Fasting can help you live longer

February 21, 2019

The type and quality of food you consume does not only influence your weight. Diet affects your metabolism, insulin production, leptin release, and a host of other hormones and chemical balances.

Scientists are also examining how fasting affects cellular and mitochondrial function, as well as longevity.

They discovered that your body's cells respond to fasting very much like how they react to the sport. In other words, when they are under  stress  - whether due to sports or fasting - the reaction creates changes at the cellular level that help prolong your life expectancy.

For starters, fasting causes your body to use fats rather than glucose as the main source of fuel, and burning fat effectively benefits your health beyond weight loss.

Although the research focuses on fasting or  intermittent fasting , the new term is sometimes used the 'Time Restricted Feeding (TRF -  restricted feeding time ) which recommends limiting the timeframe in which we take our meals, usually 6 to 8 hours.

Effective fat burning promotes health

Fats are a much cleaner fuel than carbohydrates and generate far fewer free radicals.

Glucose is by nature a "dirty" fuel because it generates many more reactive oxygen species (ROS) than fats. But to burn fat, your cells must be healthy and normal. Cancer cells, for example, can not burn fat and that's why a diet rich in good fats is an effective anti-cancer strategy.

Today, mitochondrial disorders are at the root of virtually all diseases, and nutrition intervention - not just  what you eat , but  what time , and  how often  - is capital importance.

In summary, to promote mitochondrial health, you need a diet based on real foods, avoid eating at least 3 hours before going to bed, and intermittent fasting.

What happens when you fast?

Fasting is a biological stress with numerous and incredible health benefits , it normalizes in particular insulin and leptin sensitivity, promotes the production of growth hormone (hGH), reduces oxidative stress and reduces the rate of triglycerides.

Today, a team of researchers at the University of Southern California think they have discovered another benefit. Regeneration of stem cells.

During the first 14 to 16 hours of fasting, your body burns almost all the carbohydrate (glycogen) reserves in your muscles and liver. Once these glycogen stores are emptied, your body turns to fat stores. Intermittent fasting teaches your body to burn fat efficiently as fuel.

Intermittent fasting can help fully regenerate your immune system

In an adult, undifferentiated stem cells found in tissues and organs are used by the body to regenerate. The main role of these cells is to maintain and repair the tissues.

Another effect of fasting is  autophagy . When this vital process takes place in the mitochondria, it is called mitophagy. This is the process by which your body 'eats itself' in an orderly manner, so as to eliminate its damaged parts.

While this may seem like a process you would like to avoid, it is actually very healthy and helps your body "clean up". According to Dr. Colin Champ, a recognized radiation oncologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center:

"See this as the natural recycling program of our body. Autophagy makes us machines capable of getting rid of defective parts, stopping cancerous growth, and certain metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. "

Mitopathy occurs at the cellular level, when membranes deteriorate and your body recycles what is healthy and uses the rest as energy sources or to make new parts. This process can also play a role in controlling inflammation in your body.

When scientists devised autophagy-deficient rats, they became sleepier and fatter, with higher levels of cholesterol and deficient brains.

Three methods that promote mitophagy and cellular regeneration

There are three ways to increase your body's ability to destroy damaged cells and make new ones. The first is physical activity, which puts stress on your body, damages your muscles and helps your body make new tissue.

Intermittent fasting is a very effective way to stimulate mitophagy. Some studies even suggest that intermittent fasting can improve cognitive function, brain structure, and facilitate learning. These studies were completed in rats and it was unclear whether the benefits were specifically from autophagy.

That said, another way to simulate mitophagy is to adopt a high-fat diet, consisting primarily of high-quality healthy fats, a moderate amount of high-quality protein and a minimum of non-fibrous carbohydrates, in the proportions presented in the table below. The idea is to reduce your carbohydrate intake to a level that your body has no choice but to burn fat as fuel.

Research shows that this diet helps the body fight cancer, reduce the risk of diabetes, fight certain brain disorders and can reduce epileptic seizures by at least 50% for half of the children who follow it.

Remember that controlling your protein intake is just as important as reducing non-plant carbohydrates. If you eat more protein than your body needs, you will prevent the activation of stem cell-associated pathways and the regeneration of the immune system. This includes the mTOR, PKA and IGF signaling pathways.

Planning your meals properly can reduce the damage of free radicals

There is irrefutable evidence that when cells are supplied with fuel when they do not need it, the cells lose electrons that react with oxygen, producing free radicals. Free radicals cause damage to your cells and DNA, and are associated with an increased risk of contracting diseases.

The best way to reduce the damage of free radicals is not to take antioxidants but to make sure to burn clean fuel like fats, rather than carbohydrates. However, when your caloric intake is greater than necessary, and especially when it comes at a time when your energy needs are low, such as when you sleep, the production of free radicals is increased.

Studies have demonstrated the link between free radicals and damage to mitochondrial DNA, which causes nuclear damage that can itself lead to cancer. In a French study, the researchers showed that intermittent fasting, imposed on mice with lymphoma, reduces the amount of free radicals, increases their life expectancy and reduces the mortality rate.

It is also for this reason that I advise not to eat  at least  during the 3 hours before bedtime. It's during your sleep that your body uses the least amount of calories, so you do not really need excess fuel during this time, as this will generate an excess of free radicals that can damage tissue, accelerate aging and contribute to chronic diseases.

I personally stop eating around 4 pm or 5 pm, but that varies according to my blood sugar level. My goal is to have a fasting blood glucose level of less than 60, and in any case less than 70. 
I personally completely disapprove of more than 18 hours because it usually causes burning of muscle mass as fuel. That's why I recommend fasting 16 to 18 hours a day and consume all your calories over the next six to eight hours.

This reduces your body's daily dependence on carbohydrates and glycogen. Research has shown a decrease in cancer risk and better weight management in both humans and animals.

How to support intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is  healthy for most people. However, if you have  diabetes , hypoglycemia, chronic fatigue or a disruption of your cortisol levels, you should take special precautions and work with your doctor and dietitian to maintain a good balance between nutrition and fasting. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not fast because their baby needs to be fed to grow and develop properly.

Adding this type of fast to your health program can be a challenge but the rewards are up to it. Start by establishing a fasting program that you think you can hold. Do not be discouraged if you eat more than you expected on the days of fasting. Drink plenty of water and tea throughout the day to help you feel full.

Get help from relatives. By starting a program with another person, especially if they live under the same roof, you will have a partner to whom to report and share tips. When we know that someone else is counting on us to accompany them in the adventure, we are less inclined to eat more than we had planned.

In conclusion, intermittent fasting improves the functioning of your immune system and your mitochondria, reduces the inflammatory process and the amount of free radicals in your body. It also helps to slow down the aging process drastically, especially if you consume macronutrients.

In other words, depriving yourself of food from time to time will not kill you - quite the contrary, this could be one of the keys to living longer and in good health.

by  Dr. Mercola