Posted on 04/25/2024 6:48:53 AM PDT by Cronos
If you put a lab mouse on a diet, cutting the animal’s caloric intake by 30 to 40 percent, it will live, on average, about 30 percent longer. The calorie restriction, as the intervention is technically called, can’t be so extreme that the animal is malnourished, but it should be aggressive enough to trigger some key biological changes....
Scientists first discovered this phenomenon in the 1930s, The subsequent studies also found that many of the calorie-restricted animals were less likely to develop cancer and other chronic diseases related to aging.
... In the wild, animals experience periods of feast and famine, as did our human ancestors. Therefore, their (and conceivably our) biology evolved to survive and thrive not only during seasons of abundance, but also seasons of deprivation.
One theory is that, on a cellular level, calorie restriction makes animals more resilient to physical stressors. For example, calorie-restricted mice have greater resistance to toxins and recover faster from injury,
Another explanation involves the fact that, in both humans and animals, eating fewer calories slows down metabolism. It’s possible that “the less you have to get your body to metabolize, the longer it can live,” said Dr. Kim Huffman, an associate professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine who has studied calorie restriction in people. “You know, just slow the wheels down and the tires will last longer.”
Calorie restriction also forces the body to rely on fuel sources other than glucose, which aging experts think is beneficial for metabolic health and, ultimately, longevity. Several researchers pointed to a process known as autophagy, where the body eats up malfunctioning parts of cells and uses them for energy. This helps cells function better and lowers the risk of several age-related diseases.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I thought the article mentioned intermittent farting. Thought I had it made there for a moment.
Turns out, much of the funding behind this whole "body positivity" and "healthy at any size" movement comes from Unilever, the nation's number one producer of ice cream.
Actually fasting is good for the gut microbiome.
The opposing lifestyle is eating regularly. Which makes the whole things ridiculous. It’s about what and how much you eat....not about when.
All theory. In real life, I watched a neighbor literally starve herself to be “fit” ... she actually once cut a blueberry in two to share with her husband...and it was the only blueberry (dessert). She died weighing 98 pounds, ... she was “fit!” but she died.
> That’s the thing, you do not starve, you are ‘eating’ your fat stores.
Good training for the body. It has to be reminded occasionally how to do that.
That's bad misinformation on fasting. Any real nutritionist will tell you that ALL juices are restricted while fasting.
Unfortunately for the weight loss hucksters, they canot make a dime out of a fasting regiment. There's nothing to sell. You just don't eat for a period of time. Period.
Yep, I’ll grant you that.
Yes, I think it's worth experimenting for what works for each individual
Sure they can. They'll try to convince you that there is a certain, "proven" WAY to fast that won't hurt you and that will give you real, sustainable results. Want to find out? Click on this link for a subscription pay wall.
I can see the “intermittent fasting” craze as great cover for aspiring anorexics. They are just purists at it.
The key is also to change things up once in awhile, the body will adapt and adjust your metabolism accordingly, so you have to keep it guessing.
Incorrect, because if you do it right, you eat the normal number of calories, when you don’t fast.
What I’m saying is that if someone is anorexic and someone else asks them why they aren’t eating for consecutive meals they can just say “I’m on intermittent fasting,” and they can’t really be questioned on it in the midst of this craze.
No one really knows how many meals they’ve missed, just that they missed this one. It’s perfect cover.
That’s great. I hope you live to a healthy 105. I couldn’t do that because I love food too much. Luckily my metabolism keeps up and the weight off. But the cholesterol is another story.
I think it’s hard to fit fasting into a schedule if you’re generally social, which usually involves “doing lunch”, etc.
I did well on keto for 6 months. Now am off that, but still try to observe some of the things I did then. Have gained some of the weight back but not all. Contemplating getting serious about it again.
I do it all the time. Fasting ability is like a muscle, you build it up and strengthen it with practice over time by adding a few hours every time till you reach your goal.
Honestly, 3 days without having to fuss over food is a nice kitchen vacay.
I’ve been intermittent fasting for 5 years now. Never spent a dime on someone’s plan. The information is out there for free.
People who drink juice aren’t fasting. The are on a calorie restricted liquid diet.
They call it a "modified fast." It's more prevalent than you think.
Wasn’t it Cindy Sheehan a few years ago who claimed to be on a hunger strike but was drinking milkshakes every day?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.