Can fasting stimulate stem cell production? According to Dr. Joel Kahn, there is data that suggests that the antioxidants found in blueberries, green tea, pomegranates, goji berries, and even spirulina can increase circulating bone-marrow-derived stem cells. But what about fasting?

The Blue Zone research reports that throughout the history of humankind, fasting has been part of religious, spiritual, and health practices. In Ikaria, Greece, long-living people there observe about 150 days of religious fasting a year.

Dr. Valter Longo is the Director of the Longevity study at USC, and was nominated for a Nobel Prize for his work on nutrition, and longevity (apparently, he plays a mean blues guitar too). Using two to four days of a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) in patients undergoing chemotherapy for various cancer diagnoses, Dr. Longo’s study in 2014 showed that patients demonstrated protection from the toxicity of treatments. The study suggested that we can access healthier aging by using fasting to kill older and damaged immune cells and replacing them with stem cells. Wow, lots more to learn here. Dr. Longo’s 19 minute TED Talk is excellent, as are the Dr. Kahn and Blue Zones articles, which are all linked below.

Note: Fasting for long periods should always be done under the supervision of a doctor. If you don’t eat after 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning, then that is technically a 12-hour fast and why our first meal of the day is called “breakfast.” Dr. Longo recommends most people eat two meals a day if they have trouble with overeating.

Dr. Joel Kahn:
https://www.drjoelkahn.com/what-stem-cells-really-are-how-…/

Blue Zones: https://www.bluezones.com/…/fasting-for-health-and-longevi…/

Dr. Valter Longo’s TED Talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVArDzYynYc