[DoreenMichele]

This is about intestinal stem cells in specific.

And, of course, in mice.

(Still noteworthy if you are trying to understand why fasting seems to help with many different ailments.)

[TimSchumann]

There's something to the whole regenerative thing and fasting.

Best I remember feeling in my adult life was after a 60 day fast. Not what I'd do today, or at least not the same way, but I highly recommend every healthy human fast for at least 7 days once every couple years.

The plural of anecdote is not evidence, YMMV, consult your doctor, I don't even play one on the internet, etc.

That being said, I'm currently on day 3 of an extended fast myself.

[habibur]

So what do you take in those days? Like 60 days fasting. Only water? Vitamins? Salt?

[TimSchumann]

I did water only for the first 30 days, which was stupid, and then supplemented electrolytes -- mainly Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium -- from days 31 onward.

That one was super strict, no coffee, no tea, nothing.

EDIT - Also, this is _not_ how I would go about this now 5+ years later with more experience under my belt.

[SemanticStrengh]

Wait what? English is not my native language, are you saying you didn't eat any food for 30 consecutive days??

[wwarek]

60 days as I understood - first 30 days just water and then the next 30 days water with electrolytes

[TimSchumann]

Correct. Which, for the record, I would never repeat and wasn't what I now consider safe.

Electrolyte supplementation on an extended fast is important, and I drank way _way_ too much water in the early weeks of that fast, which is also dangerous.

[SemanticStrengh]

This guy should be dead, his body should have digested himself. How can someone not eat anything by his own will for more than a few days ? (5-7 max) you should pass out. Also in the case that were true, let me be clear: No food intake for multiple days is extremely dangerous for your health, it will upregulate autophagy, apoptosis and will break your mitochondria bioenegetics which will explode your oxidative stress (and therefore DNA breaks) and will induce partial ischemia/hypoxia/hypoglycemia which leads to an accelerated ageing process. Autophagy is nice, in little dose, and is best emulated pharmacologically (e.g. via some polyphenols)

[TimSchumann]

60 consecutive days

[FrankyHollywood]

Yes fasting has beneficial health effects. A body can can't handle a constant high food intake.

I read a lot of research last years about the subject, try search for 'fat inflammation'.

Fasting and a more plant based diet seem to reduce chronic inflammation.

[raspberry1337]

Plant based is still under heavy debate, as plants have natural systems (lectins) to protect themselves. We know that veggies are a lot better than a lot of the processed stuff out there, but its a diverse area. A lot of people doing anti-inflammatory elimination diets skip a lot of plants.