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Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

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Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#121

Post by chrisux »

hi41 wrote: post #108
asar wrote: post #22

It's such a shame that there isn't more research in this area. There are so many seemingly wondrous effects on human health that would need thourugh testing. Apart from physiological benefits though, the mental aspect of fasting from my own experience can be quite exciting as well. A 7 day fast was the longest I did so far, but 72h really hit the sweet spot for me. It was like a journey through my mind, I got challen…

I have tried fasting by skipping breakfast and I have mostly failed because I am unable to endure when hunger strikes. I am interested to learn the mental methods you use to over that struggle.

The biggest thing that helped me aside from trying to change my mindset, is black coffee and black tea without anything added. Coffee in particular seems to have a hunger suppressant quality and helps with perceived energy loss, but black tea seems to do the same for me. Whenever I am feeling hungry I just drink tea or coffee. There are so few calories involved that I believe it doesn't break a fasting state. Some may consider it breaking the rule, IDK.

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#122

Post by AlwaysRock »

I've got two bad knees, lower back, and neck from wrestling in College. I'm just about to turn 30 but have the disks/joint of a 65+ year old. It is really depressing that stem cells could help but cost so much. I looked into getting out of the country stem cell therapy and its close to 50K+ USD. Insurance doesnt cover any of that.

Here's to hoping that the cost comes down and insurance starts to cover it.

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#123

Post by CamelRocketFish »

brodouevencode wrote: post #119
CamelRocketFish wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you say 60 day fast, are you saying you didn’t eat for 60 days and just drank water?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27619297 I remember his post from a few months back - found it rather inspiring.

Thanks a lot for linking that @brodouevencode

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#124

Post by elmolino89 »

atchoo wrote: post #114
elmolino89 wrote: post #105

I am not sure exactly what some people call fasting but I am bewildered by statements "I did 60 days of fasting/it is safe". Here one can read about the "safety" of ca 60 days hunger strikes. See the section: "People who died on hunger strike" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Irish_hunger_strike The oldest one died at age 29. Bonus: "Other participants in the hunger strike". Column: Reason for ending the strike One…

It's not about the duration but the starting weight and health of a faster. These were underweight / lower end of normal range long term prisoners in the early 80's who died when bodyweights were significantly under 100lbs. That definitely isn't what anyone is suggesting. The people fasting these days for 50+ days with no ill effects are significantly overweight sometimes on the order of 100+ lbs. They can lose 60 lb…

Really? Bobby Sands started with 155lbs, died at 95lbs.

The 155lbs for a chap in the 1980s was certainly in the middle range. Check his wiki page: for sure he didn't look anorectic in the picture taken at the age 19.

More importantly:

Seems that we are entering the True Irishman or Scotsman territory:

Fasting 60 days is super safe but apparently only if you started with 300lbs, your weight did not drop "significantly" more than 4lbs below 100, you have no preexisting conditions, take balanced drinks with electrolytes (btw at least some IRA prisoners took water with salt) and you may take some nutrients and call it fasting.

Yes?

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#125

Post by wanda »

seer wrote: post #66
asar wrote: post #22

It's such a shame that there isn't more research in this area. There are so many seemingly wondrous effects on human health that would need thourugh testing. Apart from physiological benefits though, the mental aspect of fasting from my own experience can be quite exciting as well. A 7 day fast was the longest I did so far, but 72h really hit the sweet spot for me. It was like a journey through my mind, I got challen…

While I’ve done similar fasting myself, with the same wondrous effects you describe, I want to point out that it seems this might be a lot harder to do for young women (in child bearing age). My partner tried to replicate what I did since I was hyping it so much, and failed miserably. Later we learned that the female body reacts much more violently to the lack of calories than male ones, and its a lot harder for them…

Sorry but that's kind if anecdotal. You're extending the case of one woman age (x) to all women age (x).

Yes, you say "maybe she had other compounding factors" which is equivalent to saying her case was idiosyncratic. In which case, why try to generalise it at all then?

When I look around the city, I see a lot of underweight women of all ages, including childbearing age — whatever the hell we're defining that as.* Many of them will be underweight by skipping meals, full on fasting, or eating and forcing themselves to throw it up later. This is the society, the mentality we have created.

Some of them I am friends with, others I have never met but write about it. Some claim to struggle with fasting, others fast and mention nothing about the difficulty or ease, and others struggle to eat enough. And some eat whatever they want and don't regulate it at all.

The takeaway is that when it comes to nutrition, there are a lot of factors and every case is idiosyncratic. There are no general rules other than "eat so you don't die", "don't eat so much you explode" and "don't eat toxic or corrosive chemicals". And even then, different people will have different tolerances to not eating, eating too much, and eating poison.

