Fasting is one of the best ways to delay the aging process. For centuries fasting was utilized for religious purposes. In modern times, fasting exploded in popularity as an effective weight-loss tool.
But fasting has many more benefits besides weight loss.
These benefits include:
- Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and elevated LDL cholesterol)
- Increased focus and mental clarity (after an adjustment period)
- Can boost brain function and prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.
- Can help reduce cancerous cells in the body
These benefits are only possible if you have a diet filled with whole minimally processed foods and lead an active lifestyle.
Prolonged fasting is key to slow down the aging process
Many start fasting by following the 16:8 protocol. Essentially, this means that you fast for 16 hours daily and have an 8-hour eating window.
This type of fasting is effective for steady weight loss. But in order to use the power of fasting to retard aging, longer fasts are required.
A longer fast is typically 48 hours or more.
This allows your body to deplete all of its glycogen which is stored in the liver and skeletal muscle.
Glycogen breaks down as glucose (sugar) which is used for energy. After 24 hours your body will be void of glycogen. Then the body turns to its fat stores for energy.
This is where the magic of fasting really starts to happen.
Besides the external manifestations (weight and fat loss), fasting allows your body to combat aging on a cellular level.
Studies have shown white blood cells are boosted which is a biomarker for good immune health. This of course prevents age-related diseases.
If doing long-term fasts weekly or bi-weekly doesn’t appeal to you, the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) created by Italian biologist Valter Longo is a great alternative.
FMD is a 5-day fast that can be done a few times a year and acts as a reset. On this “fast” you’re allowed to eat up to 500 calories of healthy food. Your body will still go into deep repair mode.
Autophagy is activated while you fast
Most types of fasting will cause the cells in your body to go through a process called autophagy.
The benefits of autophagy include:
- The removal of toxic proteins that cause neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.
- Provides the energy needed to build and repair cells
- Promotes the regeneration of healthy cells
When you first start fasting autophagy is often manifested as having clearer even skin. This will help you maintain a youthful appearance.
Autophagy may play a role in treating and preventing cancer.
There are accounts of individuals who have by following the ketogenic diet (which also triggers autophagy) go into remission.
At this point, there’s no concise scientific evidence to back this up but some people swear by keto and/or fasting to help them stay in remission.
Fasting reduces inflammation which is imperative for anti-aging
Chronic inflammation is the foundation of many lifestyle diseases found in Western cultures. In recent years chronic inflammation has gained more attention.
This will help us as a society get to the root of the problem. Less inflammation allows individuals to live longer, healthier lives.
Fasting creates an environment in your body of healthy stress (eustress). This type of stress causes the reduction of inflammation in the plasma.
Chronic inflammation in addition to fasting can be healed through diet. Highly processed diets like the Standard American Diet (SAD) causes rampant inflammation.
This causes one to look puffy throughout the body. Obesity and other diseases like hypertension are common results of excessive inflammation.
Once you combine fasting along with a healthy diet filled with minimally processed foods, your inflammation will go down considerably.
You’ll be at less risk of having a low-quality life in your later years.
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Bottom Line
Long-term fasting for over 48 hours can help you retard the aging process. While there are not a lot of scientific studies that support this fact, anecdotal evidence is widespread.
If extended fasting is unappealing consider FMD or the ketogenic diet.
The goal is to cause the body to go into a state of autophagy. This promotes the clean-up of damaged and diseased cells while regenerating healthy cells.
A long and healthy life (with a youthful face) awaits you once you start a fasting or low-carb protocol.
Here’s a Guide That’ll Help You with Hunger Once You Start Extended Fasts
Download the Stop Hunger Guide. Implement the 5 tips suggested. You’ll see a positive change in a short period of time.
