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Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

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Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#111

Post by bmajz »

Avshalom wrote: post #90
krmmalik wrote: post #39

Appropriate article since I just completed a fast of 19hrs. No water and no food. Muslims do this every year. Last year, on average our fast was just over 18hrs. We fast each day from sunrise to sunset for 30days. Of course, we as a group of people have been doing it for over a thousand years. Cant say we started it due to science, but cant say we noticed the lack of aging either. ;)

I have never met a Muslim that didn't put on 5 kilos during ramadan from ridiculous iftars and judicious day light napping. I suspect that may cancel out any benefit fasting might have.

Nice to make your e-acquaintance. Counter-example: Fasted the last couple of years in a -20% calorie deficit. Did nap during the day, but then worked out right before iftar (dinner). It's not an uncommon regimen. Just like anything else with a n of 500M (+/- 200M depending on number of adults and sick/elderly), it's hard to make a generalization.

Personally though, it went fine in terms of productivity and energy. Trying to work out without that nap was pretty brutal but fasts are long enough to fit it in after work.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#112

Post by crusso »

aviv wrote: post #102
marchelzo wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry- but you mean that you didn't eat anything at all for 23 days? And you felt energized?

Correct. I did not consume anything but water for those 23 days. And yes, past day four I felt more energized than at any time in the last 10 years or so. I know it sounds counter intuitive, but I guess it's one of those things you have to try to feel for yourself :) Even the people around me that knew I was fasting were surprised to see the progression and how much more energetic I seemed. Anecdotally, I did feel at…

None of the people I've seen so far on Naked and Afraid seemed "energized" after not eating for days.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#113

Post by aviv »

aviv wrote: post #102
marchelzo wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry- but you mean that you didn't eat anything at all for 23 days? And you felt energized?

Correct. I did not consume anything but water for those 23 days. And yes, past day four I felt more energized than at any time in the last 10 years or so. I know it sounds counter intuitive, but I guess it's one of those things you have to try to feel for yourself :) Even the people around me that knew I was fasting were surprised to see the progression and how much more energetic I seemed. Anecdotally, I did feel at…

@crusso, haha I only heard about this show when my friend suggested that I go ahead and apply to participate. It does take some mental effort to cruise through a prolonged fast. It's especially hard in our society where so much is centered around food. It was inconvenient at times to be the one who doesn't eat in social functions and such, but you get over it. The key is not to talk about it and have to explain to people why you're not picking up a beer at the BBQ. Also this wasn't my first prolonged fast, and I know from experience that it does get easier the more you condition your body to rest and take a break from constantly digesting.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#114

Post by heimatau »

diogenescynic wrote: post #52
heimatau wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first three days of 24 hour day fasts are (:edited:) mostly painful. Headaches, migraines, agitation, etc. They are not fun nor for the faint of heart. I'd suggest a five day, if you body can allow it. Days four through ten can be the most rewarding. This is all based on personal experience/opinion.

>pure detox. Headaches, migraines, agitation, etc. Detox is a pseudo-science word anymore. Is that detox or just your blood sugar level going down?

I think clearing out your bowels would be considered de-toxifying. As, much of that stuff just stays inside your intestines unless you do some kind of colon cleanse (men should do this with their doctor at 40-50; depending on how much red meat they eat). Also, with fat being burned and toxins are mostly stored in the fat, I have a difficult time understanding how losing fat isn't detoxing.

I meant to say it's painful, not 'pure detox'. Headaches and agitation isn't fun to deal with on a constant basis. But science barely understands the wide range of benefits from fasting. Whether that means empowering your immune system (which is what fasting does, energy to digest is now used to fight illnesses, etc.)

A nice read for the uninformed: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1834

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#115

Post by hackerbloos »

leereeves wrote: post #109
krmmalik wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in the UK. Your observation regards antarctica is correct.

And north of the Arctic circle?

If you live in Norway you are allowed to regulate your fasting in accordance with the sunrise and sunset in Mecca. For other places where the sun is visible most of time you are allowed to regulate your fasts according to any other country with a more reasonable schedule.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/17/ramadan-guide-t...

