Back Clinic Supplements. What is more fundamental to our existence than diet and nutrition? Most of us eat at least three times a day. This creates a cumulative effect, as either our diet help fuel our body or it harms it. Bad nutrition, diet, and obesity can lead to osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic pain. Knowing dietary supplements such as vitamins and proper nutritional balance, and effective techniques to shed weight can help those striving to change their new healthy lives.
A dietary supplement is used to provide nutrients to increase their consumption or provide non-nutrient chemicals claimed to have biological/beneficial effects. Dietary supplements come in all shapes and sizes. There are capsules, drinks, energy bars, powders, and traditional tablets. The most popular are calcium, iron, vitamins D and E, herbs like echinacea and garlic, and specialty products like glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils.
Supplements can become overwhelming with everything that’s out there. This will touch on key categories of supplements and the best way on how to use them.
Supplements are divided into categories:
Nutrients
(Nutraceuticals or Orthomolecular Medicine)
Botanicals
(Herbal Medicine or Phytotherapy)
Hormones
Hormone Replacement Therapy or Restorative Medicine
Each category is meant to support underlying excesses or deficiencies, with the ultimate goal of bringing the body back into balance.
Where it becomes complicated is understanding the different uses and dosing of specific:
Extracts
Chelates (a chemical compound that dissolves more easily and is easily absorbed compared to other types of molecules and compounds)
Prepared Compounds
Hormones
Integrative medicine and hormone therapy usually involve synthetic versions of plant extracts, that mimick the chemical structure of endogenous hormones.
What are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers that are produced by the endocrine glands.
These messengers have an effect on most tissues and major bodily functions.
Establishing and resolving the causes of hormonal imbalance is one of the core therapeutic systems not only in integrative medicine but in conventional medicine.
How do Hormones Work?
Hormones flow through the body�s circulation in abundance. In order for hormones to perform a function, the cells being used require specific receptors.
When hormones bind to these receptors, it causes a biological response inside the cell, which is why a single hormone can have such an effect.
The entire endocrine system is based on positive and negative feedback loops. This informs the endocrine glands to produce more or fewer hormones.
Balance of endogenous hormone production is maintained through diet and lifestyle. However,�when this unique balance is disrupted is when disease can occur.
Despite their broad and potent effect on the body’s systems, hormones therapy must be done with caution and skill.
There can be long-term negative side effects with hormone therapy and should be limited to highly-trained practitioners.
Examples of Hormone Ingredients
Exogenous hormones are available in different forms.
Examples include:
Pregnenolone – this is the mother of steroidogenic hormones
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – elevates estrogen and testosterone
Vitamin D – regulates bone density, and balances parathyroid hormone secretion
There is evidence that shows beneficial therapeutic uses for exogenous hormones.
Similar to botanical medicine, hormone therapy should be used exclusively and with caution by certified clinicians.
Fasting Mimicking Diet Basics
Some people today might eat a slightly higher amount of calories the first day as they ease into the fasting-mimicking diet. They might then decrease their total caloric intake. You also want to make sure you eat smaller amounts of foods which are easy to digest.
ProLon��offers a pre-packaged box which contains all five days� worth of meals for you to do the diet. The meals are all plant-based. One day, by way of instance, offers tea and a nut bar for breakfast, a small portion of vegetable soup and a few kale crackers for lunch, several olives in the afternoon, and finally another small portion of vegetable soup for dinner.
You can also do the fasting-mimicking diet without the need for a pre-packaged box-like ProLon�. Simply follow the right proportions and plan out how you will space them out every day. Macros for the fast mimicking diet are 34 percent carbohydrates, 10 percent protein, and 56 percent fat for the very first day and 47 percent carbohydrates, 9 percent protein, and 44 percent fat to the rest days.
A cup of black tea and coffee every day are generally allowed. Just make sure they don�t contain any added sugars or oils. Remember that people with health issues should consult a healthcare professional prior to doing the fast mimicking diet in your own home.
Foods
Dr. Anthony Gusting followed a four-day ketogenic fasting-mimicking diet. Every day, he consumed different amounts of bone broth, coconut milk, coconut oil, BCAAs, and exogenous ketones. Avocados and grass-fed butter can also be included in the fast mimicking diet. This is a great way to combine the ketogenic diet with the fasting-mimicking diet to benefit from the two regimens.
Supplements
Taking nutritional supplements can also make the fasting-mimicking diet easier by providing enough nutrition. These may include:
Electrolytes like magnesium and salt to replenish any lost during water loss
Grass-fed liver tablets to provide micronutrient support
Branch chain amino acids, or BCAAs, to help prevent loss of lean tissue
Greens powder to provide micronutrients
Algal oil or cod liver oil for omega-3s
You may also take exogenous ketones to achieve ketosis through the keto diet. The fast mimicking diet can also help you achieve ketosis before following a ketogenic diet. Below, we will discuss how the fast mimicking diet promotes ketosis.
Ketosis And The Fast Mimicking Diet
The fast mimicking diet is an excellent way to prepare you for the ketogenic diet. This is because it allows you to get into ketosis. Additionally, eating keto foods makes it possible to remain in ketosis throughout the regimen. To follow a ketogenic fasting-mimicking diet you must maintain your macros over the suitable range of 5 to 10 percent of carbohydrates, 20 to 25percent of proteins, and 70 to 80 percent of fats. If you�re unsure about whether you�re properly maintaining your macros, always choose something with more fat.
If you or a loved one need additional dietary guidance, give us a call. Our Doctor of Chiropractic is here to help!
*CORRECT BAD POSTURE* with Custom Foot Orthotics | El Paso, TX (2019)
Posture is the way in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or performing tasks such as lifting, bending, pulling, or reaching. However, when a person practices bad posture, it can cause a variety of health issues. According to research studies, signs and symptoms associated with a bad posture are the 3rd most common reason for doctor office visits in the United States.
The spine helps support the weight of the head and stabilizes the human body when standing upright. However, bad posture can strain the spine, causing a variety of health issues. Custom orthotics can help support good posture and promote pain relief. Dr. Alex Jimenez can help patients improve their overall health and wellness through custom orthotics. Patients recommend Dr. Alex Jimenez as the non-surgical choice for posture.
Posture
Poor posture takes a serious toll on health. Here are a few negative results:
Muscle soreness
Subluxations
Blood vessel constriction
Nerve constriction
As time passes, body/health problems also arise, which result in pain, restricted motion, and make the body more susceptible to injury and disease. Posture can even affect your emotional well-being, including self-confidence!
Treatment
Chiropractic can help you maintain proper posture with alignment adjustments, and custom orthotics can benefit the treatment making it last longer.
The American Chiropractic Association maintains proper posture involves sitting, standing, and lying down properly. Here’s an excerpt:
Sitting properly
Keep your feet on the floor or footrest, for feet to be stabilized.
Ankles should be in front of your knees.
Keep a small space between the back of the knees and the front of the seat.
Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.
Standing properly
Keep your weight on the balls of your feet.
Keep your knees slightly bent.
Keep your feet in line with your shoulders.
Arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
Sleeping properly
Find the mattress that is right for you.
A firm mattress is generally recommended but sometimes people do better with a
Softer mattresses to reduce back pain.
Remember comfort is important.
Sleep with a pillow.
Special pillows are available to help with posture problems that come from a poor sleeping position.
The feet are complex structures which function to provide protection and support to the body in relation to the spine and head posture. The feet are essential towards balancing the body�s entire weight, allowing it to walk, run, stand, and, jump. Foot complications may cause severe issues throughout the spine, hips, knees, and ankles if left untreated. Chiropractic care can be effective for treating injuries or conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and ankle sprains. Foot health is essential towards establishing the body�s proper support and balance, together with a proper spinal posture. In the presence of foot complications, chiropractic treatment can be used to achieve long-lasting health.
NCBI Resources
It seems our moms were right; we are what we eat. Unfortunately, in today�s marketplace, there are many valid worries about the foods we consume. Antibiotics, pesticides, and foods tainted with dangerous diseases are a top concern for many Americans. In addition, processed and genetically modified foods�and artificial ingredients contribute to a number of health issues from�obesity�to�cancer.
Supplements can become overwhelming with everything that’s out there. This will touch on key categories of supplements and the best way on how to use them.
Supplements are divided into categories:
Nutrients
(Nutraceuticals or Orthomolecular Medicine)
Botanicals
(Herbal Medicine or Phytotherapy)
Hormones
Hormone Replacement Therapy or Restorative Medicine
Each category is meant to support underlying excesses or deficiencies, with the ultimate goal of bringing the body back into balance.
Where it becomes complicated is understanding the different uses and dosing of specific:
Extracts
Chelates (a chemical compound that dissolves more easily and is easily absorbed compared to other types of molecules and compounds)
Prepared Compounds
Botanicals
(Herbal Medicine or Phytotherapy)
Botanicals?
Records of humanity using botanical extracts therapeutically date back to the beginning of first recorded history.
Today, botanical medicine serves as an inspiration for pharmaceutical inventions and continues�via modern research.
Botanical medicine is essential in integrative medicine and normally elicits fewer and less significant adverse side effects than pharmaceutical interventions.
Growing research shows that when used correctly, botanical extracts are more effective than pharmaceutical equivalents, and more cost-effective as well.
Botanical Work?
Given their capacity to interact with virtually every system and tissue in the body, there are thousands of therapeutic uses.
There is a great deal of literature on traditional botanical medicine, however, there is a very little amount of modern research relative to modern medicine.
