Fasting to reset the immune system

[MyQul]

Resetting the immune system sounds a bit pseudo-sciencey to me, and if you read the studies there's not a lot of evidence to support it. The majority of this research has been done on mice, which often has limited transfer to humans. The bit that was carried out on humans was in a very specific setting (chemotherapy side effects) and had a sample size of only 10, only 6 of of which reported a reduction in side effects. Also as was pointed out, this was for a 48 hour minimum fast which certainly is hardcore. That being said, I think the 5:2 diet is without a doubt a great way to lose weight and to keep it off, because compliance is probably easier for most people in comparison to other calorie restricting diets.

Your right the phrase 'resetting your immune system' does sound pseudo- sciency but what fasting can also do is increase autophagy which is basically cleaning out damaged cells to regenerate newer healthy cells. From my understanding old dead cells are consumed by healthy cell and new ones are grown. Below is an article about autophagy and fasting. It doesnt specifically talk about the immune system but if white blood cells are also recycled and grown alongside other cells in the body using autophagy , the immune system can possibly be 'reset'? But whilst the immune system is specifically your white blood cells. I think Lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar reduced inflammation will all support a robust immune system. These can also be done with fasting

https://www.healthline.com/health/autophagy#diet
Theres defiantely not enought research into this (as I mentioned above) as there no money in researching fasting. It's only really places like universities that get research grants that might do research into it.

 

[strange-steve]

Are you sure? I keep coming across recommendations to keep up vitamin D, specifically vitamin D3, levels and to overdose with Vitamin C. When I was working and didn't want to be off work sick, at the first sign of a sniffle, I'd take 1000 mg of vit C and repeat a couple of times during the day. It never failed. I'm not suggesting it's an antiviral, but it sure kept the common cold at bay and I don't think I've ever had flu.
Needless to say, I've got sufficient vit C in stock to last both of us at least 6 months. (cheapest way to buy it is as ascorbic acid from homebrew suppliers. It's used as an antioxidant in beer).

There's been a ton of research done on this and there's no good evidence to suggest that vitamin C supplements have any benefits whatsoever, and overdosing probably does more harm than good. D3 has been shown to potentially have some health benefits in the elderly but not enough to recommend supplementation. In fact vitamin supplements in general are almost certainly a waste of money, unless you've been diagnosed with a specific deficiency.

 

[MyQul]

I am not saying it doesnt work and perhaps I exectued it wrong but it threw my body out of balance. We are all different and respond to different things, which is why so many online studies will have just as many opposing studies as supporting ones.

Your right there are some many conflicting online studies on most subject, but particularly nutrition, it can b hard to see the wood for the trees

 

[MyQul]

In fact vitamin supplements in general are almost certainly a waste of money, unless you've been diagnosed with a specific deficiency.

This is why I gave up on suppliments apart from B12 (because I'm vegan, and there is research to say you need B12 if your vegan) and electrolytes (I dont know whether there's any research on the pros/cons of electrolytes but I've personally felt the benefits of taking lectrolytes during fasting so will continue to take them)

 

[strange-steve]

Theres defiantely not enought research into this (as I mentioned above) as there no money in researching fasting. It's only really places like universities that get research grants that might do research into it.

You're right, and the research that is out there (including the source of the article you linked) is often small sample size studies on mice so the conclusions aren't very conclusive.

 

[MyQul]

You're right, and the research that is out there (including the source of the article you linked) is often small sample size studies on mice so the conclusions aren't very conclusive.

Tbh, Even if there was zero research into fasting I'd still do it because;

* As a community support worker I travel around the borough visiting clients. This means I have to either carry all my home made food around with me for the day (along with all the rest I of the crap I carry around) or buy food when I'm hungry which is expensive If I want to buy healthy food. Fasting makes things really easy and convenient for me.

*I love the way fasting physically and mentally fasting makes me feel. I'm defiantely more calmer, relaxed and happier when I fasting. Im also more physically flexible with less aches and pains. From what I've read I believe both these physical and mental benefits are to do the the anti-inflammatory benefits of fasting

*I love eating and drinking (food doesn't seem to make me fat no matter how much I eat but home brew does) a lot. I can eat way beyond my energy expenditure for the day and still either lose or maintain weight

 

[Covrich]

Great stuff!! I knwo how you feel, when you find a formula that works stick with it!!.. do you find veganism helps on the anti-inflammatory too?

Rooibos tea also is great, peppermint tea camomile tea jasmine tea all things good for mood and helping you relax feel good and flush toxins ect.

Rooibos tea is brilliant tastes great too if you get a nice loose leaf variety

 

[MyQul]

Great stuff!! I knwo how you feel, when you find a formula that works stick with it!!.. do you find veganism helps on the anti-inflammatory too?

Rooibos tea also is great, peppermint tea camomile tea jasmine tea all things good for mood and helping you relax feel good and flush toxins ect.

Rooibos tea is brilliant tastes great too if you get a nice loose leaf variety

Im "starch based" vegan, by which I mean I mostly east things like grains, pulses and legumes and potatoes whereas MrsMQ is non starch based vegan. She eats a lot of salad and above ground veg but hardly any of what I eat. I follow a starch based whole food vegan diet because a) its so bleedin' cheap b) Im not sure about anti-inflammatory properties but I did find that for my cycling I can spin for much longer without getting so much lactic acid in my quads compared to when I was following a pescatarian diet. I have no idea or data why this might be. It could simply be my personal physiology

I also dont drink coffee or tea. I do drink herbal (mint) tea. I tried rooiboos tea once but didnt like it but that was when I drank coffee and didnt like any herbal tea so might give it another go. I mostly drink 'barley cup' which is a mix of barley,chicory and rye. It tastes like Mellow Birds coffee (remember that blast from the past). I also drink a chicory drink that I get from H&B and sometimes add a spoon of carob powder to change the flavour if I want something different. I also drink hot water with some lemon juice in it

 

[Neil Whittaker]

Fasting works for me as a good way of dropping weight for my rock climbing. I only eat once in a 24Hr period. I can keep this up for about 14 days.