Nutrition is poorly understood, poorly communicated, and the driving factor behind the freight train of bullshit marketing telling people that they need to be wafer-like, elven creatures.

Full transparency, I'm underweight according to what I'm sure is actually a pretty shoddy measurement of weight...ness, but I don't do anything special. I fast quite a lot but I don't actually have a fasting regime, it's not planned, I just don't eat for extended periods of time.

When I do eat, it's really not a remarkable experience so I don't feel a need to change my behaviour. I eat enough to not die or suffer health problems thus far.

_____

* Since it will be a subset of {all ages}, my reasoning is covered.

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#126

Post by elmolino89 »

pengaru wrote: post #109
elmolino89 wrote: post #105

I am not sure exactly what some people call fasting but I am bewildered by statements "I did 60 days of fasting/it is safe". Here one can read about the "safety" of ca 60 days hunger strikes. See the section: "People who died on hunger strike" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Irish_hunger_strike The oldest one died at age 29. Bonus: "Other participants in the hunger strike". Column: Reason for ending the strike One…

What can we assume of the general health and condition of prisoners mistreated to such an extent they've embarked on a hunger strike in protest though?

We can check that after 4 years in prison Bobby Sands weighted 155lbs.

Check 5 demands 9f the hunger strike.

Nothing about food or medical treatment.

British prison certainly was no joke (solitary confinement as a punishment i.e) but not exactly a gulag.

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#127

Post by winrid »

chrisux wrote: post #121
hi41 wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have tried fasting by skipping breakfast and I have mostly failed because I am unable to endure when hunger strikes. I am interested to learn the mental methods you use to over that struggle.

The biggest thing that helped me aside from trying to change my mindset, is black coffee and black tea without anything added. Coffee in particular seems to have a hunger suppressant quality and helps with perceived energy loss, but black tea seems to do the same for me. Whenever I am feeling hungry I just drink tea or coffee. There are so few calories involved that I believe it doesn't break a fasting state. Some ma…

Caffeine in general is a hunger suppressant. Many weight loss pills wil have caffeine added.

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#128

Post by elmolino89 »

45w7w8w48 wrote: post #111
elmolino89 wrote: post #105

I am not sure exactly what some people call fasting but I am bewildered by statements "I did 60 days of fasting/it is safe". Here one can read about the "safety" of ca 60 days hunger strikes. See the section: "People who died on hunger strike" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Irish_hunger_strike The oldest one died at age 29. Bonus: "Other participants in the hunger strike". Column: Reason for ending the strike One…

> bewildered by statements "I did 60 days of fasting/it is safe". These people are either overweight or even obese, or just lying to you, or lying to themselves (e.g., drinking juice and coffee, or getting calories elsewhere and not counting it). Also, I guarantee they're completely sedentary. If you're reasonably physically active (especially if you do any weight training) and you're in a prolonged caloric deficit w…

Apart from the quacks no medical doctor imho will state: 60days fast is completely safe for any 250 pounder at any age and without a medical supervision.

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#129

Post by winrid »

AlwaysRock wrote: post #122

I've got two bad knees, lower back, and neck from wrestling in College. I'm just about to turn 30 but have the disks/joint of a 65+ year old. It is really depressing that stem cells could help but cost so much. I looked into getting out of the country stem cell therapy and its close to 50K+ USD. Insurance doesnt cover any of that. Here's to hoping that the cost comes down and insurance starts to cover it.

I have a bad knee/ankle from landing a jump on a motorcycle wrong. Existence is pain.

I hope soon the doctors can find the source of the pain. Kaiser refused to do anything over the course of years. MRI in a couple weeks once new insurance gets around to approving it. Why do we put up with this in the US? :(

Re: Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity (2018)

#130

Post by nameless_me »

brodouevencode wrote: post #113
hi41 wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have tried fasting by skipping breakfast and I have mostly failed because I am unable to endure when hunger strikes. I am interested to learn the mental methods you use to over that struggle.

It's been pretty simple for me: just get busy. Wake up, get ready for work, and go. It's tough with kids though because we make them breakfast here and the temptation is real but if I put time boundaries on myself (up at 6, out the door at 6:30) then the fake stress forces me to get out the door. Once I'm on my way to work I really don't think about it. The only thing I consume before lunch is black coffee, and that…

This. Coffee with a teaspoon of coconut oil or butter if preferred. The oil increases satiation (feeling full). Then get at it.

Whatever you need to do or narrative to tell yourself why you don't need to eat, do it. Keep busy, work, clean the house or volunteer. By keeping occupied, the mind will not seek food out of boredom and ritual.

Eat once a day. Typically I "reward" myself with the evening meal after fasting through the day. There are different kinds of fasts but the one which seems to work best for me is 1-big-meal a day type fast. The rest of the day, I can drink water or black coffee.

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