As a result, it becomes somewhat challenging to compare botanicals with pharmaceuticals regarding
clinical outcomes.
Botanical Ingredients
Botanical medicine provides very helpful effective therapeutics and allows everyone, from professional practitioners to common laypeople apply these treatments.
Common examples:
Garlic (Allium sativum) – immune function, cardiovascular function
Bottom line, diets are temporary. There are some serious consequences that can come from dieting, especially fad or crash diets. The effects of these types of diets can also seriously impact your chiropractic care, hindering your progress.
Also, because diets are temporary, once you return to your regular eating habits the weight usually comes back.
A lifestyle change is a far better choice. It involves making smart, healthy eating choices � choices that you maintain for the rest of your life. This also impacts your chiropractic care by strengthening your body and keeping it healthy so that it is in an optimal state for healing and responds well to treatment.
Diet Type
There are all sorts of diets out there. Some are blatantly unhealthy but others are sneaky. They come with claims of being healthy, of being created or endorsed by doctors, or include tons of vitamin supplements but very limited food intake. It is important to be able to spot these destructive fad diets so you don�t get suckered into their hype.
Some of the most common�types of fad diets include high protein, low or no-carb, liquid, cabbage, grapefruit, broth or juice, and food combining. Some of these can cause serious health problems including vital organ damage. Others can cause vitamin deficiencies and dehydration. None of them can (or should) be maintained over a long period of time, much less the rest of your life.
Healthy Eating/Lifestyle
When you make the life-changing commitment to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle you open yourself up to a world of better health, more energy, and better focus. Your body will heal faster and you will feel better.
A diet of fresh�fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fresh fish, and whole grains, along with lots of water should become a way of life. It is far healthier than the temporary diets that are out there and more effective too.
If you or a loved one need additional dietary guidance, give us a call. Our Doctor of Chiropractic is here to help!
Get Rid of *FOOT PRONATION PAIN* with Custom Foot Orthotics | El Paso, TX (2019)
Foot pronation is the natural movement which occurs during foot landing while walking or running. Foot pronation also occurs while standing, and in this instance, it is the amount in which the foot rolls inward toward the arch. Foot pronation is normal, however, excessive foot pronation can cause a variety of health issues, including bad posture. The following video describes the 5 red flags of excessive foot pronation, which can ultimately affect a person’s overall health and wellness. Dr. Alex Jimenez can help diagnose and treat excessive foot pronation. Patients recommend Dr. Alex Jimenez and his staff as the non-surgical choice for excessive foot pronation health issues.
What’s Afoot
The feet are complex structures which function to provide protection and support to the body in relation to the spine and head posture. The feet are essential towards balancing the body�s entire weight, allowing it to walk, run, stand, and, jump. Consequently, foot complications may cause severe issues throughout the spine, hips, knees, and ankles if left untreated. Chiropractic care can be effective for treating injuries or conditions such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and ankle sprains, among others. Foot health is essential towards establishing the body�s proper support and balance, together with a proper spinal posture. In the presence of foot complications, chiropractic treatment can be used to achieve long-lasting health.
NCBI Resources
While most of us know that proper nutrition is vital in assisting us to reach our optimum health and feel our best; finding time to eat a balanced diet on a daily basis seems a formidable job in this fast-paced, affluent society. Though your life may be frantic, there are still many good tasting, healthful alternatives which can assist you to lose weight and enhance your health.
Supplements can become overwhelming with everything that’s out there. This will touch on key categories of supplements and the best way on how to use them.
Supplements are divided into categories:
Nutrients
(Nutraceuticals or Orthomolecular Medicine)
Botanicals
(Herbal Medicine or Phytotherapy)
Hormones
Hormone Replacement Therapy or Restorative Medicine
Each category is meant to support underlying excesses or deficiencies, with the ultimate goal of bringing the body back into balance.
Where it becomes complicated is understanding the different uses and dosing of specific:
Extracts
Chelates (a chemical compound that dissolves more easily and is easily absorbed compared to other types of molecules and compounds)
Prepared Compounds
Nutrients
Nutrients are defined as ingredients that would otherwise be found in food, which include:
Vitamins
Minerals
Phytochemicals
Antioxidants
What are Nutrients?
For sustaining life and staying healthy, the human body requires a balance of nutrients, which can be categorized as macronutrients and micronutrients.
Macronutrients constitute the major food groups of
Carbohydrates
Fats
Proteins
These are required in large amounts and are used for energy production and tissue growth.
Micronutrients are required in small amounts and include vitamins and minerals.
Phytonutrients, such as anthocyanin found in blueberries or resveratrol found in grapes, are also often classified as micronutrients.
How do Nutrients Work?
Macronutrients are the caloric basis for our
Daily energy needs
Provide the building blocks of tissue development
Fiber for our microbiota
Cholesterol for hormone production
Micronutrients are not relevant for energy and contribute to:
Tissue development
Hormone and Neurotransmitter Production
Brain function
Immune function
Common Nutritional Supplements
Dietary supplements can provide nutrients in a condensed form, which allow for targeting specific conditions or in order to upregulate certain pathways that require those nutrients.
Examples include:
Whey Protein Isolate
Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Calcium
B vitamins
Eating Properly/Healthy & Staying Hydrated
Making Protein A Priority
Muscle injuries are one of the most popular reasons for chiropractic visits. Protein helps build and heal muscle tissue, helping it to renew itself back to a pre-injury state.
If your daily intake of protein is low, it can hinder the healing process and stand in the way of chiropractic visits giving you the maximum results. Fish and lean meats are the foods that offer the highest protein.
Other vegetarian options are tofu, soybeans, eggs, milk, and nuts. Help your muscles rebuild and heal by adding high protein foods into every meal menu.
Staying H2o Hydrated
Why do most of us view water drinking with dread? If you wish to promote healing, it�s imperative to drink enough water every day.
Water provides an entire slew of benefits, from transporting those important nutrients to where they need to be, to flushing harmful toxins out of the body. Aim for eight glasses of water a day, and try to drink it throughout the day.
Getting into this habit will boost overall health, and promote healing of injuries and other medical conditions.
While it�s a smart goal to try to ingest all the nutrients you need through food and drink, supplements are available to bridge the gap. Before beginning a supplement regimen, talk to you chiropractor for recommendations on the type and dosage that will aid and improve your unique situation.
You may also want to download a smartphone app to track your daily intake of calories, calcium, protein, and liquid. There are many available, one being My Fitness Pal.
Chiropractic treatment is a big step in the right direction for overall health/well-being and incorporating these nutritional tips into your daily routine will help you get the most out of your chiropractic care.
Correct your Bad Posture with *FOOT ORTHOTICS* | El Paso, Tx
Posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting, or lying down. Good posture allows the body parts to be properly supported through correct alignment to promote the right amount of tension against gravity. Bad posture can cause a variety of health issues, including neck pain and back pain. Understanding how bad posture can affect your health is essential for overall wellness. Custom foot orthotics can also help improve posture. Dr. Jimenez is the non-surgical choice for posture health issues.
What’s Afoot
Treatment for foot pain varies depending on the condition/injury. Treatment can go from rest and ice to physical therapy, chiropractic and in severe cases surgery. Reflexology can provide relief, as well as, stretching exercises. Over the counter pain medication is often used. If the pain is too intense that it prevents sleep, a physician may prescribe non-addictive pain medication. Wear shoes with good arch supports, and if pain persists, see a podiatrist for special orthotic shoe inserts. Insurance often covers orthotics.
NCBI Resources
Don�t forget that most pain in the body is caused by inflammation and can be helped with anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle stressors. Concentrate on eating whole, unprocessed foods. Stay away from sugar, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and white flour. Make sure to drink enough water every day, and get eight hours of sleep. This is one of the most effective ways to address inflammation. Bring the body back into balance.
Magnesium is an essential mineral, yet it tends to be overlooked as a health concern. To illustrate, a study shows that up to 75% of individuals are not intaking the recommended daily amount (2). This stems from the fact that most foods have steadily decreased the amount of magnesium they provide. Thus leaving many consumers with the need to supplement. Different magnesium supplements have been shown to facilitate the body in different ways.� Magnesium citrate can help to lower blood pressure whereas Magnesium L-Threonate can help with memory loss. So, which magnesium supplement should you be taking?��� �
Magnesium Citrate Overview
Magnesium Citrate is one of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium out there, meaning it’s ready and easily absorbed by the body’s digestive tract (5). In addition to this, Magnesium Citrate has been shown to improve arterial stiffness, lower blood pressure, and in turn, help to prevent cardiovascular disease in patients who are slightly obese (3). However, be aware that magnesium citrate is also used to treat constipation, therefore it can act as a laxative by helping to absorb water in the intestines (1). �
Magnesium L-Threonate Overview
Magnesium L-Threonate is a newer form of magnesium, therefore there are fewer studies showing its full capabilities. However, Magnesium L-Threonate is the only form of magnesium to cross the blood-brain barrier more readily. The blood-brain barrier is extremely selective in order to reduce the amount of toxins entered into the CNS (central nervous system). Due to this, it has been proven to increase synapse density and aid in memory loss, cognitive decline, as well as help to improve short term memory (4). In a long term study of 17 years performed with Magnesium L-Threonate, the results manifested that subjects were 37% less likely to get dementia (4). �
If you are looking for something to assist in relaxation, sleep, and memory; Magnesium L-Threonate is the supplement for you. Although, if you are looking for something to relieve occasional constipation and something to aid in blood pressure that mixes well with water and has little to no taste, magnesium citrate is the route you should consider. Getting started on the right magnesium supplement today could set you up with a better tomorrow. – Kenna Vaughn, Health Coach Insight
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 . �
References
(1)Cisar�, Fabio, et al. �Bowel Preparation for Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Procedures With Sodium Picosulphate-Magnesium Citrate Is an Effective, Safe, and Well-Tolerated Option in Pediatric Patients: A Single-Center Experience.� Gastroenterology Nursing : the Official Journal of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30063687.
