#76 September 2024 Simplify Health News - Unlocking the Power of Fasting - Your Practical Guide to Longevity and Health (Part 1)

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#76 September 2024 Simplify Health News

Unlocking the Power of Fasting - Your Practical Guide to Longevity and Health (Part 1)

Simplify Holistic Nutrition Consulting & Functional Medicine Health and Wellness Coaching

Hopefully, this newsletter finds you well, and you are enjoying the last beautiful bit of the late summer. For many of my clients it is a time to reset the buttons. Kids are going back to school, several clients of mine winterize their summer homes and boats. It is clearly a time of change.

Over the last years since “Fasting” became popular, I have been searching for researched articles on this topic. I would love to share with you an article from Dr. Mark Hyman “Unlocking the Power of Fasting—Your Practical Guide to Longevity and Health.”

I love to fast! I just turned 59 and have fasted many of my adult years, at times where 'fasting' and 'intermittent fasting' was not popular, nor researched. As I enjoy working out in the morning hours since my late 20's, I do not have a meal early in the morning. My stomach is used to it, and it clears my brain to not eat. If I feel hungry, I might start eating an early lunch, or on days where my schedule is very busy, I wait until dinner. This either gives me time for a 16 hour or 24 hour fast. The best part is, that I feel so in control!

I cheat for German breakfasts with my friends once a month, on vacation with my family, and for Saturday late breakfasts with my husband.

Please read and see if this article (Part 1) covers the questions you may have about this very popular topic.

Unlocking the Power of Fasting - Your Practical Guide to Longevity and Health (Part 1) by Dr. Mark Hyman

There are many types of fasting diets out there, and it’s easy to get lost in the noise.

So how do you know if fasting is right for you and which type? And what if you’ve tried fasting before but found it too challenging to stick with?

As someone who’s passionate about promoting health and longevity, I can tell you that the benefits of fasting are undeniable:

It activates survival pathways in the body, enhancing anti-aging genes, immune function, reducing inflammation, and improving DNA repair.
It promotes metabolic flexibility, allowing your body to efficiently use stored fat as energy, and can enhance mental clarity and energy levels.

And the thing is, fasting doesn’t have to be extreme to be effective. You don’t have to feel deprived or overwhelmed.

The key is to realize that fasting isn’t a “one size fits all” solution, and it’s essential to find a method that suits your lifestyle and health needs.

By starting with a manageable fasting schedule and paying attention to what you eat, you can make intermittent fasting a sustainable and beneficial part of your lifestyle. Let me walk you through how you can incorporate fasting into your routine, even if you’ve found it challenging before.

Photo by Freepik

Methods of Fasting

Fasting, at its core, is simply a period of voluntary abstinence from food (calories).

12/12 Method: Involves fasting for 12 hours followed by eating within a 12-hour window. This could be as simple as having dinner at 6 p.m. and then not eating until 6 a.m. the next morning.

16/8 Method: Involves fasting for 16 hours, like eating dinner at 6 p.m and then not eating again until breakfast at 10 a.m. the following morning, and then eating within an 8-hour window.

Fasting doesn’t have to be about extreme deprivation or drastic dieting but rather a structured approach to eating that can offer numerous health benefits that go beyond weight loss or body composition changes (although it can be effective for weight management).

Benefits of Fasting

Scientific research shows that fasting helps:

Improve heart health. Fasting can help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Enhance insulin sensitivity and metabolism. Fasting improves your body’s response to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. It also boosts metabolic processes, aiding in weight management and energy utilization.

Promote brain health and cognitive function. Increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) during fasting support neuron growth and maintenance, enhancing memory, learning, and overall cognitive function. This can help protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s in the long run.

Boost immune function. Fasting can enhance immune function by reducing inflammation and promoting the regeneration of immune cells. This process helps the body better respond to infections and may increase resistance to various diseases, supporting overall immune health.

Activate "longevity switches." Fasting triggers genetic pathways that promote cellular repair and longevity, often referred to as "longevity switches." A crucial part of this process is called autophagy, which literally means "self-eating".

Photo by Freepik

Autophagy - The Body’s Housekeeping System

Autophagy is your body’s natural mechanism for cleaning out damaged cells and regenerating new, healthier ones. It’s like a cellular housekeeping process, where your body breaks down and recycles old cell components.

This self-cleaning mechanism is crucial for cellular health and function. This not only helps in removing potential sources of diseases, but also provides energy and building blocks for cellular repair and regeneration.

