If there were ever a panacea, it would be fasting. The more tight and widespread the research becomes, the more that we prove what humanity has known anecdotally throughout civilisation. From being a Roman cure for epileptic seizures, through the integral practice in most religions, and to the 21st century where we start to prove that it increases both healthspan and lifespan. I find it quite interesting that somethi…
How long do you need to fast for benefits? Is water the only supplement allowed? Curious
Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
41–50 of 219 posts
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
while on fasts, you get an energy level and mental clarity that has to be felt to be believed. everyone should try it at least once.
I did a 3 day fast to see what it was all about. The energy levels were not there. I would get tired after a short brisk walk. Physically I was weaker but still had burst strength just no endurance or cardio. Mentally however I found myself unable to have too many variables in my head and my mind was not more able to focus on something but less distracted with extraneous thoughts. I could if I wanted to shut off the…
I don't think that a sudden 3 days fast will bring any immediate benefits (perhaps some weight loss), on the contrary. I see fasting more as a long term, life choice. I do feel more energetic and sharp during fasting.
I recently did a full check-up (I'm 48) and all my blood/urine values were spot on - before starting my fasting protocol some values mostly related to arteriosclerosis were slightly over the recommended values. Obviously, this doesn't say much or it's far from being a scientific proof: it's just an observation. There are good chances that for a lot of people fasting would just not help and make life misearable.
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#43Since this is likely to attract a lot of fasting practicioners to the comments I want to ask - I've occasionally tried out fasting or severe calorie restriction in the past but I always seem to get dizzy, weak and shaky in the first 24 hours and have to give up. This seems like a normal physiological response to be honest, how are people either avoiding or coping with this?
It's tricky, make sure you drink enough water, but not too much (too much water washes out too much salt from your body, dropping your blood pressure too low). A backup plan if this doesn't work is bone broth soup. It's not a lot of calories so keeps you in the fasting state and can pick you up pretty nicely. Salt the soup but not too much. The key seems to be to keep your electrolyte levels in the Goldilocks-zone.
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#44What are the recommended ways to fast? I did intermittent fasting for about 5 months to shed 25lbs. It likely contributed, but I was also laser focused on dropping.
I've found 20:4 successful only as a means of preventing me from eating too much; prior to IF I'd habitually graze throughout the day. It's basically a diet where you don't have to think that much about what you eat (you should a bit, still, obviously).
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#45If there were ever a panacea, it would be fasting. The more tight and widespread the research becomes, the more that we prove what humanity has known anecdotally throughout civilisation. From being a Roman cure for epileptic seizures, through the integral practice in most religions, and to the 21st century where we start to prove that it increases both healthspan and lifespan. I find it quite interesting that somethi…
And yet, most of what you said is bullshit that's not evidence based. "Autophagy", that famous process which supposedly happens during fasting, that miraculously regenerates us, actually happens during caloric restriction, and it's actually a daily process that happens during the night, in everyone, while glycogen stores get naturally depleted. And we have no evidence that increased autophagy levels are beneficial, q…
Fasting != malnourishment tho.
Anecdotally, I've been doing 16/8, 20/4 intermittent fasting and a couple of 24-48h fasts over the past 10 years and have not yet developed anorexia.
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#46Correct me if I'm missing something, but this isn't the type of fasting most people in the thread are talking about.
In the study they say "FMD" or "Fasting mimicking diet", in particular, Xentigen (ProLon?), which is sold by L-Nutra. These are "healthy plant-based meals". [0]
[0] https://l-nutra.com/pages/prolon-nutritional-information
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#47If there were ever a panacea, it would be fasting. The more tight and widespread the research becomes, the more that we prove what humanity has known anecdotally throughout civilisation. From being a Roman cure for epileptic seizures, through the integral practice in most religions, and to the 21st century where we start to prove that it increases both healthspan and lifespan. I find it quite interesting that somethi…
How long do you need to fast for benefits? Is water the only supplement allowed? Curious
I have a book called Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman MD (ISBN 0-312-18719-X). In it, he recommends fasting for between 10 - 15 days around once every 10 years.
I have actually completed a 10 day water only fast a few months ago (good use of lockdown), it takes my body around 4 to 5 days to switch completely to ketosis, then to the end of the fast I was burning through 1 pound/~0.5 kg of fat per day. You can watch it happen every morning when you weigh yourself.
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#48Since this is likely to attract a lot of fasting practicioners to the comments I want to ask - I've occasionally tried out fasting or severe calorie restriction in the past but I always seem to get dizzy, weak and shaky in the first 24 hours and have to give up. This seems like a normal physiological response to be honest, how are people either avoiding or coping with this?
There's something called snake juice, which is just a mixture of water and salts. Apparently this helps balance electrolytes which solves the problems you're experiencing.
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#49Since this is likely to attract a lot of fasting practicioners to the comments I want to ask - I've occasionally tried out fasting or severe calorie restriction in the past but I always seem to get dizzy, weak and shaky in the first 24 hours and have to give up. This seems like a normal physiological response to be honest, how are people either avoiding or coping with this?
Not recommended but I just kind of white knuckled it through the experience and it settled down pretty quickly after that. In subsequent fasts you have the visceral memory of it getting better and those negative experiences aren’t amplified by the doubt of the whole process.
Re: Fasting improves chemotherapy results and protects from side effects: study
#50Since this is likely to attract a lot of fasting practicioners to the comments I want to ask - I've occasionally tried out fasting or severe calorie restriction in the past but I always seem to get dizzy, weak and shaky in the first 24 hours and have to give up. This seems like a normal physiological response to be honest, how are people either avoiding or coping with this?
I think it's pretty normal. I don't know for sure, but it's possible that it's more or less the same effect as keto-flu. Make sure that you get plenty of water and electrolytes. Also, if 24 hours is too much, you can try intermittent fasting, and do 16 to 20 hour fasts.
+1 on starting out with 16 hour fasts.
It also seems that some people can't tolerate fasting for whatever reason, so GP might just not be cut out for it.