As a new addition to the Citrin® range, Sabinsa introduced a more bioavailable form of Citrin® as GarCitrin®.

As a human, your brain is both your biggest resource and your largest weakness in a cruel twist of fate that isn't easily off-set.

Living without a care for the overall function of your brain is uncomfortably easy to do. In fact, you may be doing it right this moment without even trying.

Thankfully, eating healthy foods that improve the function of your mind both physically and in more esoteric ways can be accomplished with just a hint of knowing what to work into your diet.

Foods That Improve Your Brain Function

While there are many components of food that improve brain function, knowing which foods deliver those chemicals and components most effectively and deliciously can make all the difference between sticking with a healthy head food diet or leaving it behind.

• Avocados

  If there ever happens to be a competition for superfoods, avocados may be in the lead by a wide margin. A simple half of one of nature's most interesting fruits -- and they are a fruit, surprisingly provides dietary fiber and healthy fats without overloading on calories in the process.

  Benefits for your brain enter the picture with monounsaturated fats found in the avocado which are the healthier side of fat that helps the inner workings of both your heart and your brain. One of these good fats include oleic acid and it just so happens to be directly linked to memory strength and brain function.

  You can always make a classic guacamole, but it also makes a stellar co-star for chicken soup. Some countries feature cuisine with avocados playing dessert roles, too; Those feeling adventurous might try diving into chocolate avocado pudding or other classic chocolate pairings.

• Eggs

  Eggs really got the short end of the stick in the eyes of the media for the past few decades, with unjust cries of cholesterol painting them in an unfortunate light. The day of the egg may be right around the corner, however, as choline found in foods such as eggs plays an essential part in your brain's long-term function. It helps to begin eating them early, but their biggest benefits show in slowing brain degradation caused by age. Preparing them properly, on the other hand, isn't quite so straightforward.

  Overcooking or burning foods is an unfortunately easy way to nullify a lot of their most helpful properties, as many upsides to eating foods requires them to be cooked appropriately but without allowing heat to destroy their more delicate chemical chains. Finding the best nonstick pan for eggs may help keep your brain going strong without leaving healthy nutrients stuck to the bottom of a cheap pan. Fry them, poach them or work them into a stir-fry, but make sure they leave the pan in the form you intended.

• Dark Chocolate

  Healthy foods don't always have to be obvious, as shown by how one study showed an improvement in blood flow to the brain in test subjects who ingested dark chocolate. Cognitive function in the elderly may also see improvement after the ingestion of cocoa, which dark chocolate hosts in spades.

  Pairing dark chocolate up with avocados is one of the strongest, if not least common, superfood pairings you can prepare for yourself. A traditional cake is tempting but cocoa cakes without frosting can provide cocoa's upsides without the downside of loading up on sugary frosting.

• Spinach

  Put aside nightmares of canned spinach and think of it more as a fresh green if you hold your brain health in high regard: Leafy greens like spinach contain vitamin K, which contributes to improved cognitive function over time much in the way cocoa can help improve elderly brain function. Fighting age with a delightful salad is far easier and more affordable than medicinal alternatives.

  If eating it raw isn't in your future, garlic spinach is easily prepared, and the addition of garlic adds even more health benefits such as lowered cholesterol and it may even reduce the rates of certain kinds of cancer.

• Green Tea

  Tea has been used in medicinal and cultural contexts for hundreds if not thousands of years and for very good reason. Cognition, awareness and mental alertness are all reportedly much more efficient after ingesting green tea, which also helps alleviate some of the downfalls that come with ingesting caffeine found in other forms of tea

  As a beverage it's always a lovely drink to pair with a meal, but green tea can also be made into ice cream with ginger, a pairing you're unlikely to find unless you make it yourself.

