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Fasting for Autophagy

Goonergal

Master
Retired Moderator
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13,461
Location
London
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I’m embarking on a 48 hour fast - my first of that length - which started after dinner tonight and will end with dinner on Sunday night.

The fast is more about Autophagy and improving insulin sensitivity than weight loss - despite big weight loss and a BMi of 23.1, there is more fat than I am comfortable with around my torso and I would like to change this.

My question is about the use of cream in hot drinks during the fast. Is that likely to interfere with Autophagy? Would it be better to stick to a water only fast?

Any other tips?
 
I struggle with the definition of fasting, as it seems to be anything from skipping breakfast to living on water alone for several days.

If you are trying to remove all nutrients then I would stick to water only, as cream has a lot of goodness in it.

As an aside i had to fast for a couple of days for a hospital appointment and I didn't lose any weight. I do wonder if it was because butter wasn't on the banned list and I had some in coffee and with a stock cube in hot water.

Off topic, but I did find that a vegetable stock cube in hot water with a big chunk of butter was heavenly. Then again, I wasn't eating anything.
 
I have read that those who fast allow bone broth but I'm not sure about cream.
 
Guzzler said:
I have read that those who fast allow bone broth but I'm not sure about cream.
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Jason Fung allows cream - in limited amounts - but not sure whether it would interfere with Autophagy. To date I’ve had a couple of cups of tea with cream on 23/1 fasting days. Wondering whether water only will help reduce my waist.
 
I have not read up on autophagy at all. My limited knowledge led me to beleive that it is a mechanism by which dead and damaged cells are 'hoovered up'. Sorry, no idea about autophagy and weight loss.
 
@Goonergal please let us know how you get on. My weight loss has stalled and I don't know how to kick start it again. I wonder if this will work for you?
 
I'm not quite sure what autophagy is other that what @Guzzler said, and I know nothing much about fasting either., so I'm no help whatsoever!!! But I do hope whatever you want to happen happens!
 
Good luck, experienced faster here, doing a 24 hour fast right now btw. My recommendation would be to not do the cream. Tea and coffe okay, but not cream, IT will just trigger hunger.
 
I did a 48 hour a couple of weeks ago. It is physically easy if you have been used to 24. I didn't use any cream, just black coffee first thing, non fruit herbal teas with lemon / lime. I lost almost a kilo doing this, and had no problems with re-feeding.
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Really? Cream in coffee keeps me going for 4 to 5 hours with no hunger at all.
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Of course it depends on the individual, but how much cream is it you are talking about? And i would say IT is easier to fast in one go without eating, ThE DEE extra calories of cream is just a distraction
 
Goonergal said:
Jason Fung allows cream - in limited amounts - but not sure whether it would interfere with Autophagy. To date I’ve had a couple of cups of tea with cream on 23/1 fasting days. Wondering whether water only will help reduce my waist.
Click to expand...
I think it might but to be honest no one really knows at the moment.
A bit like a keto diet if you want to "guarantee" autophagy then I think no protein or carbs would be the recommendation. Cream only has a little but I think it might be enough to inhibit the process depending obviously on how much you have.
So water, and black tea/coffee would probably be the way to get there. I will freely admit I have never done it because I hate black coffee with a vengeance but am a total caffeine addict so can't go without my triple shot americano with cream at least 4 times a day. I certainly give you moral support though and a big hug t help you on your way.
The other problem with autophagy of course is no-one really knows how you can tell its actually happening (or at least not that I have read anywhere).
 
I don’t think that a dash of cream in coffee with prevent Autophagy,

Volter Lungo’s 5 day Fasting Mimicing Diet is specifically intended to stimulate Autophagy and he gives people food 3x a day. The promotional article I saw showed a soup, kale crisps and another packet of something. It is all v low calorie, but it is more calories than a herb tea!

So if a person can eat that and reach Autophagy a splash of cream isn’t going to interfere. Although obviously portion size will make a difference.
 
I think part of the problem is there’s no way of “knowing” that autophagy is happening.. so while Dr Longo has his theory I’m not so sure he “knows” what works although it seems pretty likely that water fasting contains nothing that should cause it not to occur.
 
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