Increased capacity to resist stress, disease and aging – Fasting activates a ‘cellular stress response’. Cells upregulate the expression of genes that increase the capacity to withstand stress and resist disease and aging.
It also increases the production of Human Growth Hormone which is the ‘fountain of youth’ hormone. HGH works as a seesaw effect with insulin. When insulin is low HGH is high and vice versa.
Intermittent fasting increases our capacity to resist stress, disease and aging.
Fasting activates a ‘cellular stress response’.
Cells upregulate the expression of genes that increase the capacity to withstand stress and resist disease and aging.
This process is called autophagy.
When you trigger autophagy, you naturally start to slow the aging process and help to reduce inflammation. It will also help your body fight disease and promote longevity.
It also increases the production of Human Growth Hormone which is the ‘fountain of youth’ hormone. HGH works as a seesaw effect with insulin. When insulin is low HGH is high and vice versa.
The consequences of accumulating old junky proteins all over the place can be seen in two main conditions – Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and cancer. Alzheimer’s Disease involves the accumulation of abnormal protein – either amyloid beta or Tau protein which gums up the brain system. It would make sense that a process like autophagy that has the ability to clear out old protein could prevent the development of AD.
An insulin increase in reaction to the consumption of glucose or proteins will stop autophagy. Even a small amount of Leucine will stop autophagy in its tracks. Autophagy only happens when we fast.
There is a balance here, of course. You get sick from too much autophagy as well as too little. Which gets us back to the natural cycle of life – feast and fast. Not constant dieting. This allows for cell growth during eating, and cellular cleansing during fasting – balance. Life is all about balance.