• Lentils

  Like many legumes, lentils keep blood sugar in check through the regulation of glucose, which very directly keeps your mind in working order by providing a constant stream of power to your mind without allowing you to succumb to a sugar overdose. Eating as little as a half cup of lentils a day can keep your blood sugar regulated properly, which can be easily achieved by sprinkling cooked lentils into salads or making a delightful lentil curry.

Healthy Foods for a Healthy Brain

If you're tired of eating foods that keep you satiated without offering all the health benefits you could reap through dietary changes, throwing in a handful of some of these healthy foods in the place of sugary, low-substance offerings can go a long way in keeping you alert and healthy through your whole life. Just don't forget to put that brain power to good use!

Fruits and vegetables are known to lower the risk of death from heart disease and certain cancers. For example, research shows that eating higher levels of cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, as well as yellow/orange veggies, are particularly useful against breast cancer. And new research shows that eating those foods at certain meals may make the benefits even greater. 

• Eating a Western-style lunch (typically containing refined grains, cheese, cured meat) was associated with a 44 percent increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). 
• Eating a fruit-based lunch was associated with a 34 percent reduced risk of CVD death.
• Eating a vegetable-based dinner was associated with a 23 percent reduction in CVD death and a 31 percent reduction in all-cause mortality.
• Consuming a snack high in starch after any meal was associated with a 50 percent increased risk of all-cause mortality and a similar increased risk in CVD-related death. 

Where Do You Rate with Your Fruit & Vegetable Intake?

How many U.S. adults meet the daily recommendations for vegetable intake? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only 9 percent. We do only a little better with fruit, with about 12 percent making the grade.

When choosing which fruits to eat, consider fiber-rich, nonstarchy options like apples and pears. These fruits may prevent blood sugar spikes and also promote weight loss.

Just How Many Fruits and Vegetables Should You be Eating Daily?   

 The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that adults should eat 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables.

Puppies and kittens are fun, but the longer our pets share our lives, the more we want them to stay active, comfortable, and healthy.

Pets Age at a Different Rate

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), cats and dogs are considered senior citizens by age 7. A 7-year-old cat resembles a 45- to 54-year-old human, while a 10-year-old dog compares to a person between the ages of 56 and 78. Small dogs often live longer and act younger while large breeds tend to show advancing age sooner.

To help prevent age-related health issues, the AVMA recommends physical exams for older pets twice a year so developing conditions can be addressed early.

Keep Your Pet Fit Through Diet and Exercise

Weight Management

Excess body weight, which is a serious health risk for older animals, affects one in five dogs and cats. Almost half of the dogs and cats diagnosed with arthritis and diabetes are overweight, as are dogs with high blood pressure or hypothyroidism.

Effective weight-loss strategies for pets include feeding more protein and fewer carbohydrates, avoiding high-fiber foods (they leave pets feeling hungry and may interfere with nutrient absorption), feeding the right fats (such as the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from fish oil), and reducing portion size.

Pain from Arthritis

Exercise helps, too, but arthritis, which is common in older pets, can interfere with fitness plans. Its symptoms include limping or favoring a leg; having difficulty sitting or standing; having stiff or sore joints; hesitating to jump, run, or climb stairs; gaining weight from inactivity; losing interest in walks or play; and behavioral changes, including irritability. Researchers blame chronic inflammation for age-related health problems like arthritis in pets just as in people, and they suggest that similar nutritional interventions may delay or reduce the development of symptoms in both pets and humans.

Among the most widely prescribed nutritional supplements for older pets are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate and omega-3 fatty acids, all of which help relieve arthritis symptoms. Antioxidants such as vitamin E may also make a difference. Because over-the-counter and prescription drugs can have significant side effects for pets, many holistic veterinarians prefer herbal supplements such as boswellia, devil’s claw root, ginger, or turmeric, all of which have been shown to address the underlying causes of pain and discomfort. Most pet supply stores carry a variety of products labeled for pet use that contain these and other ingredients to help relieve joint pain.