Fasting is one of the most effective ways to stimulate autophagy. When you fast, your body experiences a reduction in nutrient intake, signaling a shift from growth mode to maintenance and repair. During this time, insulin levels typically drop, and the body may start to use stored fats for energy. This metabolic shift helps contribute to the activation of autophagy.

Autophagy and Types of Fasting

Understanding the timeframe for when autophagy kicks in during fasting can help you optimize your fasting practice to gain the maximum health benefits.

Typically it begins to ramp up after several hours of fasting, with significant activation occurring after 12-24 hours without food. However, the exact timing can vary based on factors such as your metabolic rate, activity level, and overall health.

Time-restricted eating. This method involves eating all meals within a specific window of time each day and fasting for the remaining hours (like the 12/12 or the 16/8 method). It may or may not include calorie restriction. Time-restricted eating begins to stimulate autophagy, although this process may not reach its peak intensity. This fasting option could work well for those new to fasting or looking to ease into longer fasting periods. But it’s enough to get the health benefits when practiced consistently.

Longer fasts (24 Hours). Fasting for 24 hours or longer can significantly increase autophagy, as the body has exhausted its immediate energy reserves and shifts more towards breaking down stored fats and clearing out cellular debris. This period is effective for deeper cellular cleaning and metabolic benefits.

Alternate-day fasting. This method alternates between days of normal eating and days where caloric intake is significantly reduced, typically to 0-25% of usual intake.

Periodic prolonged fasting. Engaging in multi-day fasts periodically to trigger deeper metabolic changes, including increased autophagy and ketone production. (Although it can induce muscle loss, which is an undesirable side effect of this option.)

It is essential to pay attention to how different fasting methods affect you as an individual, versus just adopting one-size-fits-all advice.

Source:

“Unlocking the Power of Fasting—Your Practical Guide to Longevity and Health.” - by Dr. Mark Hyman

References:

Welton S, Minty R, O’Driscoll T, Willms H, Poirier D, Madden S, Kelly L. Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review. Can Fam Physician. 2020 Feb;66(2):117-125. PMID: 32060194; PMCID: PMC7021351.

Hailu KT, Salib K, Savithri Nandeesha S, Kasagga A, Hawrami C, Ricci E, Hamid P. The Effect of Fasting on Cardiovascular Diseases: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2024 Jan 30;16(1):e53221. doi: 10.7759/cureus.53221. PMID: 38425626; PMCID: PMC10902743.

Yuan X, Wang J, Yang S, Gao M, Cao L, Li X, Hong D, Tian S, Sun C. Effect of Intermittent Fasting Diet on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Impaired Glucose and Lipid Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Endocrinol. 2022 Mar 24;2022:6999907. doi: 10.1155/2022/6999907. PMID: 35371260; PMCID: PMC8970877.

Gudden J, Arias Vasquez A, Bloemendaal M. The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Brain and Cognitive Function. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 10;13(9):3166. doi: 10.3390/nu13093166. PMID: 34579042; PMCID: PMC8470960.

Qian J, Fang Y, Yuan N, Gao X, Lv Y, Zhao C, Zhang S, Li Q, Li L, Xu L, Wei W, Wang J. Innate immune remodeling by short-term intensive fasting. Aging Cell. 2021 Nov;20(11):e13507. doi: 10.1111/acel.13507. Epub 2021 Oct 27. PMID: 34705313; PMCID: PMC8590100.

Ortega MA, Fraile-Martinez O, de Leon-Oliva D, Boaru DL, Lopez-Gonzalez L, García-Montero C, Alvarez-Mon MA, Guijarro LG, Torres-Carranza D, Saez MA, Diaz-Pedrero R, Albillos A, Alvarez-Mon M. Autophagy in Its (Proper) Context: Molecular Basis, Biological Relevance, Pharmacological Modulation, and Lifestyle Medicine. Int J Biol Sci. 2024 Apr 22;20(7):2532-2554. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.95122. PMID: 38725847; PMCID: PMC11077378.

The most important part of course when you plan to change the way you eat, is to discuss your health benefits or dangers with your Primary Care Physician, who knows you well!!! Fasting is not for everyone. For my clients with Diabetes, I believe it is dangerous!!!!

Please always get reassured by your doctor,
that your choices are safe for you.
There is so much information online, you hear about the
successes of your friends and family, but
there is no One Size Fits All!!!
This is a personal discussion with your doctor,
and after I am here to help.

Please look out for Part 2 of this article in October,
for more information on Fasting!

Wishing you Health and Happiness,

With Love,

Silke