(2)Guerrera, Mary P, et al. �Therapeutic Uses of Magnesium.� American Family Physician, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 15 July 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19621856.
(3)Schutten, Jo�lle C, et al. �Effects of Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Oxide and Magnesium Sulfate Supplementation on Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Overweight Individuals: a Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.� Trials, BioMed Central, 28 May 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31138315.
(4)”Science Review: Magnesium L-Threonate.” Metagenics Institute. 01 Aug. 2019 .
(5)Walker, Ann F, et al. �Mg Citrate Found More Bioavailable than Other Mg Preparations in a Randomised, Double-Blind Study.� Magnesium Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2003, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14596323. �
Orthotics Treat Other Areas Than the Feet
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Additional Topic Discussion: Xymogen� Supplements
The average adult in the United States takes one or more dietary supplements on a regular basis. Dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and a variety of other products. Several of the most common dietary supplements include vitamin D and vitamin E, minerals such as calcium and iron, herbs such as echinacea and garlic, and products such as glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils. For people who don’t have balanced nutrition, taking dietary supplements can help them get necessary amounts of essential nutrients and can help improve overall well-being.
Formulas for Methylation Support
�
XYMOGEN�s Exclusive Professional Formulas are available through select licensed health care professionals. The internet sale and discounting of XYMOGEN formulas are strictly prohibited.
� Proudly,�Dr. Alexander Jimenez makes XYMOGEN formulas available only to patients under our care.
� Please call our office in order for us to assign a doctor consultation for immediate access.
� If you are a patient of Injury Medical & Chiropractic�Clinic, you may inquire about XYMOGEN by calling 915-850-0900.
For your convenience and review of the XYMOGEN products please review the following link.*XYMOGEN-Catalog-Download � * All of the above XYMOGEN policies remain strictly in force. �
Can methylation donors help promote a balanced methylation support?
Many doctors and functional medicine practitioners generally recommend higher doses of methyl donors, such as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, or 5-MTHF, and methylcobalamin, in several patients. By way of instance, people with genetic polymorphisms and people with out-of-range methylation-related biomarkers, such as in hyperhomocysteinemia, may often develop health issues which may affect the function of specific enzymes, such as methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, or MTHFR, among others.
Nutrient deficiencies associated with methyl donors are a prevalent finding in laboratory evaluations, and depending on your population, these may be closely associated with vitamin B12 deficiency-related neuropathy, which is relatively common. Many doctors and functional medicine practitioners also understand the importance of methylation support to help improve hereditary or environmental epigenetic health issues. Improving methylation status and avoiding the pathways of disease and dysfunction associated with potential nutritional deficits in methylation activity is the goal of many healthcare professionals.
However, as with any other biochemical process, methylation activity occurs through the balance of homeodynamics, or the dynamic form of homeostasis. An imbalance in these biochemical processes can ultimately lead to dysfunction and disease. Therefore, although we can be confident that making sure we have enough methyl donors available for use in the human body is essential, we have to question whether �pushing� reaction rates utilizing supraphysiological doses are safe and effective. Instead of forcing reaction rates, perhaps the goal of healthcare professionals should ultimately be to allow the human body to function correctly.
Methylation Supplementation
Numerous health issues associated with long-term, high-dose supplementation for methylation donors include:
According to research studies, the effects of these genetic alterations remains unclear. In comparison to the altered function of MTHFR C677T and A1298C single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, which have been moderately evaluated, the diagnosis of other SNPs can demonstrate the overall function of these specific enzymes. The effect of these SNPs on methylation activity depends on enzymes working together in the circumstance of a person’s internal and external environment. These outcome measures have been demonstrated in a variety of genome research studies. As a result, researchers are unable to determine the effects which these alterations, including that of MTHFR C677T, can develop on a patient’s overall methylation status.
The correct supplementation dose for methylation donors remains mostly unknown, as it may vary tremendously between patients. No research studies have currently demonstrated what the correct dosage or duration of methyl-donor supplementation is required to balance biochemical and epigenetic methylation status. Various side effects of high-dose 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, or 5-MTHF, supplementation have been demonstrated in clinical practice, including anxiety and worsening of symptoms.
Hypermethylation may be detrimental to an individual’s overall health and wellness. The following series of articles contain many examples of region-specific DNA hypermethylation health issues, including immune dysfunction, Downs Syndrome, and cancer. Both DNA hyper- and hypomethylation can develop due to deficiencies in methylation donors. Folic acid has been associated with increased immune hypersensitivity and cancer. The bottom line is that we don�t understand what effect long-term, high-dose methylation donors and supplementation can have on DNA methylation support. Further research studies are still required to show this effect.
Methylation is a biochemical process which involves the conversion of methylation activity for the function of a variety of processes in the human body. Methylation imbalances, however, can cause a variety of health issues. Methylation donors are a form of supplementation for methylation support. But, research studies have demonstrated that supplementation for methylation support may not be right for everyone. The best way to improve methylation is through proper nutrition, physical activity, and exercise, among other dietary and lifestyle modifications. The nutritional guidelines below can help safely and effectively improve methylation support, promoting overall health and wellness.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T. Insight
Nutrition for Methylation Support
Methylation status can often depend on a patient’s dietary and lifestyle factors. Dietary and lifestyle factors, including physical activity and exercise, stress, sleep, medicines, and toxin exposure, plays a role in methylation. Single interventions with high-dose nutrient supplementation may lack long-term effectiveness or these may not achieve the desired methylation support.
Dietary and lifestyle modifications are safe and effective, alternative treatment options for most individuals with methylation imbalances. This may be fundamental for certain vulnerable individuals, such as patients with active cancers. Aging is also known to be associated with decreased methylation activity, therefore, the Methylation Diet and Lifestyle, or MDL, program can be utilized as an anti-aging tool. Methylation status diagnosis and treatment is essential during preconception, pregnancy and the postnatal period.
The MDL program and supplementation can help promote overall health and wellness. A dietary and lifestyle treatment approach can also be utilized as a follow-up plan for people who need high-dose nutraceutical support. A variety of foods can promote methylation support. Dietary and lifestyle modifications have also been demonstrated to considerably improve methylation activity.
In the following articles, we will discuss dietary and lifestyle factors which can help support methylation. We will also discuss the basic biochemistry of methylation, the roles of methylation in the human body, how to evaluate methylation status, and the risks and benefits of methyl donor supplementation as well as the health issues associated with too little or too much methylation activity.
Smoothies and Juices for Methylation Support
While many healthcare professionals can recommend nutritional guidelines and lifestyle modifications, there are several alternative treatment options you can try for yourself at home. As described above, however, supplementation for methylation support should be correctly determined by a healthcare professional. Smoothies and juices are a fast and easy way to include all the necessary nutrients you need for methylation support in a single serving. The smoothies and juices below are part of the Methylation Diet Food Plan.
Sea Green Smoothie Servings: 1 Cook time: 5-10 minutes � 1/2 cup cantaloupe, cubed � 1/2 banana � 1 handful of kale or spinach � 1 handful of Swiss chard � 1/4 avocado � 2 teaspoons spirulina powder � 1 cup water � 3 or more ice cubes Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until completely smooth and enjoy!
Berry Bliss Smoothie Servings: 1 Cook time: 5-10 minutes � 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, preferably wild) � 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped � 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seed � 1 tablespoons almonds � Water (to desired consistency) � Ice cubes (optional, may omit if using frozen blueberries) Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. Best served immediately!
Sweet and Spicy Juice Servings: 1 Cook time: 5-10 minutes � 1 cup honeydew melons � 3 cups spinach, rinsed � 3 cups Swiss chard, rinsed � 1 bunch cilantro (leaves and stems), rinsed � 1-inch knob of ginger, rinsed, peeled and chopped � 2-3 knobs whole turmeric root (optional), rinsed, peeled and chopped Juice all ingredients in a high-quality juicer. Best served immediately!
Ginger Greens Juice Servings: 1 Cook time: 5-10 minutes � 1 cup pineapple cubes � 1 apple, sliced � 1-inch knob of ginger, rinsed, peeled and chopped � 3 cups kale, rinsed and roughly chopped or ripped � 5 cups Swiss chard, rinsed and roughly chopped or ripped Juice all ingredients in a high-quality juicer. Best served immediately!
Zesty Beet Juice Servings: 1 Cook time: 5-10 minutes � 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced � 1 apple, washed and sliced � 1 whole beet, and leaves if you have them, washed and sliced � 1-inch knob of ginger, rinsed, peeled and chopped Juice all ingredients in a high-quality juicer. Best served immediately!
Protein Power Smoothie Serving: 1 Cook time: 5 minutes � 1 scoop protein powder � 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed � 1/2 banana � 1 kiwi, peeled � 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon � Pinch of cardamom � Non-dairy milk or water, enough to achieve desired consistency Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until completely smooth. Best served immediately!
