Fasting has been around for centuries
Plato quoted, “I fast for greater physical and mental efficiency”. Fasting is a long established way of physically rebooting the metabolism, promoting weight loss, and even increasing mental clarity and insight. In the early part of the 20th century doctors began recommending it to treat various disorders such as diabetes, obesity, and epilepsy. Today, we have an impressive body of research to show that intermittent fasting can increase longevity and delay the onset of diseases that tend to cut life short, including dementia and cancer. And despite popular wisdom that says fasting slows down the metabolism and forces the body to hold onto fat in the face of what it perceives as starvation mode, it actually provides the body with benefits than can accelerate and enhance weight loss. When quick sources of energy like glucose are no longer available to fuel the body’s energy needs, the liver begins to use body fat to create ketones. One ketone in particular plays a starring role: Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (beta-HBA). It serves as an exceptional fuel source for the brain. This alternative fuel source allows us to function cognitively for extended periods during food scarcity. It helps reduce our dependence on gluconeogenesis and therefore preserves our muscle mass. Gluconeogenesis is the process by which the body creates new glucose by converting non-carb sources, such as amino acids from muscles into glucose. The goal is to avoid the breakdown of muscle mass for fuel and instead utilize our fat stores with the help of ketones like beta-HBA. Fasting also powers up the Nrf2 pathway leading to enhanced detoxification, reduction of inflammation, and increase production of brain protecting antioxidants. (Grain Brain, WLP – 79)”