Dr. Pradip Jamnadas passionately discusses the many benefits of fasting. Some amazing benefits include stem cell restoration, increasing HGH, brain derived neurotrophic factor and improving insulin sensitivity
Takeaways from a lecture on Fasting for Survival with Dr. Pradip Jamnadas
– We are genetically designed to fast. People have been fasting since the beginning of time. Socrates for example fasted for mental clarity. We are provided with the tools necessary to fast .
– Dr. Jamnadas uses himself as an example and says he has enough fat to fast for 45 days. Most of us have have enough vitamins stored to last for 30 days. The body is able to keep blood sugar from dropping too low through a series of processes as the fast progresses.
– Fasting makes us more sensitive to insulin. When insulin is low our fat gets converted to fatty acid which goes to the liver. The liver then converts the fatty acids into ketones. Ketones are utilized by every cell in the body. After a 7 day fast, up to 70 percent of the energy utilization of the brain is through ketones and the brain likes it. It is a cleaner burn.
– Along with fat mobilization (using our stored fat for fuel) our norepinephrine, adrenaline, cortisol and metabolic rate go up. We feel better more bushy tailed and bright eyed (starts at about 18 hours). We are looking for our next kill! We’re not caveman but we can use this energy for whatever amazing things that require energy . Wow!
– Brain derived neurotrophic factor… we actually make new brain cells. Fasting makes us smarter! “Show me a drug that will make new brain cells. “
– When the body senses we are nutrient deficient autophogy occurs. Autophogy recycles our mitochondria. When we do eat the body starts utilizing the nutrients to repair our intracellular organelles. So, in turn, we rejuvenate our cells.
– Our body utilizes food much better when we eat coming from a fasted verses fed state. We boost our stem cells! After a fast, when we do eat, a signal goes to our cells… to the bone marrow to use the nutrients to create new stem cells. We need a 3 day fast for this process to occur.
– Fasting activates the Foxo3 gene. Foxo3 activates all the antioxidant genes in our body naturally. Important nutrients for DNA expression: Vitamin D is involved in over 300 different reactions which have to do with genetic expression. Turmeric activates Foxo3. Proper omega 3 to 6 ratio is important for proper DNA expression .
– “You are a younger, better, more resilient person than ever before. This has been documented over and over again yet we don’t hear about it “ ( My favorite quote from his lecture!)
– Daily 18/6 intermittent fasting for maintenance, prevention and a little of the benefits previously mentioned . Just one 36 Hr fast once a week has tremendous benefits. It boosts our immunity and we are less likely to get sick .
– A 3 day fast is great for reducing inflammation, autophogy, as well as a massive surge in Human Growth Hormone (HGH). People pay a lot of money for HGH and we can get it free!
– Some of Dr Jamnadas patients go on 7 day fasts twice a year to heal chronic diseases . They are closely monitored. He is able to get his patients off insulin .
Fellow Fasting Flamingos, thank you for reading and please comment if any of this resonates with you!
For those who love the science, here’s a few additional links I think you’ll enjoy:
- Time-restricted eating effects on performance, immune function, and body composition in elite cyclists: a randomized controlled trial
- Fasting, Growth Hormone & Autophagy
- What Fasting Does to Growth Hormone
- Also, here are a few other fasting resources you may enjoy:
- Keto Foods List – 100 different foods that together can provide life-changing benefits. Many find that eating a keto diet can be a great choice to pair with fasting. Together, keto and fasting make for a great pair for prolonging the benefits of fasting and accelerating weight loss.
- Whole Foods List – Over 100 healthy food choices that pair well with fasting. Many find that eating a whole food diet can be a great choice to pair with fasting. These are the foods our bodies were evolved to eat (unlike Twinkies and Taco Bell). They are simple, natural, and typically have minimal processing.
- Why We Get Fat and What We Can Do About It – What’s making us fat? And how can we change? Building upon his critical work in Good Calories, Bad Calories and presenting fresh evidence for his claim, bestselling author Gary Taubes revisits these urgent questions.
- Some of Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Megan Ramos’ other books: The Obesity Code,The Diabetes Code, and The Cancer Code
I’m trying to figure out if your at an ideal weight how can you go on a 5-7 day fast and not hurt your muscle mass.
Great question, Mike! So most of us have plenty of body fat to last us a month or more. And, there is a huge MYTH that our bodies break down healthy muscle while fasting. Our bodies #1 choice is glucose/glycogen. When we run out of that we switch to fat stores for fuel and given that ~90%+ of us have more than 30 days worth of fat for fuel stored on our bodies, we use that before touching healthy muscle!
The confusion comes in because we do lose a small amount of protein while fasting. But protein is NOT just healthy muscle. And, in fact Human Growth Hormone actually increases while we fast which helps us to increase muscle. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but our bodies are clever.
As Dr. Jason Fung says, your body is not going to chop up the furniture when there is perfectly good fire wood right beside the fireplace.
Mike ,we have to talk ! This is me ! I can share what I’ve learned !
How can I fast when I am on pills becuz of a heart condition I can’t take my pills on an empty stomach?
Great question! This is one for your doctor. It will depend on the type of medication you are taking and your specific condition. Most fasters who take supplements or medication do so within their eating window (if they are doing Intermittent Fasting), but it’s important to note that this is highly specific to you, your condition, and your medical history. Therefore, I recommend that you consult with your doctor to get the best advice.