ProLon� Fasting Mimicking Diet
alanced methylation support can be achieved through proper nutrition. The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet offers a 5-day meal program which has been individually packed and labeled to serve the foods you need for the FMD in precise quantities and combinations. The meal program is made up of ready-to-eat or easy-to-prepare, plant-based foods, including bars, soups, snacks, supplements, a drink concentrate, and teas. The products are scientifically formulated and great tasting. Before starting the ProLon� fasting mimicking diet, 5-day meal program, please make sure to talk to a healthcare professional to find out if the FMD is right for you. The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet can help promote methylation support, among a variety of other healthy benefits.
Many doctors and functional medicine practitioners may recommend higher doses of methyl donors in several patients, however, further research studies are needed to determine the proper amount of methylation supplementation. The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topic Discussion: Acute Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most prevalent causes of disability and missed days at work worldwide. Back pain attributes to the second most common reason for doctor office visits, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Approximately 80 percent of the population will experience back pain at least once throughout their life. Your spine is a complex structure made up of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles, among other soft tissues. Injuries and/or aggravated conditions, such as herniated discs, can eventually lead to symptoms of back pain. Sports injuries or automobile accident injuries are often the most frequent cause of back pain, however, sometimes the simplest of movements can have painful results. Fortunately, alternative treatment options, such as chiropractic care, can help ease back pain through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, ultimately improving pain relief.
Formulas for Methylation Support
XYMOGEN�s Exclusive Professional Formulas are available through select licensed health care professionals. The internet sale and discounting of XYMOGEN formulas are strictly prohibited.
Proudly, Dr. Alexander Jimenez makes XYMOGEN formulas available only to patients under our care.
Please call our office in order for us to assign a doctor consultation for immediate access.
If you are a patient of Injury Medical & Chiropractic Clinic, you may inquire about XYMOGEN by calling 915-850-0900.
For your convenience and review of the XYMOGEN products please review the following link.*XYMOGEN-Catalog-Download
* All the above XYMOGEN policies remain strictly in force.
Adhering to a specific diet to maintain proper nutrition can sometimes make eating stressful. Natural lifestyle modifications are the key to changing your eating habits and this can help you live a longer, healthier life. The Longevity Diet Plan, created by Dr. Valter Longo, is a selection of practical eating guidelines which focuses on changing your eating patterns to achieve overall health and wellness.
The Rules of The Longevity Diet Plan
By merely following the nutritional tips below, you can overhaul your current diet plan and start eating healthier without all the stress of a traditional diet. The Longevity Diet Plan eliminates the consumption of processed foods that can cause a variety of health issues and boosts the consumption of nutrients that promote longevity. This unique dietary program shares the results of approximately 25 years of research studies all on a simple solution which can help people experience overall well-being through proper nutrition.
However, unlike most traditional diets, the Longevity Diet Plan doesn’t promote weight loss. Although you may experience weight reduction, the emphasis of this unique dietary program is on eating healthier. The Longevity Diet Plan has been demonstrated to help you activate stem cell-based renewal, lose weight and reduce abdominal fat, prevent age-related bone and muscle loss, build resistance to developing cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer, as well as extend longevity. Below, we will summarize the 8 most common nutritional tips of the Longevity Diet Plan which can ultimately help make your life longer and healthier.
The Longevity Diet Plan is a unique dietary program designed by Dr. Valter Longo to promote overall health, wellness, and longevity. Through simple lifestyle modifications, people can change their eating habits and take advantage of the many health benefits of this dietary program. By following a pescatarian diet and following the ProLon� Fasting Mimicking Diet, among the other nutritional tips described below, people can live longer and healthier lives. Traditional diets can often be difficult and stressful to follow, however, the Longevity Diet Plan is a practical and unique dietary program which can be suitable for many people.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T. Insight
8 Nutritional Tips of the Longevity Diet Plan
Follow a Pescatarian Diet
As a part of the Longevity Diet Plan, follow a pescatarian diet, which is almost 100 percent plant and fish-based. Also, make sure to limit fish consumption to two or three servings every week, avoiding fish with higher mercury content, such as tuna, swordfish, mackerel, and halibut. If you’re over 65 and you begin to experience reduced muscle mass, strength, and fat, add more fish into your diet alongside other animal-based foods, including eggs and specific cheeses, such as feta or pecorino, and yogurt made from goat’s milk.
Don’t Eat Too Much Protein
According to the Longevity Diet Plan, we should eat 0.31 to 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body fat every day. If you weigh 130lbs, you should eat about 40 to 47 grams of protein per day, or an equivalent of 1.5 filets of salmon, 1 cup of chickpeas or 2 1/2 cups of lentils, of which 30 grams should be consumed in one meal. If you weigh 200 to 220lbs, you should eat about 60 to 70 grams of protein per day, or an equivalent of two fillets of salmon, 3 1/2 cups of lentils or 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas. Protein consumption should be increased after age 65. For the majority of us, a 10 to 20 percent increase, or 5 to 10 grams more each day, is enough. Finally, the Longevity Diet is free of animal proteins like red meat, white meat, and poultry, with the exception of animal proteins in fish. This unique dietary program instead is comparatively high in vegetable proteins like legumes and nuts to optimize health and wellness.
Increase Good Fats and Complex Carbohydrates
As a part of the Longevity Diet Plan, you should eat higher amounts of polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in salmon, almonds, walnuts, and olive oil, while you should eat lower amounts of saturated, hydrogenated, and trans fats. Likewise, as a part of the Longevity Diet Plan, you should also eat complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole wheat bread, legumes, and vegetables. Make sure to limit eating pasta, rice, bread, fruit, and fruit juices, which can be converted to sugars by the time they reach your gut.
Take Dietary Supplements
The human body needs proteins, essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, vitamins, minerals, and even sugars to function correctly. Whenever your intake of certain nutrients becomes too low, the repair, replacement, and defense methods of the human body can slow down or stop, allowing fungi, bacteria, and viruses to cause damage which can lead to a variety of health issues. Take vitamin and mineral dietary supplements, especially for omega-3, as recommended by your healthcare professional.
Eat Various Foods from your Ancestry
To take in all of the necessary nutrients you need, you have to eat a wide variety of foods, but it’s best to choose foods that were common on your parents’, grandparents’, and great-grandparents’ table. By way of instance, in many northern European countries where milk has been generally consumed, lactose intolerance is relatively rare, whereas lactose intolerance is quite common in southern European and Asian countries, where milk was not historically part of the conventional diet of adults. If a person of Japanese ancestry residing in the United States suddenly decides to begin drinking milk, which was probably rarely served in their grandparents’ dining table, they will probably start feeling sick. The most common problems in these cases are intolerances or autoimmunities, such as the response to gluten-rich foods like bread and pasta seen in people with celiac disease. Although further evidence is needed, it is possible that food intolerances could be related to many autoimmune disorders, including diabetes, colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
Eat Two Meals a Day and a Snack
According to the Longevity Diet Plan, it is ideal to eat breakfast and one major meal plus a nourishing low-calorie, low-sugar snack every day. While for some people it may be recommended to eat three meals and a snack every day. Many nutritional guidelines recommend that we should eat five to six meals every day. When people are advised to eat frequently, it can often become difficult for them to regulate their calorie intake. Over the last twenty years, approximately 70 percent of the population in the United States is considered to be overweight or obese. It’s much more difficult to overeat on the Longevity Diet Plan if you eat only two and a half meals every day. It would take massive portions of legumes, vegetables, and fish to reach the amount that would lead to weight gain. The high nourishment of the meals, plus the amount of the meal, sends a signal to your stomach and your brain that you have had enough food. This one major meal system may sometimes have to be broken down into two meals to avoid digestion issues. Adults and older people prone to weight loss should eat three meals a day. For people trying to lose weight as well as for people who are overweight or obese, the best nutritional advice would be to eat breakfast daily; have dinner or lunch, but not both, and substitute for the missed meal with one snack containing fewer than 100 calories and no more than 3 to 5 g of sugar. Which meal you skip depends upon your lifestyle, however, it’s not recommended to skip breakfast due to its adverse health issues. The benefit of skipping lunch is more free time and energy. But, there is a drawback for eating a large dinner, particularly for people who suffer from acid reflux or sleeping problems. The drawback for skipping dinner, however, is that it may eliminate the social meal of their day.
Eat Within a 12-Hour Window Every Day
Another common eating habit adopted by many centenarians is time-restricted eating or limiting all meals and snacks within a 12-hour window every day. The efficiency of this method was demonstrated in both human and animal research studies. Generally, you would eat breakfast at 8 a.m. and then eat dinner by 8 p.m.. A briefer eating window of ten hours or less can be even better for weight loss, but it’s considerably harder to maintain and it might increase the risk of developing side effects, such as gallstones and even potentially increasing the chance of developing cardiovascular disease. You should not eat three to four hours before sleeping.