The science behind the other benefits i would say is "at an early stage" at best.

You need to be super careful though and not just try fasting for three days. Worth a chat with your doctor before. Really question if this is a quick fix or can you make more long term lifestyle changes to achieve the same / better result.

 

[MyQul]

Fasting works for me as a good way of dropping weight for my rock climbing. I only eat once in a 24Hr period. I can keep this up for about 14 days.

The science behind the other benefits i would say is "at an early stage" at best.

You need to be super careful though and not just try fasting for three days. Worth a chat with your doctor before. Really question if this is a quick fix or can you make more long term lifestyle changes to achieve the same / better result.

Tbh, it's kind of quick fix for dropping a bit of visceral fat. One of the reasons I'm doing 60:12 fasts is because I generally tend to overeat/eat a lot during my eating window. I've tried OMAD (One meal a day)like you do but half an hour or so after I've eaten I start getting hungry again and I find it really hard to resist eating more. As mentioned. I've mostly done 20:4 for most of the past 18 months. Its great for maintenance but if I want to drop any weight it doesnt work for me.
The other big reason Im doing 60:12 fasts is for the anti-inflammatory properties. You do get some on 20:4 but nowhere near as much as a 60:12

 

[Covrich]

I might try a bit of intermittant fasting then for a few days on and then off.. SOmetimes I tend to bulk up eat if im trying to build muscle or train for events which can add a bit of visceral fat not that I am a fatty at all as I am a slender frame.

Problem with working from home and fasting sounds like a match made in hell

 

[Covrich]

@MyQul what do these ratios mean? like 60:12

 

[MyQul]

@MyQul what do these ratios mean? like 60:12

It's how long your fasting compared to how long your eating is. So to take 60:12, I fast for 60 hours (which is 2 1/2 days) and my eating window is twelve hours. I can eat as much as I like for those twelve hours, whenever I like for those twelve hours. But when those twelve hours are up 'my window closes' and I start to fast again.

I know your quite keen on exercise so if your planning to fast for any length of time I STRONGLY suggest taking electrolytes. I take a teaspoonful spoonful of bicarbonate of soda in water (plenty of water. If you dont take plenty of water with salts you can get a mild chemical burn in your stomach which feels like a stomach ache) and 3x 100mg of Magnesium ctrate tables in the morning. If I go more than 24 hours fasting I take another teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate in the afternoon. Ive found If I dont take electrolytes I can get all weak feeling and dizzy/wobbly and headaches. Some people say take potassium a well which can be found in lo salt (as its half sodium choride, half potassium choloride). I just salt my food with this and havent really found potassium that necessary

 

[Leon103]

If I am busy I don't need to eat. Everyone in work would comment that I would have food later in the day and that was due to being busy.

I wouldn't mind trying fasting but I wouldn't say it was ideal to try it now with a possible deadly virus about.

If I was to do a 20:4 method how much calories would I be looking to consume?

 

[MyQul]

If I am busy I don't need to eat. Everyone in work would comment that I would have food later in the day and that was due to being busy.

I wouldn't mind trying fasting but I wouldn't say it was ideal to try it now with a possible deadly virus about.

If I was to do a 20:4 method how much calories would I be looking to consume?

Your right about fasting possibly not being ideal with a virus about because as I understand it very basically put fasting stresses your system in order to make it stronger. In a similar way to weight lifiting causes micro tears in your muscles which get bigger and stronger when they repair

What are you trying to do lose, maintain, bulk? You need to look a tdee calculator like this then minus 500 or so kcal if your trying to lose weight.

https://tdeecalculator.net
I found 20:4 really good for maintainance and did it of on and of (mostly on) for over a year

 

[MyQul]

Problem with working from home and fasting sounds like a match made in hell

A lot of people on the fasting reddits I frequent are really finding it a struggle at the moment

 

[prog99]

A lot of people on the fasting reddits I frequent are really finding it a struggle at the moment

Interesting, I find it easier at home. In fact I’ve lost weight due to less snacking.

 

[MyQul]

Interesting, I find it easier at home. In fact I’ve lost weight due to less snacking.

I one problem people have is its easy to wander into the kitchen and eat when they get bored.

I once read about a very large American guy who whilst he didn't fast, got rid of all the food in his house and whenever he wanted a meal he would have to walk the two miles to his nearest supermarket . He would then just buy one meal to eat. So he would have to walk 6 miles a day. He lost loads of weight doing this.

I did something similar when I did my first 60 hour fast. I made sure I had hardly any food in the house (myself and MrsMQ eat different things so I wasnt depriving her) then started the fast. This prevented me from being tempted to just go to the cupboards and eat something when I got bored (you'd be amazed at how often hunger pangs are really just boredom). By the time I'd thought about what I wanted to buy put shoes and coat on etc, any hunger pangs had subsided

 

[Leon103]

Your right about fasting possibly not being ideal with a virus about because as I understand it very basically put fasting stresses your system in order to make it stronger. In a similar way to weight lifiting causes micro tears in your muscles which get bigger and stronger when they repair

What are you trying to do lose, maintain, bulk? You need to look a tdee calculator like this then minus 500 or so kcal if your trying to lose weight.

https://tdeecalculator.net
I found 20:4 really good for maintainance and did it of on and of (mostly on) for over a year

Thanks will do. I am interesting to see how it will affect fitness

 

[VW911]

With all this farting to boost my immune system, and crapping for carers, there's not going to be much left of me...