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General health (also not bad for PC): a fasting-mimicking diet reduce insulin resistance, liver fat, immune system aging, and biological age

Maxone73 profile image
21 Replies

I applied that during chemo, starting 72 hours before and ending 48 hours after the chemo infusion, there are clinical trials also using it in combination with chemo, the principle is, in a nutshell, when you are fasting healthy cells go in "hibernation" while cancer cells cannot do that, so the chemo is hitting more cancer cells and less healthy ones

stemcell.keck.usc.edu/usc-s...

But anyway, cycles of this diet seem to be good and easier to deal with than an actual complete fasting

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Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73
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Mascouche profile image
Mascouche

I purchased Valter Longo's book on this a few years ago. There were some nice recipes in it.

However I personally still preferred to do dry fasting and water fasting.

But since I became aware that it is possible that autophagy might help the creation of metastasis if done when you already have cancer, I am now hesitant to fast more than 16 hours.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toMascouche

Autophagy I’d a double edge sword, that’s why I prefer this less extreme kind of fasting. On the plus side, if it stimulates the immune system, metastasis would have to fight harder to spread

Mascouche profile image
Mascouche in reply toMaxone73

I can confirm that part about the immune system. After water fasting for 18 days, I no longer was near sighted for about a month but better yet, my allergies to cats and my asthma went away for more than two years. My allergies are now back as it has been four years since that very long fast but it was great while it lasted. I wonder if the allergies might have been gone even longer if my then rejuvenated body had not subsequently been artificially aged by the adt for so long.

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toMascouche

Wow, a very powerful response. I am restarting fasting with a fast mimicking diet mainly for that reason (even better if it also kills some cancer). Trying to help my cells through ADT.

dhccpa profile image
dhccpa in reply toMascouche

Water-only is tough, but I should do one again after five years.

dhccpa profile image
dhccpa

Great post, but could you elaborate on your use of the term "fasting?" Water-only (I've done that for as long as ten days (five years ago)--tough but very doable)?

Or do you mean a very low intake of calories? Please let us know what you ate and drank during those five-day periods, including estimated total daily calorie consumption.

Much appreciated, as the term is used very loosely in many posts.

Thanks very much.

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply todhccpa

Hi! Fast mimicking is a better definition. In those periods I went down to around 400kcal per day. Complex carbs and fat (extra virgin olive oil) were 90% of calories intake and 10% proteins (even if I worked out while "fasting"). Longo does not like proteins when you are fast mimicking because they support some cell processes that you want to block or lower while fasting.

dhccpa profile image
dhccpa in reply toMaxone73

Thank you! You did say fasting mimicking and I should have acknowledged that. But folks also use that term in different ways (different specifics) as well.

Sounds like I could use my "one nut at a time" diet. I used to do it with almonds, but it would work with any tree nut. Eat one, put the bag away, chew thoroughly and lovingly, then at any time eat another and follow same rules. I find that as I do that, but mid-morning I'm satisfied and easy to coast from there. But I've never tried it more than morning till night.

How about on the liquid side? Plain black coffee or plain tea OK?

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply todhccpa

I did that with almonds! Plain black coffee and tea are fine. Technically they allow also for sugar free drinks of any kind, like diet coke. But I prefer not to trick myself into sweet stuff.

dhccpa profile image
dhccpa in reply toMaxone73

Great minds (and I assure you yours is greater than mine, especially on the science side) think alike.

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply todhccpa

😜😜

Mascouche profile image
Mascouche in reply toMaxone73

Whatever works is good and as I mentioned I did buy the book and did some of its recipes which I enjoyed.

But for me personally, I find it harder to count calories and eat a little than to simply not eat at all for a few hours or days.

I am more of the type "feast and famine". When I feast, I eat until satiated (but not over-full). When I do not feast, I do not consume anything other than water.

Both roads are better than eating several times a day anyway :)

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toMascouche

On that side you are completely right, it's easier to just stop eating. But I have a list of stuff I can eat and the exact amounts, plus I tend to eat the same stuff repeatedly during the 5 days, for example vegetable soup with legumes, I cook the right amount in advance, then I just have to weigh what I am going to eat for the day. Then of course if one day it's 390 calories and the next day it's 430, it doesn't make much difference :-P

Mascouche profile image
Mascouche in reply toMaxone73

I am a creature of habit and routines. If I didn't have a wife, I would also be eating the same stuff repeatedly as she is the one pushing variety on me :)

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toMascouche

AHAHAHAH...we have married the same woman I think...I have always eaten healthy (I was raised in pure mediterranean diet style) and I can eat the same stuff for 4 days in a row, even simply a good tomato salad. My wife is english, and it looks like it's a crime against the king to eat the same thing for two days in a row. Except for pizza of course :-P

Although I have not been subjected to chemo and haven't had any kind of treatment for over five years (I only take Avodart), I have done mini-fasts every day: Last meal at 6:00 PM and nothing to eat until 8:30 AM which is about 14 1/2 hours between first and last intake of food. Of course, I have my own list of nutrients and supplements I take with the three meals. So, far my PSMA scans and blood work are acceptable. At 85, with heart issues I wouldn't want to change much at this point in life. Basically chicken and fish, fruit and vegetables at each meal (no veggies with breakfast, mainly oatmeal, walnuts and organic wild blueberries, sometimes Catalina Crunch). Also, my wife is Chinese and likes to cook. Asian-style cooking usually favors vegetables over meat so that there is a built-in control over the amount of protein. For me, the more prebiotics, the better off I am.

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toKuanyinismybodhi927

I used to do intermittent fasting but I am under darolutamide which requires food to be absorbed. But that regimen worked well!

Samrecan profile image
Samrecan in reply toMaxone73

How much food is sufficient for taking Durolutamide?

Please advise as I am also taking Nubeqa and was exploring food options when doing intermittent or full fast.

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toSamrecan

Take some fibers and oily stuff, like bran mixed with water / milk / oat milk and a couple of nuts….this should be digested slowly enough to “simulate” a meal. I loved intermittent fasting but it’s not possible with daro.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

For me......... fasting means eat fast.................

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n (Happy Birthday America)

Maxone73 profile image
Maxone73 in reply toj-o-h-n

and two scoops....

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