Follow the ProLon� Fasting Mimicking Diet
Healthy people under the age of 65 should follow the ProLon� Fasting Mimicking Diet, 5-day meal program at least twice every year. The FMD is one of the key principles promoted by the Longevity Diet Plan. The fasting mimicking diet offers the same health benefits of fasting without actually fasting. By eating 800 to 1,100 calories in precise quantities and combinations of foods which have been individually packed and labeled for each day, you can “trick” the human body into a fasting state. Through various research studies, Dr. Valter Longo discovered that by depriving the body of food in this manner, our cells begin breaking down and regenerating our internal tissues, through a process known as autophagy, killing and replacing, or regenerating, damaged cells. Additionally, fasting can reverse various health issues, destroy cancer cells and significantly reduce the possibility of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
With the Longevity Diet Plan presented in the book by Dr. Valter Longo, you’ll eat better, feel better and, although it’s not designed as a weight loss plan, you may even shed a few pounds. You’re not going to have to consider complex food rules and make difficult choices with this unique dietary program. Once you get the hang of these lifestyle modifications, you’ll be able to improve your overall health and wellness as well as your longevity. The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, spinal health issues, and functional medicine topics. To further discuss the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topic Discussion: Acute Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most prevalent causes of disability and missed days at work worldwide. Back pain attributes to the second most common reason for doctor office visits, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Approximately 80 percent of the population will experience back pain at least once throughout their life. Your spine is a complex structure made up of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles, among other soft tissues. Injuries and/or aggravated conditions, such as herniated discs, can eventually lead to symptoms of back pain. Sports injuries or automobile accident injuries are often the most frequent cause of back pain, however, sometimes the simplest of movements can have painful results. Fortunately, alternative treatment options, such as chiropractic care, can help ease back pain through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, ultimately improving pain relief.
XYMOGEN�s Exclusive Professional Formulas are available through select licensed health care professionals. The internet sale and discounting of XYMOGEN formulas are strictly prohibited.
Proudly, Dr. Alexander Jimenez makes XYMOGEN formulas available only to patients under our care.
Please call our office in order for us to assign a doctor consultation for immediate access.
If you are a patient of Injury Medical & Chiropractic Clinic, you may inquire about XYMOGEN by calling 915-850-0900.
For your convenience and review of the XYMOGEN products please review the following link.*XYMOGEN-Catalog-Download
* All the above XYMOGEN policies remain strictly in force.
Fasting is associated with numerous health benefits; from weight loss to longevity. There are many different types of fasting methods, such as intermittent fasting. The fasting mimicking diet allows you to experience the benefits of traditional fasting without depriving your body of food. The main difference of the FMD is that instead of completely eliminating all food for several days or even weeks, you only restrict your calorie intake for five days out of the month. The FMD can be practiced once a month to promote well-being.
While anyone can follow the FMD on their own, the ProLon� fasting mimicking diet offers a 5-day meal program which has been individually packed and labeled for each day and it serves the foods you need for the FMD in precise quantities and combinations. The meal program is made up of ready-to-eat or easy-to-prepare, plant-based foods, including bars, soups, snacks, supplements, a drink concentrate, and teas. The products are scientifically formulated and great tasting. Before starting the ProLon� fasting mimicking diet, 5-day meal program, please make sure to talk to a healthcare professional to find out if the FMD is right for you. The purpose of the research study below is to demonstrate the molecular mechanisms and clinical applications of fasting in the FMD.
Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications
Fasting has been practiced for millennia, but only recently studies have shed light on its role in adaptive cellular responses that reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, optimize energy metabolism and bolster cellular protection. In lower eukaryotes, chronic fasting extends longevity in part by reprogramming metabolic and stress resistance pathways. In rodents intermittent or periodic fasting protects against diabetes, cancers, heart disease and neurodegeneration, while in humans it helps reduce obesity, hypertension, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, fasting has the potential to delay aging and help prevent and treat diseases while minimizing the side effects caused by chronic dietary interventions.
Introduction
In humans, fasting is achieved by ingesting no or minimal amounts of food and caloric beverages for periods that typically range from 12 hours to three weeks. Many religious groups incorporate periods of fasting into their rituals including Muslims who fast from dawn until dusk during the month of Ramadan, and Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus who traditionally fast on designated days of the week or calendar year. In many clinics, patients are now monitored by physicians while undergoing water only or very low calorie (less than 200 kcal/day) fasting periods lasting from 1 week or longer for weight management, and for disease prevention and treatment. Fasting is distinct from caloric restriction (CR) in which the daily caloric intake is reduced chronically by 20�40%, but meal frequency is maintained. Starvation is instead a chronic nutritional insufficiency that is commonly used as a substitute for the word fasting, particularly in lower eukaryotes, but that is also used to define extreme forms of fasting, which can result in degeneration and death. We now know that fasting results in ketogenesis, promotes potent changes in metabolic pathways and cellular processes such as stress resistance, lipolysis and autophagy, and can have medical applications that in some cases are as effective as those of approved drugs such as the dampening of seizures and seizure-associated brain damage and the amelioration of rheumatoid arthritis (Bruce-Keller et al., 1999; Hartman et al., 2012; Muller et al., 2001). As detailed in the remainder of this article, findings from well-controlled investigations in experimental animals, and emerging findings from human studies, indicate that different forms of fasting may provide effective strategies to reduce weight, delay aging, and optimize health. Here we review the fascinating and potent effects of different forms of fasting including intermittent fasting (IF, including alternate day fasting, or twice weekly fasting, for example) and periodic fasting (PF) lasting several days or longer every 2 or more weeks. We focus on fasting and minimize the discussion of CR, a topic reviewed elsewhere (Fontana et al., 2010; Masoro, 2005).
Lessons from Simple Organisms
The remarkable effects of the typical 20�40% CR on aging and diseases in mice and rats are often viewed as responses evolved in mammals to adapt to periods of limited availability of food (Fontana and Klein, 2007; Fontana et al., 2010; Masoro, 2005; Weindruch and Walford, 1988). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the protective effects of CR have likely evolved billions of years earlier in prokaryotes attempting to survive in an environment largely or completely devoid of energy sources while avoiding age-dependent damage that could compromise fitness. In fact, E. coli switched from a nutrient rich broth to a calorie-free medium survive 4 times longer, an effect reversed by the addition of various nutrients but not acetate, a carbon source associated with starvation conditions (Figure 1A) (Gonidakis et al., 2010). The effect of rich medium but not acetate in reducing longevity raises the possibility that a ketone body-like carbon source such as acetate may be part of an �alternate metabolic program� that evolved billions of years ago in microorganisms and that now allows mammals to survive during periods of food deprivation by obtaining much of the energy by catabolizing fatty acids and ketone bodies including acetoacetate and ?-hydroxybutyrate (Cahill, 2006).
In the yeast S. cerevisiae, switching cells from standard growth medium to water also causes a consistent 2-fold chronological lifespan extension as well as a major increase in the resistance to multiple stresses (Figure 1B) (Longo et al., 1997; Longo et al., 2012). The mechanisms of food deprivation-dependent lifespan extension involve the down-regulation of the amino acid response Tor-S6K (Sch9) pathway as well as of the glucose responsive Ras-adenylate cyclase-PKA pathway resulting in the activation of the serine/threonine kinase Rim15, a key enzyme coordinating the protective responses (Fontana et al., 2010). The inactivation of Tor-S6K, Ras-AC-PKA and activation of Rim15 result in increased transcription of genes including superoxide dismutases and heat shock proteins controlled by stress responsive transcription factors Msn2, Msn4 and Gis1, required for the majority of the protective effects caused by food deprivation (Wei et al., 2008). Notably, when switched to food deprivation conditions, both bacteria and yeast enter a hypometabolic mode that allows them to minimize the use of reserve carbon sources and can also accumulate high levels of the ketone body-like acetic acid, analogously to mammals.
Another major model organism in which fasting extends lifespan is the nematode C. elegans. Food deprivation conditions achieved by feeding worms little or no bacteria, lead to a major increase in lifespan (Figure 1C) (Kaeberlein et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2006), which requires AMPK as well as the stress resistance transcription factor DAF-16, similarly to the role of transcription factors Msn2/4 and Gis1 in yeast and FOXOs in flies and mammals (Greer et al., 2007). Intermittent food deprivation also extends lifespan in C. elegans by a mechanism involving the small GTPase RHEB-1 (Honjoh et al., 2009).
In flies, most studies indicate that intermittent food deprivation does not affect lifespan (Grandison et al., 2009). However, food reduction or food dilution have been consistently shown to extend Drosophila longevity (Piper and Partridge, 2007) suggesting that flies can benefit from dietary restriction but may be sensitive to even short starvation periods.
Together these results indicate that food deprivation can result in pro-longevity effects in a wide variety of organisms, but also underline that different organisms have different responses to fasting.
Adaptive Responses to Fasting in Mammals
In most mammals, the liver serves as the main reservoir of glucose, which is stored in the form of glycogen. In humans, depending upon their level of physical activity, 12 to 24 hours of fasting typically results in a 20% or greater decrease in serum glucose and depletion of the hepatic glycogen, accompanied by a switch to a metabolic mode in which non-hepatic glucose, fat-derived ketone bodies and free fatty acids are used as energy sources (Figures 2 and 3). Whereas most tissues can utilize fatty acids for energy, during prolonged periods of fasting, the brain relies on the ketone bodies ?-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate in addition to glucose for energy consumption (Figure 3B). Ketone bodies are produced in hepatocytes from the acetyl-CoA generated from ? oxidation of fatty acids released into the bloodstream by adipocytes, and also by the conversion of ketogenic amino acids. After hepatic glycogen depletion, ketone bodies, fat-derived glycerol, and amino acids account for the gluconeogenesis-dependent generation of approximately 80 grams/day of glucose, which is mostly utilized by the brain. Depending on body weight and composition, the ketone bodies, free fatty acids and gluconeogenesis allow the majority of human beings to survive 30 or more days in the absence of any food and allow certain species, such as king penguins, to survive for over 5 months without food (Eichhorn et al., 2011) (Figure 3C). In humans, during prolonged fasting, the plasma levels of 3-?-hydroxybutyrate are about 5 times those of free fatty acids and acetoacetic acid (Figure 3A and 3B). The brain and other organs utilize ketone bodies in a process termed ketolysis, in which acetoacetic acid and 3-?- hydroxybutyrate are converted into acetoacetyl-CoA and then acetyl-CoA. These metabolic adaptations to fasting in mammals are reminiscent of those described earlier for E. coli and yeast, in which acetic acid accumulates in response to food deprivation (Gonidakis et al., 2010; Longo et al., 2012). In yeast, glucose, acetic acid and ethanol, but not glycerol which is also generated during fasting from the breakdown of fats, accelerate aging (Fabrizio et al., 2005; Wei et al., 2009). Thus, glycerol functions as a carbon source that does not activate the pro-aging nutrient signaling pathways but can be catabolized by cells. It will be important to understand how the different carbon sources generated during fasting affect cellular protection and aging. and to determine whether glycerol, specific ketone bodies or fatty acids can provide nourishment while reducing cellular aging in mammals, a possibility suggested by beneficial effects of a dietary ketone precursor in a mouse model of Alzheimer�s disease (Kashiwaya et al., 2012). It will also be important to study, in various model organisms and humans, how high intake of specific types of fats (medium- vs. long- chain fatty acids, etc.) in substitution of carbohydrates and proteins influences gluconeogenesis and glucose levels as well as aging and diseases.
