body is breaking down old immune cells. This depletion of white blood cells induces changes that trigger stem cell-based regeneration of new immune cells.***(www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24905167)
You start rebuilding a healthy, new immune system which is needed to fight off diseases.Lastly, the refeeding stage! It is crucial that you break your fast with a nutritious, balanced meal that will further improve the function of cells and tissues that went through a clean-up while you were fasting. Note – we recommend eating protein/fat first and carbohydrate last to prevent a rapid rise in insulin levels. Your stomach will have shrunk also so chew slowly if you can.
Why is Fasting Beneficial for Wellgevity?
At Wellgevity, fasting is the most effective tool we have in our nutrition tool box for health span for those who are not underweight. Although we do not advise prolonged fasts without a medical consultation, we do believe that intermittent fasting hosts a range of health benefits. Try a Monday not eating before 6pm.
Types of Fasting
Intermittent fasting
- 16:8 ‘Warrior Diet’ = Fast 16 hours, eat all within an 8 hour time window.- 5:2 = Eat a normal diet for 5 days a week. 2 days eat <500 calories.- Fast Mimicking Diet (FMD) – limited calories which help to quench the hunger pit.
To understand why intermittent fasting works, it is important to make the distinction between your body being in a “fed state” and “fasted state”. When your body is in a “fed state”, you are digesting (generally 3-5 hours after eating). During this phase, your insulin levels are higher and your body’s energy is focused on digestion.
During your “fasted state”, your body is allowed to rest and focus on optimising other systems of the body.
We have a well-preserved starvation “program” that kicks our cells into a completely different state when food, particularly glucose or sugar isn’t around.
For extra focus and to enhance the benefits of intermittent fasting, we are huge fans of exogenous Ketone supplements such as HVMN’s Ketone Ester.
Fast Mimicking Diet (FMD)
The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) is a 5-day diet plan designed by longevity researchers, led by Dr Longo. Despite eating, your body doesn’t realise it is being fed, so goes into a fasted state. The goal of the diet is to place you in the metabolic state of fasting while mitigating the physical and psychological stress that fasting places on the body, making it much more manageable and easier to go through with.
Who Should NOT Be Fasting?
If you are on any form of prescription medication, please consult your doctor beforehand.
If you’re pregnant or breast feeding
If you have a history of an eating disorder
If you are under 18 unless under parental and medical supervision
If you are underweight
Benefits of Fasting
Fasting improves insulin sensitivity. When you consume food that are easily converted into sugar, your insulin levels rise to bring the sugar out of the blood and into the cells. Over time, cells become resistant to insulin. This is especially beneficial for people that are at risk of diabetes.
It helps with weight loss and speeds up your metabolism. Fasting will cause weight loss by accessing stored fat as energy and it also promotes excess water loss.
It improves your brain function. Ketones! Fasting has also been shown to increase something called BDNF — Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. This protein plays a critical role in learning, memory, the generation of new nerve cells in the hippocampus as well and making us more resilient to stress and depression.
Fasting, through its cellular clear out, may delay or eradicate the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Ketogenic diets – which can be followed whether fasting or not almost have a therapeutic benefit on the brain.
Improves the Immune system. Think reduction in inflammation, and a “reset” of immune function after prolonged fasts. Many diseases of today are a result of a dysfunctional immune system.
How Do We Know Fasting is Making Us Healthier?
Body Composition improves. Body Weight and Waist Circumference - Muscle Mass v. Fat Mass.
Blood Biomarkers improve: Glucose, Insulin, Inflammation.
Biological Age: Various Tests now offer this via Epigenetic analysis. Measuring this Cellular Clear-Up (autophagy) outside of a research lab is tricky because it involves the rising and falling ratios of certain tiny proteins.****
****(www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.116.303787)
There’s no such thing as an “autophagometer,” currently but watch this space!
At Wellgevity, we are experts in tracking your healthspan. We use wearable devices plus blood biomarker monitoring alongside tracking body composition and you capturing your wellgevity “phenotype” – how well you look and feel.
Our Team can personalise this approach for you info@wellgevity.co.uk to help you get the most of your lifestyle.
Are There Any Side Effects to Fasting?
You can feel tired and low on energy initially. Essential electrolytes can support energy during this time.
Struggle to sleep. Some people struggle to sleep due to the drop in glucose levels and also potential rise in cortisol levels.
Headaches and dizziness. Some people also experience headaches due to sugar and caffeine withdrawals. This is totally normal and will pass. Our Fasting Support Pack can help breeze through your fast. - Quintonic or Electrolyte Synergy- Carnitine Synergy- Phenylpiracetam- Tranquility pm +/- Sleep remedy.
Contact info@wellgevity.co.uk to order your fasting support pack today.
Additional Tools to Help You With Fasting:
Zero App – this app helps you track your fasting time. Download here
Additional Resources for Reading:
Intermittent Fasting Calculator: https://fitnessvolt.com/if-calculator/
Lifespan: Prof David Sinclair http://bit.ly/lifespanread
The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung MD with Jimmy More
The Longevity Solution by Dr James Dinicolantonio and Dr Jason Fung MD
The Longevity Diet by Dr Valter LongoResearch Links:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3946160/
