Hunger (Intermittent Fasting) & Longevity

[dado potato]

David Sinclair adheres to an epigenetic theory of aging, and that theory seems plausible to me.

I watched a youtube of David Sinclair in which he talked about intermittent fasting, among other things.

I would ask about a lifestyle that knows hunger. Been there? In my experience over my past 50 adult years, I have had many days when "the flow" eliminated any desire to stop and take nourishment, so in effect I fasted. This was not a personal misfortune, nor a forced hunger.

Do any of you good people find that your "physical age" is 30 years less than the number of times you were a passenger on the earth's orbit around the sun? While I am kind of Epicurean about the pleasures of the table, I think it is acceptable to go to bed hungry two or three days of the week.

Thoughts?

[Yppej]

I am a grazer and eat every few hours, but occasionally I have gotten into the flow and gone all day without eating. If I had a more interesting job I would eat less, plus there is often free food out to tempt me at work. Right now it is Halloween candy.

[razz]

The human mind creates all sorts of regimes and extols their virtues. Others will condemn some regimes and promote their own.

I am very practical. My body requires basic nutrients to function just like any other operating machine. I supply my body the most unadulterated food to keep it appropriately supplied - not too much or too little - so that it is not struggling just like any other machine.

I keep it very simple and uncomplicated.

[catherine]

They have done a lot of studies on intermittent fasting and the science seems to hold up in terms of staving off many chronic diseases and supporting longevity. I was just reading The End of Alzheimer's by Bredesen, and fasting is part of the protocol recommended--in this case, it's a 12-hour nightly fast and a 3-hour fast before bedtime.

Dr. Fuhrman (Eat to Live) also recommends intermittent fasting and has his own protocol.

I kind of do the nightly fast thing naturally. I have no desire to eat after around 8pm, and I typically don't "break fast" until coffee and a banana around 8am the next day. I've never subscribed to the "constant fuel" eating methods. When I'm on the road, I have my colleagues practically forcing me to eat lunch during 12 hour days of work, but I swear not eating lunch has no impact on my cognitive abilities or my energy in the afternoon.

It's a very interesting theory. Fasting is a well-established discipline--medically and spiritually--so I'm also interested in hearing if anyone else does it on a regular basis.

[SteveinMN]

I swear not eating lunch has no impact on my cognitive abilities or my energy in the afternoon.
On the contrary, anyone who's attended a meeting scheduled shortly after lunch (especially a monotone Powerpoint presentation in a darkened room) can attest to the cognitive abilities of those who do eat lunch.

One of the advantages of a ketogenic way of eating is that one no longer needs to eat at specific intervals. There are days I've been so busy that hunger has not interrupted. I don't fast intermittently by intent but I seldom eat between 8 pm and 8 am (water is okay, though, and I do enjoy [black] coffee at 6:30 am). It seems to have no real effect on whether I feel hungry on a given morning. I'm not willing to fast any more than that, though, since my "numbers" are fine without fasting.

[Teacher Terry]

Being retired I eat when hungry. With my husband gone for 2 weeks I am eating yogurt in the morning, going out for lunch and then not eating again until about 10 am. If I eat a small lunch at home then I eat a small dinner. I am not nearly as hungry as when I was younger.

[JaneV2.0]

On the contrary, anyone who's attended a meeting scheduled shortly after lunch (especially a monotone Powerpoint presentation in a darkened room) can attest to the cognitive abilities of those who do eat lunch.

One of the advantages of a ketogenic way of eating is that one no longer needs to eat at specific intervals. There are days I've been so busy that hunger has not interrupted. I don't fast intermittently by intent but I seldom eat between 8 pm and 8 am (water is okay, though, and I do enjoy [black] coffee at 6:30 am). It seems to have no real effect on whether I feel hungry on a given morning. I'm not willing to fast any more than that, though, since my "numbers" are fine without fasting.