Fasting and the Brain
In mammals, severe CR/food deprivation results in a decrease in the size of most organs except the brain, and the testicles in male mice (Weindruch and Sohal, 1997). From an evolutionary perspective this implies that maintenance of a high level of cognitive function under conditions of food scarcity is of preeminent importance. Indeed, a highly conserved behavioral trait of all mammals is to be active when hungry and sedentary when satiated. In rodents, alternating days of normal feeding and fasting (IF) can enhance brain function as indicated by improvements in performance on behavioral tests of sensory and motor function (Singh et al., 2012) and learning and memory (Fontan-Lozano et al., 2007). The behavioral responses to IF are associated with increased synaptic plasticity and increased production of new neurons from neural stem cells (Lee et al., 2002).
Particularly interesting with regards to adaptive responses of the brain to limited food availability during human evolution is brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The genes encoding BDNF and its receptor TrkB appeared in genomes relatively recently as they are present in vertebrates, but absent from worms, flies and lower species (Chao, 2000). The prominent roles of BDNF in the regulation of energy intake and expenditure in mammals is highlighted by the fact that the receptors for both BDNF and insulin are coupled to the highly conserved PI3 kinase � Akt, and MAP kinase signaling pathways (Figure 4). Studies of rats and mice have shown that running wheel exercise and IF increase BDNF expression in several regions of the brain, and that BDNF in part mediates exercise- and IF-induced enhancement of synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis and neuronal resistance to injury and disease (see sections on fasting and neurodegeneration below). BDNF signaling in the brain may also mediate behavioral and metabolic responses to fasting and exercise including regulation of appetite, activity levels, peripheral glucose metabolism and autonomic control of the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems (Mattson, 2012a, b; Rothman et al., 2012).
Hunger is an adaptive response to food deprivation that involves sensory, cognitive and neuroendocrine changes which motivate and enable food seeking behaviors. It has been proposed that hunger-related neuronal networks, neuropeptides and hormones play pivotal roles in the beneficial effects of energy restriction on aging and disease susceptibility. As evidence, when mice in which the hypothalamic �hunger peptide� NPY is selectively ablated are maintained on a CR diet, the ability of CR to suppress tumor growth is abolished (Shi et al., 2012). The latter study further showed that the ability of CR to elevate circulating adiponectin levels was also compromised in NPY-deficient mice, suggesting a key role for the central hunger response in peripheral endocrine adaptations to energy restriction. Adiponectin levels increase dramatically in response to fasting; and data suggest roles for adiponectin in the beneficial effects of IF on the cardiovascular system (Wan et al., 2010). The hunger response may also improve immune function during aging as ghrelin-deficient mice exhibit accelerated thymic involution during aging, and treatment of middle age mice with ghrelin increases thymocyte numbers and improves the functional diversity of peripheral T cell subsets (Peng et al., 2012). In addition to its actions on the hypothalamus and peripheral endocrine cells, fasting may increase neuronal network activity in brain regions involved in cognition, resulting in the production of BDNF, enhanced synaptic plasticity and improved stress tolerance (Rothman et al., 2012). Thus, hunger may be a critical factor involved in widespread central and peripheral adaptive responses to the challenge of food deprivation for extended time periods.
Fasting, Aging, and Disease in Rodent Models
Different Fasting Methods and Aging
The major differences between IF and PF in mice are the length and the frequency of the fast cycles. IF cycles usually last 24 hours and are one to a few days apart, whereas PF cycles last 2 or more days and are at least 1 week apart, which is necessary for mice to regain their normal weight. One difference in the molecular changes caused by different fasting regimes is the effect on a variety of growth factors and metabolic markers, with IF causing more frequent but less pronounced changes than PF. It will be important to determine how the frequency of specific changes such as the lowering of IGF-1 and glucose affect cellular protection, diseases and longevity. The most extensively investigated IF method in animal studies of aging has been alternate day fasting (food is withdrawn for 24 hours on alternate days, with water provided ad libitum) (Varady and Hellerstein, 2007). The magnitude of the effects of alternate day fasting on longevity in rodents depends upon the species and age at regimen initiation, and can range from a negative effect to as much as an 80% lifespan extension (Arum et al., 2009; Goodrick et al., 1990). IF every other day extended the lifespan of rats more than fasting every 3rd or 4th day (Carlson and Hoelzel, 1946). Fasting for 24 hours twice weekly throughout adult life resulted in a significant increase in lifespan of black-hooded rats (Kendrick, 1973). In rats, the combination of alternate day fasting and treadmill exercise resulted in greater maintenance of muscle mass than did IF or exercise alone (Sakamoto and Grunewald, 1987). Interestingly, when rats were maintained for 10 weeks on a PF diet in which they fasted 3 consecutive days each week, they were less prone to hypoglycemia during 2 hours of strenuous swimming exercise as a result of their accumulation of larger intramuscular stores of glycogen and triglycerides (Favier and Koubi, 1988). Several major physiological responses to fasting are similar to those caused by regular aerobic exercise including increased insulin sensitivity and cellular stress resistance, reduced resting blood pressure and heart rate, and increased heart rate variability as a result of increased parasympathetic tone (Figure 2) (Anson et al., 2003; Mager et al., 2006; Wan et al., 2003). Emerging findings suggest that exercise and IF retard aging and some age-related diseases by shared mechanisms involving improved cellular stress adaptation (Stranahan and Mattson, 2012). However, in two different mouse genetic backgrounds, IF did not extend mean lifespan and even reduced lifespan when initiated at 10 months (Goodrick et al., 1990). When initiated at 1.5 months, IF either increased longevity or had no effect (Figure 1D) (Goodrick et al., 1990). These results in rodents point to conserved effects of fasting on lifespan, but also to the need for a much better understanding of the type of fasting that can maximize its longevity effects and the mechanisms responsible for the detrimental effects that may be counterbalancing its anti-aging effects. For example, one possibility is that fasting may be consistently protective in young and middle aged laboratory rodents that are either gaining or maintaining a body weight, but may be detrimental in older animals that, similarly to humans, begin to lose weight prior to their death. Notably, whereas bacteria, yeast and humans can survive for several weeks or more without nutrients, most strains of mice are unable to survive more than 3 days without food. The age-dependent weight loss may make this sensitivity to long periods of fasting worse.
Fasting and Cancer
Fasting can have positive effects in cancer prevention and treatment. In mice, alternate day fasting caused a major reduction in the incidence of lymphomas (Descamps et al., 2005) and fasting for 1 day per week delayed spontaneous tumorigenesis in p53-deficient mice (Berrigan et al., 2002). However, the major decrease in glucose, insulin and IGF-1 caused by fasting, which is accompanied by cell death and/or atrophy in a wide range of tissues and organs including the liver and kidneys, is followed by a period of abnormally high cellular proliferation in these tissues driven in part by the replenishment of growth factors during refeeding. When combined with carcinogens during refeeding, this increased proliferative activity can actually increase carcinogenesis and/or pre-cancerous lesions in tissues including liver and colon (Tessitore et al., 1996). Although these studies underline the need for an in depth understanding of its mechanisms of action, fasting is expected to have cancer preventive effects as indicated by the studies above and by the findings that multiple cycles of periodic fasting can be as effective as toxic chemotherapy in the treatment of some cancers in mice (Lee et al., 2012).
In the treatment of cancer, fasting has been shown to have more consistent and positive effects. PF for 2�3 days was shown to protect mice from a variety of chemotherapy drugs, an effect called differential stress resistance (DSR) to reflect the inability of cancer cells to become protected based on the role of oncogenes in negatively regulating stress resistance, thus rendering cancer cells, by definition, unable to become protected in response to fasting conditions (Figure 5) (Raffaghello et al., 2008). PF also causes a major sensitization of various cancer cells to chemo-treatment, since it fosters an extreme environment in combination with the stress conditions caused by chemotherapy. In contrast to the protected state entered by normal cells during fasting, cancer cells are unable to adapt, a phenomenon called differential stress sensitization (DSS), based on the notion that most mutations are deleterious and that the many mutations accumulated in cancer cells promote growth under standard conditions but render them much less effective in adapting to extreme environments (Lee et al., 2012). In mouse models of metastatic tumors, combinations of fasting and chemotherapy that cause DSR and DSS, result in 20 to 60% cancer-free survival compared to the same levels of chemotherapy or fasting alone, which are not sufficient to cause any cancer-free survival (Lee et al., 2012; Shi et al., 2012). Thus, the idea that cancer could be treated with weeks of fasting alone, made popular decades ago, may be only partially true, at least for some type of cancers, but is expected to be ineffective for other types of cancers. The efficacy of long-term fasting alone (2 weeks or longer) in cancer treatment will need to be tested in carefully designed clinical trials in which side effects including malnourishment and possibly a weakened immune system and increased susceptibility to certain infections are carefully monitored. By contrast, animal data from multiple laboratories indicate that the combination of fasting cycles with chemotherapy is highly and consistently effective in enhancing chemotherapeutic index and has high translation potential. A number of ongoing trials should soon begin to determine the efficacy of fasting in enhancing cancer treatment in the clinic.