Effective Enzymes for Pets

Digestive enzymes release micronutrients in food, improving their assimilation. Protease breaks down proteins, lipase digests fat, and amylase processes carbohydrates. Because heat processing destroys the enzymes that occur naturally in food, enzyme supplements can improve digestion in dogs and cats, especially those who eat a commercially prepared diet. Incomplete digestion can lead to bloating, diarrhea, gas, bad breath, body odor, lethargy or sluggishness, allergies, skin and coat problems, and a compromised immune system, all of which are common in older animals.

The benefits of digestive enzymes include saving money as animals receiving more nutrients may not need as much food; stool size decreases because less food is wasted through inefficient digestion; pets feel more satisfied and less hungry, so are less likely to overeat; and pets become healthier overall because they receive more nutrients.

Beneficial Bacteria for Dogs and Cats

During the past decade, much research involving dogs, cats, and humans has focused on the microbiome, an umbrella term used to describe communities of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes in the body. Because a healthy microbiome destroys harmful pathogens, including disease-causing viruses, fungi, bacteria, and parasites, it is the immune system’s first line of defense. A healthy microbiome improves digestion, creates some nutrients including vitamins and short-chain fatty acids, and helps regulate the body’s endocrine system.

Dysbiosis, a term that describes a weakened or depleted microbiome, can lead to nutritional deficiencies and leaky gut syndrome, which allows partially digested food particles to enter the bloodstream, resulting in food allergies, skin and coat problems, digestive disorders, joint pain, and illnesses such as autoimmune disorders, irritable bowel disease, and diabetes.

Researchers blame antibiotics, processed foods, genetically modified foods, chemicals such as pesticides and preservatives, prescription drugs, and even the stresses of modern life for dysbiosis and its complications.

Simple ways to improve the microbiome and help reverse dysbiosis include feeding your pet fresh, whole foods, avoiding antibiotics and prescription drugs as much as possible, and supplementing the diet with probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help keep the digestive tract healthy by controlling the growth of harmful bacteria, while prebiotics provide food for the beneficial bacteria. Products labeled for pet use containing one or both are sold as digestive aids, skin and coat conditioners, immune system support, and senior-care supplements.

Friends for Life

You are what you eat, the old saying goes, and what our best friends eat helps determine not only how long they will live but also how well. Nutritional supplements that improve their quality of life are worthwhile investments in our older pets’ health and happiness.

“Go Further with Food” is the inspiring message of National Nutrition Month. The campaign is designed to develop sound eating and exercise habits while cutting back on food waste.

Beware of Food Waste

“Far too often, good food goes bad before we get the chance to eat it,” said dietitian Melissa Majumdar of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Before going to the grocery store, check inside your refrigerator. Eat what you already have at home before buying more.”  Majumdar suggests freezing extra food, such as fruits or meats, to extend shelf life, and wrapping items in heavy freezer paper, plastic wrap, freezer bags, or foil.

Balance Your Diet and Metabolism

• Include a variety of healthful foods from all of the food groups.
• Be physically active most days of the week.
• Be mindful of portion sizes. Eat and drink the amount that’s right for you.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer will be diagnosed in about 165,000 American men this year, placing it second behind skin cancer.

Like many other forms of cancer, diet plays an important role in preventing it.

Diet for Prostate Health

Here's a healthy eating pattern to help ward off prostate cancer, with help from the editors of Harvard Medical School’s HEALTHbeat newsletter.

• Helpful Foods

  • Fruits & Veggies

    Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, particularly those with deep, bright colors.

  • Whole Grains

    Choose whole-grain breads, pastas, and cereals.

• Harmful Foods

  • Red Meat

    Limit your intake of red meat, including beef, pork, and lamb, and processed meats such as bologna and hot dogs.

    • Opt for healthy protein sources, such as:
      • fish
      • skinless poultry
      • beans
      • eggs
    • Choose healthful fats, such as:
      • olive oil
      • nuts
      • avocados

  • Sugar and Salt

    Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks, such as sodas. And cut down on the salt!

