Fasting and Eating for Health by Joel Fuhrman; Neal D. Barnard Page A
Authors: Joel Fuhrman; Neal D. Barnard
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This prolongs life even in healthy individuals. The restorative effects of fasting have been observed in many species of animals (including primates), and have been clinically observed in humans by doctors such as myself who regularly conduct therapeutic fasts.
The Longer the Belt, the Shorter the Life
Many experiments in animals and observational studies in humans show that both severe malnutrition and over nutrition significantly lower resistance to disease. Longevity studies on humans excluding smokers, drinkers, and the chronically ill illustrate that the leanest live the longest.11 Though thinness is not the only criteria for health, it is undeniable that a person in good health, on a nutritious diet, who is below the average weight, has by far the best chance for a long life. The National Institute of Health also reports the same conclusion: when smokers and those with a disease that causes thinness are excluded, the greatest longevity is found in those whose weight is below average.12
When the diet is without deficiencies, minimum caloric intake greatly increases resistance to infectious diseases. There are a host of mechanisms 58
that strengthen our immune system and make the ―soil‖ unwelcome for microbes when the body is not overfed. After studying various population groups, including underfed wartime prisoners, researchers have concluded that resistance to disease is highest on what would generally be considered an inadequate diet.13 It has been noted that when epidemics struck wartime prison camps, the underfed prisoners had a much lower morbidity than their overfed captors.
When we contract a viral infection and lose our appetites, nature is telling us to fast. It is a means the body has of powerfully exciting white blood cell activity and releasing more immune system modulators, such as interferon, thus enabling the body to more quickly and effectively recover.
The best way to guard against nutritional excesses, while still maintaining optimal assimilation of all essential nutrients, is to consume an abundance of natural plant products that are rich in vitamins and minerals. At the same time one must avoid empty-calorie, processed foods, fats, refined carbohydrates, and animal products, which are high in fat and protein and deficient in the nutrients that are most protective to our system.
In the last thousand years, poor societies with constant low caloric intake have had a monotonous, sometimes nutrient-deficient diet, while prosperous, well-nourished societies have blatantly over consumed calories, fat, and protein. Fortunately, today's modern transportation and refrigeration methods allow us to have an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables year round, affording us an opportunity to practice a nutrient-rich diet low in fat and empty calories. This has been difficult to achieve in the past. We should take advantage of this opportunity.
Fasting Enhances Immune Responsiveness
Deficiency of nutrients can occur from the consumption of an insufficient diet over a prolonged period of time. Much of our population is indeed deficient in essential plant-derived nutrients because of their overconsumption of fat, protein, and. refined carbohydrate. Chronic exposure of experimental animals to diets severely deficient in calories or essential nutrients results in compromised cellular immunity. By contrast, short-term fasting followed by controlled caloric restriction without malnutrition greatly increases longevity and enhances immune responsiveness.
As early as 1911, researchers demonstrated that restricting the diets of animals greatly improved their disease resistance and markedly increased longevity14,15 as long as the restricted diet was not deficient in vitamins or minerals. Subsequent research has shown that underfeeding reduces the development of both spontaneous and induced tumors in rodents. Specifically, underfeeding enhances cell-mediated immune function and prevents the decrease in immune
The Longer the Belt, the Shorter the Life
Many experiments in animals and observational studies in humans show that both severe malnutrition and over nutrition significantly lower resistance to disease. Longevity studies on humans excluding smokers, drinkers, and the chronically ill illustrate that the leanest live the longest.11 Though thinness is not the only criteria for health, it is undeniable that a person in good health, on a nutritious diet, who is below the average weight, has by far the best chance for a long life. The National Institute of Health also reports the same conclusion: when smokers and those with a disease that causes thinness are excluded, the greatest longevity is found in those whose weight is below average.12
When the diet is without deficiencies, minimum caloric intake greatly increases resistance to infectious diseases. There are a host of mechanisms 58
that strengthen our immune system and make the ―soil‖ unwelcome for microbes when the body is not overfed. After studying various population groups, including underfed wartime prisoners, researchers have concluded that resistance to disease is highest on what would generally be considered an inadequate diet.13 It has been noted that when epidemics struck wartime prison camps, the underfed prisoners had a much lower morbidity than their overfed captors.
When we contract a viral infection and lose our appetites, nature is telling us to fast. It is a means the body has of powerfully exciting white blood cell activity and releasing more immune system modulators, such as interferon, thus enabling the body to more quickly and effectively recover.
The best way to guard against nutritional excesses, while still maintaining optimal assimilation of all essential nutrients, is to consume an abundance of natural plant products that are rich in vitamins and minerals. At the same time one must avoid empty-calorie, processed foods, fats, refined carbohydrates, and animal products, which are high in fat and protein and deficient in the nutrients that are most protective to our system.
In the last thousand years, poor societies with constant low caloric intake have had a monotonous, sometimes nutrient-deficient diet, while prosperous, well-nourished societies have blatantly over consumed calories, fat, and protein. Fortunately, today's modern transportation and refrigeration methods allow us to have an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables year round, affording us an opportunity to practice a nutrient-rich diet low in fat and empty calories. This has been difficult to achieve in the past. We should take advantage of this opportunity.
Fasting Enhances Immune Responsiveness
Deficiency of nutrients can occur from the consumption of an insufficient diet over a prolonged period of time. Much of our population is indeed deficient in essential plant-derived nutrients because of their overconsumption of fat, protein, and. refined carbohydrate. Chronic exposure of experimental animals to diets severely deficient in calories or essential nutrients results in compromised cellular immunity. By contrast, short-term fasting followed by controlled caloric restriction without malnutrition greatly increases longevity and enhances immune responsiveness.
As early as 1911, researchers demonstrated that restricting the diets of animals greatly improved their disease resistance and markedly increased longevity14,15 as long as the restricted diet was not deficient in vitamins or minerals. Subsequent research has shown that underfeeding reduces the development of both spontaneous and induced tumors in rodents. Specifically, underfeeding enhances cell-mediated immune function and prevents the decrease in immune
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