Fasting and Neurodegeneration
Compared to ad libitum-fed controls, rats and mice maintained on an IF diet exhibit less neuronal dysfunction and degeneration, and fewer clinical symptoms in models of Alzheimer�s disease (AD), Parkinson�s disease (PD) and Huntington�s disease (HD). These models include transgenic mice expressing mutant human genes that cause dominantly inherited AD (amyloid precursor protein and presenilin-1) and frontotemporal lobe dementia (Tau) (Halagappa et al., 2007), PD (?-synuclein) (Griffioen et al., 2012) and HD (huntingtin) (Duan et al., 2003), as well as neurotoxin-based models pertinent to AD, PD and HD (Bruce-Keller et al., 1999; Duan and Mattson, 1999). Animals on an IF diet also fare better than ad libitum-fed controls after acute injury including severe epileptic seizures, stroke, and traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries (Arumugam et al., 2010; Bruce-Keller et al., 1999; Plunet et al., 2008).
Several interrelated cellular mechanisms contribute to the beneficial effects of IF on the nervous system including reduced accumulation of oxidatively damaged molecules, improved cellular bioenergetics, enhanced neurotrophic factor signaling, and reduced inflammation (Mattson, 2012a). The latter neuroprotective mechanisms are supported by studies showing that IF diets boost levels of antioxidant defenses, neurotrophic factors (BDNF and FGF2) and protein chaperones (HSP-70 and GRP-78), and reduce levels of pro- inflammatory cytokines (TNF?, IL-1? and IL-6) (Figure 4) (Arumugam et al., 2010). IF may also promote restoration of damaged nerve cell circuits by stimulating synapse formation and the production of new neurons from neural stem cells (neurogenesis) (Lee et al., 2002). Interestingly, while beneficial in models of most neurodegenerative conditions, there is evidence that fasting can hasten neurodegeneration in some models of inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, perhaps because the motor neurons affected in those models are unable to respond adaptively to the moderate stress imposed by fasting (Mattson et al., 2007; Pedersen and Mattson, 1999).
Fasting and the Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome (MS), defined as abdominal adiposity, combined with insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides and/or hypertension, greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke and AD. Rats and mice maintained under the usual ad libitum feeding condition develop an MS-like phenotype as they age. MS can also be induced in younger animals by feeding them a diet high in fat and simple sugars (Martin et al., 2010). IF can prevent and reverse all aspects of the MS in rodents: abdominal fat, inflammation and blood pressure are reduced, insulin sensitivity is increased, and the functional capacities of the nervous, neuromuscular and cardiovascular systems are improved (Castello et al., 2010; Wan et al., 2003). Hyperglycemia is ameliorated by IF in rodent models of diabetes (Pedersen et al., 1999) and the heart is protected against ischemic injury in myocardial infarction models (Ahmet et al., 2005). A protective effect of fasting against ischemic renal and liver injury occurs rapidly, with 1 � 3 days of fasting improving functional outcome and reducing tissue injury and mortality (Mitchell et al., 2010). Six days on a diet missing just a single essential amino acid such as tryptophan can also elicit changes in metabolism and stress resistance, similar to those caused by fasting, which are dependent on the amino acid sensing kinase Gcn2 (Peng et al., 2012).
Multiple hormonal changes that typify MS in humans a re observed in rodents maintained on high fat and sugar diets including elevated levels of insulin and leptin and reduced levels of adiponectin and ghrelin. Elevated leptin levels are typically reflective of a pro- inflammatory state, whereas adiponectin and ghrelin can suppress inflammation and increase insulin sensitivity (Baatar et al., 2011; Yamauchi et al., 2001). Local inflammation in hypothalamic nuclei that control energy intake and expenditure may contribute to a sustained positive energy balance in MS (Milanski et al., 2012). Fasting results in a lowering of insulin and leptin levels and an elevation of adiponectin and ghrelin levels. By increasing insulin and leptin sensitivity, suppressing inflammation and stimulating autophagy, fasting reverses all the major abnormalities of the MS in rodents (Singh et al., 2009; Wan et al., 2010). Finally, in addition to its many effects on cells throughout the body and brain, IF may elicit changes in the gut microbiota that protect against MS (Tremaroli and Backhed, 2012). Naturally, the challenge of applying fasting-based interventions to treat MS in humans is a major one, as some obese individuals may have difficulties in following IF for long periods.
The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet is a 5-day meal program consisting of scientifically developed and clinically tested, natural ingredients which “trick” the human body into a fasting mode. The FMD is low in carbohydrates as well as proteins and it’s high in fats. The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet promotes a variety of healthy benefits, including weight loss and decreased abdominal fat, all while preserving lead body mass, improved energy levels, softer and healthier looking skin, as well as overall health and wellness. The FMD can promote longevity.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T. Insight
Fasting, Aging, and Disease in Humans
Fasting and Factors Implicated in Aging
Clinical and epidemiological data are consistent wit h an ability of fasting to retard the aging process and associated diseases. Major factors implicated in aging whose generation are accelerated by gluttonous lifestyles and slowed by energy restriction in humans include: 1) oxidative damage to proteins, DNA and lipids; 2) inflammation; 3) accumulation of dysfunctional proteins and organelles; and 4) elevated glucose, insulin and IGF-I, although IGF-1decreases with aging and its severe deficiency can be associated with certain pathologies (Bishop et al., 2010; Fontana and Klein, 2007). Serum markers of oxidative damage and inflammation as well as clinical symptoms are reduced over a period of 2�4 weeks in asthma patients maintained on an alternate day fasting diet (Johnson et al., 2007). Similarly, when on a 2 days/week fasting diet overweight women at risk for breast cancer exhibited reduced oxidative stress and inflammation (Harvie et al., 2011) and elderly men exhibited reductions in body weight and body fat, and improved mood (Teng et al., 2011). Additional effects of fasting in human cells that can be considered as potentially �anti-aging� are inhibition the mTOR pathway, stimulation of autophagy and ketogenesis (Harvie et al., 2011; Sengupta et al., 2010).
Among the major effects of fasting relevant to aging and diseases are changes in the levels of IGF-1, IGFBP1, glucose, and insulin. Fasting for 3 or more days causes a 30% or more decrease in circulating insulin and glucose, as well as rapid decline in the levels of insulin- like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), the major growth factor in mammals, which together with insulin is associated with accelerated aging and cancer (Fontana et al., 2010). In humans, five days of fasting causes an over 60% decrease in IGF-1and a 5-fold or higher increase in one of the principal IGF-1-inhibiting proteins: IGFBP1 (Thissen et al., 1994a). This effect of fasting on IGF-1is mostly due to protein restriction, and particularly to the restriction of essential amino acids, but is also supported by calorie restriction since the decrease in insulin levels during fasting promotes reduction in IGF-1(Thissen et al., 1994a). Notably, in humans, chronic calorie restriction does not lead to a decrease in IGF-1unless combined with protein restriction (Fontana et al., 2008).
IF can be achieved in with a minimal decrease in overall calorie intake if the refeeding period in which subjects overeat is considered. Thus, fasting cycles provide a much more feasible strategy to achieve the beneficial effects of CR, and possibly stronger effects, without the burden of chronic underfeeding and some of the potentially adverse effects associated with weight loss or very low BMIs. In fact, subjects who are moderately overweight (BMI of 25�30) in later life can have reduced overall mortality risk compared to subjects of normal weight (Flegal et al., 2013). Although these results may be affected by the presence of many existing or developing pathologies in the low weight control group, they underline the necessity to differentiate between young individuals and elderly individuals who may use CR or fasting to reduce weight or delay aging. Although extreme dietary interventions during old age may continue to protect from age-related diseases, they could have detrimental effects on the immune system and the ability to respond to certain infectious diseases, wounds and other challenges (Kristan, 2008; Reed et al., 1996). However, IF or PF designed to avoid weight loss and maximize nourishment have the potential to have beneficial effects on infectious diseases, wounds and other insults even in the very old. Nourishment of subjects can be achieved by complementing IF or PF with micro- and macro Studies to test the effect of IF or PF regimens on markers of aging, cancer, cognition and obesity are in progress (V. Longo and M. Mattson).
