FASTING AND DETOXIFICATION

1. FASTING AND DETOXIFICATION

2. HISTORY OF FASTING(Kerndt,PR., Naughton,JL., et al. 1982, ‘Fasting: The History, Pathophysiology and Complications’ Western Journal of Medicine, 137:379-399) Since early times, fasting has been advocated for spiritual development and the promotion of health. • In ancient Greece: • the belief that taking food risked entry of demonic forces contributed to the popularity of fasting. • Fasting was required in preparation from many rituals that sought contact with supernatural forces. • Great importance was placed on fasting as a means of arousing ecstatic forces, dreams or visions. • Pythagorus extolled the virtues of fasting.

3. In biblical times Moses, Elias and John the Baptist all taught the benefits of fasting. In the Old Testament, fasting was regarded as a powerful prayer that could prepare a prophet for divine revelations (Daniel 10: 2-14). Christ fasted for 40 days in the desert and insisted that fasting should be done humbly and privately (Matthew 6:16-18). Fasting in the monastic tradition flourished in the 4th and 5th centuries, the dominant motive being asceticism guided by a spirit of penance and self-humiliation as a monk sought communion with his God.

4. In the mid-1800’s E.H. Dewey MD. in his book The True Science of Living wrote, “every disease that afflicts mankind develops from more or less habitual eating in excess of the supply of gastric juices” and did much to promote a fasting cure for all diseases. • Fasting as a cure for obesity has long been advocated: • In 1915 repeated short periods of starvation were recommended as a safe and effective method of weight reduction. • In 1964, Obese persons were placed on fasting regimes of up to 117 days. • In 1966 fasts of 139, 236 and 249 days were seen for obese people. • The longest recorded fast was that of a 27-year old obese man who fasted 382 days and lost 125kg in the process.

5. In 1921, the first suggestion appeared of a role for starvation-induced ketone bodies. • Fasting has often been seen as political protest: • Gandhi fasted for political reasons on at least 14 occasions, 3 times for as long as 21 days. • One of the longest recorded political fasts in a non-obese person was by Terence MacSwiney, a former mayor of Cork, who fasted for 74 days to his death after his arrest during English-Irish unrest in 1920. Another supporter died on the same day after 76 days of a hunger strike. • In the early 1980’s 10 members of the Irish Republican army fasted from 45 – 61 days to their death in prison in Belfast.

6. A number of religious rituals involving fasting are practiced by different faith groups: • Judaism  Yom kippur Fast • also known in English as the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn and important of the Jewish holidays. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews have traditionally observed this holiday with a 24-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer. • Christian  Lent fast • There are traditionally forty days in Lent which are marked by fasting, both from foods and festivities, and by other acts of penance.

7. Hinduism Puratassi / Navarathri • Muslims  Ramadam where they abstain from all food and drink between dawn and dusk

8. ENERGY METABOLISM AND FASTING Refer to pages 295 – 301 McGuire and Beerman and come to an understanding of the metabolic effects of fasting. Discuss what you would consider to be the benefits and side effects of fasting and show this in a chart.

9. Now, using that information, along with what you have already covered over the past couple of weeks, discuss the assessment of the following slide that is made in the following study  Martin, B, Mattson, M, Maudsley,S. 2006, ‘Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting: Two potential diets for successful brain aging’ Ageing Research Reviews vol.5, pp.332–353 Take a close look at the slide and decide whether you agree or disagree with the points made by the author; if they are valid, give your reasons based on your knowledge of the underlying factors involved in these processes. You will need to decide whether calorie restriction and intermittent fasting are a responsible recommendation for people as they continue to age.

11. Dietary restriction and the healthy aging of man. Taking Da Vinci’s Man as a paragon of humanity we have described how he may live beyond the years normally ascribed to renaissance homo sapiens through alterations in caloric intake. Both gross and cellular physiology is profoundly affected by caloric restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) regimes. With respect to gross physiology there is of course a significant reduction of body fat and mass, which supports a healthy cardiovascular system and reduces incidents of myocardial infarction.

12. In addition to cardio-protection a greater tolerance to stress is induced in the liver, the nutrient core of homo sapiens. The presence of alternative energy stores such as ketone bodies (e.g. b-hydroxybutyrate) enable homo sapiens to survive additional stresses of life. Excessive and deleterious blood glucose is curtailed by an enhanced sensitivity to insulin (Ins) and glucose and its utilization as an energy source. The elevation of neurotrophic factors also supports the maintenance of complex neuronal circuits required for memory retention and cognition.

13. At the molecular level many of the beneficial effects of CR/IF are recapitulated. Proteins and nucleic acids are protected from damaging post-translational modifications via up regulations of sirtuin histone deacetylases and heat shock proteins (Hsp). To maintain Man during the beneficial periods of fasting, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are activated to mobilize fat stores for energy usage.

14. During these times of energy deficit, cell survival is supported by the activation of fork head box-other (FoxO) transcription factors and through the generation of neurotrophic agents such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Inflammatory cytokines, upregulated by CR/IF can even serve to allow enhanced synaptic strength during the times of energy deficit.