Ketogenic or time-limited eating both have the same effect--they minimize insulin secretion, thus limiting hunger and the damage that too much insulin does to one's body (heart and liver disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, etc.). They also promote autophagy, the body's cellular cleanup system. (See Jason Fung, The Obesity Code)

[JaneV2.0]

...
Do any of you good people find that your "physical age" is 30 years less than the number of times you were a passenger on the earth's orbit around the sun? While I am kind of Epicurean about the pleasures of the table, I think it is acceptable to go to bed hungry two or three days of the week.
Thoughts?

I certainly don't feel particularly young but other than arthritis, I don't have many health issues, as far as I know. (Arthritis is enough. >:()

I've been fasting for a couple of years now, and haven't noticed any earth-shattering improvement, save losing ten pounds or so. It's easy to do, saves me time and money, and allows me to eat a varied diet while still benefiting from ketosis, so I have no plans to go back to eating multiple meals a day.

[iris lilies]

Someone said this recently or read it somewhere:


Japanese people don’t eat much individually, each person is always hungry. That contributes to their long long lives.

[sweetana3]

Sorry, but the story is pretty fake. They dont eat as much processed foods, carbohydrates, sugar, etc. I was always full with balanced meals of a reasonably small amount of protein, rice, vegetables, pickles and soup. Often not much difference between the 3 daily meals. Desserts are a special treat.

I would say they appear to eat less than an American diet with much higher quality ingredients.

[iris lilies]

Sorry, but the story is pretty fake. They dont eat as much processed foods, carbohydrates, sugar, etc. I was always full with balanced meals of a reasonably small amount of protein, rice, vegetables, pickles and soup. Often not much difference between the 3 daily meals. Desserts are a special treat.

I would say they appear to eat less than an American diet with much higher quality ingredients.

I remember where I heard that about the Japanese and I guess you’re right it was just someone’s opinion. The guy we know who is a Chinese businessmen said that about his trip to Japan.

[happystuff]

Sorry, but the story is pretty fake. They dont eat as much processed foods, carbohydrates, sugar, etc. I was always full with balanced meals of a reasonably small amount of protein, rice, vegetables, pickles and soup. Often not much difference between the 3 daily meals. Desserts are a special treat.

I would say they appear to eat less than an American diet with much higher quality ingredients.

I believe my issue has always been "quantity". It is said that it takes about 20 minutes to feel full, but I can eat so much in that 20 minutes! So quantity - and probably "speed eating" - I wonder if some kind of fasting could help with these issues.

Thanks for the thread - this is definitely something to think about.

[JaneV2.0]

I believe my issue has always been "quantity". It is said that it takes about 20 minutes to feel full, but I can eat so much in that 20 minutes! So quantity - and probably "speed eating" - I wonder if some kind of fasting could help with these issues.

Thanks for the thread - this is definitely something to think about.

I'd much rather eat one big, satisfying meal and be done for the day than six little ones that only make me hungrier than when I started.

Gin Stephens has a podcast you can listen to: http://www.ginstephens.com/
Lots of anecdotal info and links are available.

[happystuff]

Gin Stephens has a podcast you can listen to: http://www.ginstephens.com/
Lots of anecdotal info and links are available.

Thanks!!! I bookmarked this and will definitely give it a listen.

[Teacher Terry]

I used to be a fast eater but with implants on the bottom and a top denture it takes me forever to eat. Plus the denture covers a lot of my taste buds so basically eating has become a job. I was thinking yesterday how much more time I would have if we had no need to eat:))

[catherine]

I used to be a fast eater ... I was thinking yesterday how much more time I would have if we had no need to eat:))

I am a very fast eater, and DH is a very slow eater and he's always scolding me for eating so fast, but in my mind eating is a task you have to check off a to-do list. I am definitely not a foodie in terms of the hedonistic aspect of it.

[JaneV2.0]

I am a very fast eater, and DH is a very slow eater and he's always scolding me for eating so fast, but in my mind eating is a task you have to check off a to-do list. I am definitely not a foodie in terms of the hedonistic aspect of it.

I had a friend who was the same--she ate like it was her job. Felt eating was a waste of time.
I'm not ashamed of thoroughly enjoying good food, one of life's simple pleasures.

[Teacher Terry]

I liked eating more when I had my own teeth.