Fasting and Cancer
Fasting has the potential for applications in both cancer prevention and treatment. Although no human data are available on the effect of IF or PF in cancer prevention, their effect on reducing IGF-1, insulin and glucose levels, and increasing IGFBP1 and ketone body levels could generate a protective environment that reduces DNA damage and carcinogenesis, while at the same time creating hostile conditions for tumor and pre-cancerous cells (Figure 5). In fact, elevated circulating IGF-1 is associated with increased risk of developing certain cancers (Chan et al., 2000; Giovannucci et al., 2000) and individuals with severe IGF-1deficiency caused by growth hormone receptor deficiency, rarely develop cancer (Guevara-Aguirre et al., 2011; Shevah and Laron, 2007; Steuerman et al., 2011). Furthermore, the serum from these IGF-1deficient subjects protected human epithelial cells from oxidative stress-induced DNA damage. Furthermore, once their DNA became damaged, cells were more likely to undergo programmed cell death (Guevara-Aguirre et al., 2011). Thus, fasting may protect from cancer by reducing cellular and DNA damage but also by enhancing the death of pre-cancerous cells.
In a preliminary study of 10 subjects with a variety of malignancies, the combination of chemotherapy with fasting resulted in a decrease in a range of self-reported common side effects caused by chemotherapy compared to the same subjects receiving chemotherapy while on a standard diet (Safdie et al., 2009). The effect of fasting on chemotherapy toxicity and cancer progression is now being tested in clinical trials in both Europe and the US (0S-08-9, 0S-10-3).
Fasting and Neurodegeneration
Our current understanding of the impact of IF on the nervous system and cognitive functions is largely inferred from animal studies (see above). Interventional studies to determine the impact of fasting on brain function and neurodegenerative disease processes are lacking.
After 3�4 month, CR improved cognitive function (verbal memory) in overweight women (Kretsch et al., 1997) and in elderly subjects (Witte et al., 2009). Similarly, when subjects with mild cognitive impairment were maintained for 1 month on a low glycemic diet, they exhibited improved delayed visual memory, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of A? metabolism and brain bioenergetics (Bayer-Carter et al., 2011). Studies in which cognitive function, regional brain volumes, neural network activity, and biochemical analyses of cerebrospinal fluid are measured in human subjects before and during an extended period of IF should clarify the impact of IF on human brain structure and function.
Fasting, Inflammation and Hypertension
In humans, one of the best demonstrations of the beneficial effects of long-term fasting lasting one to 3 weeks is in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In agreement with the results in rodents, there is little doubt that during the period of fasting both inflammation and pain are reduced in RA patients (Muller et al., 2001). However, after the normal diet is resumed, inflammation returns unless the fasting period is followed by a vegetarian diet (Kjeldsen-Kragh et al., 1991), a combination therapy that has beneficial effects lasting for two years or longer (Kjeldsen-Kragh et al., 1994). The validity of this approach is supported by four differently controlled studies, including two randomized trials (Muller et al., 2001). Therefore, fasting combined with a vegetarian diet and possibly with other modified diets provides beneficial effects in the treatment of RA. Alternate day IF also resulted in significant reductions in serum TNF? and ceramides in asthma patients during a 2 month period (Johnson et al., 2007). The latter study further showed that markers of oxidative stress often associated with inflammation (protein and lipid oxidation) were significantly reduced in response to IF. Thus, for many patients able and willing to endure long-term fasting and to permanently modify their diet, fasting cycles would have the potential to not only augment but also replace existing medical treatments.
Water only and other forms of long-term fasting have also been documented to have potent effects on hypertension. An average of 13 days of water only fasting resulted in the achievement of a systolic blood pressure (BP) below 120 in 82% of subjects with borderline hypertension with a mean 20 mm Hg reduction in BP (Goldhamer et al., 2002). BP remained significantly lower compared to baseline even after subjects resumed the normal diet for an average of 6 days (Goldhamer et al., 2002). A small pilot study of patients with hypertension (140 mm and above systolic BP) also showed that 10�11 days of fasting caused a 37�60 mm decrease in systolic BP (Goldhamer et al., 2001). These preliminary studies are promising but underscore the need for larger controlled and randomized clinical studies that focus on periodic fasting strategies that are feasible for a larger portion of the population.
For both hypertension and RA it will be important to develop PF mimicking diets that are as effective as the fasting regimens described above but that are also tolerable by the great majority of patients.
Fasting and the Metabolic Syndrome
Periodic fasting can reverse multiple features of the metabolic syndrome in humans: it enhances insulin sensitivity, stimulates lipolysis and reduces blood pressure. Body fat and blood pressure were reduced and glucose metabolism improved in obese subjects in response to an alternate day modified fast (Klempel et al., 2013; Varady et al., 2009). Overweight subjects maintained for 6 months on a twice weekly IF diet in which they consumed only 500�600 calories on the fasting days, lost abdominal fat, displayed improved insulin sensitivity and reduced blood pressure (Harvie et al., 2011). Three weeks of alternate day fasting resulted in reductions in body fat and insulin levels in normal weight men and women (Heilbronn et al., 2005) and Ramadan fasting (2 meals/day separated by approximately 12 hours) in subjects with MS resulted in decreased daily energy intake, decreased plasma glucose levels and increased insulin sensitivity (Shariatpanahi et al., 2008). Subjects undergoing coronary angiography who reported that they fasted regularly exhibited a lower prevalence of diabetes compared to non-fasters (Horne et al., 2012). Anti- metabolic syndrome effects of IF were also observed in healthy young men (BMI of 25) after 15 days of alternate day fasting: their whole-body glucose uptake rates increased significantly, levels of plasma ketone bodies and adiponectin were elevated, all of which occurred without a significant decrease in body weight (Halberg et al., 2005). The latter findings are similar to data from animal studies showing that IF can improve glucose metabolism even with little or no weight change (Anson et al., 2003). It will be important to determine if longer fasting periods which promote a robust switch to a fat breakdown and ketone body-based metabolism, can cause longer lasting and more potent effects.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Based on the existing evidence from animal and human studies described, we conclude that there is great potential for lifestyles that incorporate periodic fasting during adult life to promote optimal health and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, particularly for those who are overweight and sedentary. Animal studies have documented robust and replicable effects of fasting on health indicators including greater insulin sensitivity, and reduced levels of blood pressure, body fat, IGF-I, insulin, glucose, atherogenic lipids and inflammation. Fasting regimens can ameliorate disease processes and improve functional outcome in animal models of disorders that include myocardial infarction, diabetes, stroke, AD and PD. One general mechanism of action of fasting is that it triggers adaptive cellular stress responses, which result in an enhanced ability to cope with more severe stress and counteract disease processes. In addition, by protecting cells from DNA damage, suppressing cell growth and enhancing apoptosis of damaged cells, fasting could retard and/ or prevent the formation and growth of cancers.
However, studies of fasting regimens have not been performed in children, the very old and underweight individuals, and it is possible that IF and PF would be harmful to these populations. Fasting periods lasting longer than 24 hours and particularly those lasting 3 or more days should be done under the supervision of a physician and preferably in a clinic. IF- and PF-based approaches towards combating the current epidemics of overweight, diabetes and related diseases should be pursued in human research studies and medical treatment plans. Several variations of potential �fasting prescriptions� that have been adopted for overweight subjects revolve around the common theme of abstaining from food and caloric beverages for at least 12 � 24 hours on one or more days each week or month, depending on the length, combined with regular exercise. For those who are overweight, physicians could ask their patients to choose a fasting-based intervention that they believe they could comply with based upon their daily and weekly schedules. Examples include the �5:2� IF diet (Harvie et al., 2011), the alternate day modified fasting diet (Johnson et al., 2007; Varady et al., 2009), a 4�5 day fast or low calorie but high nourishment fasting mimicking diets once every 1�3 months followed by the skipping of one major meal every day if needed (V. Longo, clinical trial in progress). One of the concerns with unbalanced alternating diets such as those in which low calorie intake is only observed for 2 days a week are the potential effects on circadian rhythm and the endocrine and gastrointestinal systems, which are known to be influenced by eating habits. During the first 4 � 6 weeks of implementation of the fasting regimen, a physician or registered dietitian should be in regular contact with the patient to monitor their progress and to provide advice and supervision.
Fasting regimens could also be tailored for specific diseases as stand-alone or adjunct therapies. Results of initial trials of IF (fasting 2 days per week or every other day) in human subjects suggest that there is a critical transition period of 3 � 6 weeks during which time the brain and body adapt to the new eating pattern and mood is enhanced (Harvie et al., 2011; Johnson et al., 2007). Though speculative, it is likely that during the latter transition period brain neurochemistry changes so that the �addiction� to regular consumption of food throughout the day is overcome. Notably, the various fasting approaches are likely to have limited efficacy particularly on aging and conditions other than obesity unless combined with diets such as the moderate calorie intake and mostly plant-based Mediterranean or Okinawa low protein diets (0.8 g protein/Kg of body weight), consistently associated with health and longevity.
In the future, it will be important to combine epidemiological data, studies of long-lived populations and their diets, results from model organisms connecting specific dietary components to pro-aging and pro-disease factors, with data from studies on fasting regimens in humans, to design large clinical studies that integrate fasting with diets recognized as protective and enjoyable. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which fasting affects various cell types and organ systems should lead to the development of novel prophylactic and therapeutic interventions for a wide range of disorders.
Take Home Message
The fasting mimicking diet provides the same benefits of traditional fasting by restricting your calorie intake for five days out of the month instead of completely eliminating all food for several days or even weeks. The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet offers a 5-day meal program which has been individually packed and labeled in precise quantities and combinations for each day. Although the research study above has demonstrated the health benefits of fasting, please make sure to talk to a healthcare professional before starting the ProLon� fasting mimicking diet, 5-day meal program to find out if the FMD, or any other diet, is right for you.
The published, final edited form of the research study referenced above was made available in the NIH Public Access Author Manuscript on PMC February 4, 2015. The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, spinal health issues, and functional medicine topics. To further discuss the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
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