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#116

Post by aviv »

austinjp wrote: post #101
justinpaulson wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you find that you got light-headed when you stood up too fast after 14 or so days? I fasted for 25 days (water) and found that I would get a little bit light-headed if I stood up from a seated position too fast. I also found that I would have these weird nightmares where i was eating a ton of food and would wake up thinking I had ruined my fast...very bizarre. I have never talked personally to anyone that had als…

Can you please explain what you ate or drank over that 25 day period?

Not the OP, but when I fasted I only drank water, usually distilled. You don't eat anything, hence the term water fasting. I should mention that I personally got weekly blood tests to keep track of the vitals (especially potassium levels) and this is something you definitely should do especially if it's your first prolonged fast.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#117

Post by heimatau »

__z wrote: post #51
heimatau wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first three days of 24 hour day fasts are (:edited:) mostly painful. Headaches, migraines, agitation, etc. They are not fun nor for the faint of heart. I'd suggest a five day, if you body can allow it. Days four through ten can be the most rewarding. This is all based on personal experience/opinion.

Detoxing from what? Personally, my liver and kidneys pretty well no matter what I am eating (or not).

Your body is digesting food that remained in your intestines and also fat deposits. Toxins are in the fat and removing undigested food can have a liberating affect.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#118

Post by heimatau »

spiritplumber wrote: post #43
heimatau wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first three days of 24 hour day fasts are (:edited:) mostly painful. Headaches, migraines, agitation, etc. They are not fun nor for the faint of heart. I'd suggest a five day, if you body can allow it. Days four through ten can be the most rewarding. This is all based on personal experience/opinion.

The longest I've gone without eating was three days... it's liveable, but I can't get anything done! Can't code, can't solder, can't do circuit design....

Taking a rest from eating...can be invigorating. That's been my experience. But don't force it. I find that I need to be prepared mentally and adjust my days to read more and do less physically demanding tasks, that is if I'm going on longer fasts.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#119

Post by teach »

Rainymood wrote: post #38

I currently intermittent fast by skipping breakfast + lunch, partially because I'm lazy, partially because it allows me to easily eat 'all my calories' in the end of the day. I really like this as it provides a 'buffer' for unexpected food, such as random cake, or random lunches with colleagues etc. Has anyone here actually ever TRIED fasting a full 24h day? I have. I HATED it. Well, the fasting itself wasn't that ba…

Just for the record, skipping breakfast + lunch has nothing whatsoever to do with fasting. It's not even remotely similar in terms of how your body reacts to it.

And as others have commented yes there are many of us who have fasted for days at a time for religious reasons.

Re: Diet that mimics fasting appears to slow aging

#120

Post by Guest1827 »

bradleyjg wrote: post #61
krmmalik wrote: post #39

Appropriate article since I just completed a fast of 19hrs. No water and no food. Muslims do this every year. Last year, on average our fast was just over 18hrs. We fast each day from sunrise to sunset for 30days. Of course, we as a group of people have been doing it for over a thousand years. Cant say we started it due to science, but cant say we noticed the lack of aging either. ;)

This is a really interesting comment. It's a sort of natural experiment. I wonder if there's any observational studies on the effect of Ramadan fasting on health. Religious Jews do some fasting, but they are two 25 hour fasts and a few other 12 hour fasts all spread throughout the year.

There's nothing but muslims' so called studies on health benefits of islamic fasting. Islamic fasting may be anything but healthy. It goes like this: wake up in the middle of the night. Eat yourself full and maybe more. Sleep. Wake up. Don't eat or drink anything until the sun goes down. Eat yourself full and maybe more. Sleep until the next cycle begins. Putting on more unhealthy weight during and after ramadan is not rare.

Drinking water is forbidden until the sun comes down and the fasting is over for the day, and in summer, excessive dehydration is fatal.

Also http://wikiislam.net/wiki/Adverse_Effects_of_Islamic_Fasting

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