• Healthy Choices

  • Eat in Moderation

    Limit your portion sizes, eat slowly, and stop eating when you’re full.

  • Avoid Fatty Foods

    Another study has found that eating a high-fat diet can have a negative effect in men who have prostate cancer, causing it to spread more quickly.

    Prostate tumors often remain in the organ, so treatment success is high. But when the cancer spreads beyond the prostate, it is often lethal.

    The new study showed that fat from the diet can help it spread.

The word cancer frightens many of us, and colorectal cancer has the double-whammy of being both common and deadly.

What is Colorectal Cancer?

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the third leading cause of death from cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Common Questions

• How Common is Colorectal Cancer?

  About 4 percent of the population will develop this form of cancer over the course of their lifetime.

  Unfortunately, the colorectal cancer rates in the US are rising 1 to 2 percent annually in people under 55.

• How Deadly is Colorectal Cancer?

  The five-year survival rate is 65 percent, but if caught in the earliest stages, the survival rate jumps to 90 percent.

  To that end, the FDA recently approved a blood test that can screen for colorectal cancer. It's been approved for use in people with average risk who are ages 45 and older.

• Can Colorectal Cancer Be Prevented?

  Genetics account for only 5 to 10 percent of colorectal cases (and family history up to 25 percent), which means prevention tactics can greatly reduce your risk and improve outcomes.

  Prevention comes in two forms: healthy habits for prevention and screening to catch cancer early while it’s most treatable.

  Ask your doctor if you’re eligible for a blood test or screening as well as the pros and cons of a colonoscopy versus at-home kits. Don’t put that off!

  In the meantime, incorporate healthy habits and useful supplements into your routine.

How to Reduce Your Risk of Colorectal Cancer

There are two primary themes to remember when it comes to reducing colorectal cancer risk:

1. Reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
2. Encouraging healthy gut function, including microbiota.

• Lifestyle

  • Exercise

    One of the best ways to reduce your risk of colon cancer is to exercise regularly, at least 30 minutes on most days. For optimal protection, researchers suggest 3.5 to 4 hours per week of vigorous activity.

    Inactivity has a greater impact on colorectal cancer risk than genetics. While it may not seem connected, exercise improves gut motility, enhances the immune system, decreases inflammatory insulin and insulin-like growth factors, decreases obesity, and improves antioxidant status.

  • Regular Screening

    It’s also crucial to be screened and to remove polyps larger than the size of a pea, which are more likely to turn into cancer. Fortunately, they grow slowly over 10 to 20 years.

  • Other Changes

    Some of the best ways to prevent colorectal cancer are those that prevent and manage many other diseases, including other types of cancer.

    • not smoking
    • avoiding obesity
    • controlling blood sugar
    • limiting alcohol (below 3 drinks a day)

• Colon-Friendly Diet

  One of the primary reasons colorectal cancer is so common in the United States is the standard American diet. Studies link colorectal cancer risk to excessive red meat, fat, protein, and calories.

  A whole-foods diet emphasizing vegetables, fiber, fatty fish like salmon and halibut, plant protein, and good hydration significantly protects you because it:

  • feeds healthy gut flora
  • encourages healthy elimination
  • decreases inflammation
  • decreases oxidation
  • balances blood sugar
  • nourishes the body

  • Embrace Fiber

    One meta-analysis found that people who consumed more than 27 grams of fiber daily had 50 percent less chance of developing colorectal cancer compared to people who consumed less than 11 grams of fiber daily.

    Eat five or more servings daily of vegetables and fruit. Include naturally high-fiber foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains (especially oatmeal), beans, legumes, apples, and pears.

    Ground flax, psyllium, chia, hemp seeds, bran, and other fiber supplements can be helpful, but food sources are best.

    The Role of Fiber

    • Keeps stool soft and moving through
    • Improves blood sugar stability
    • Feeds and support healthy (and anti-cancer) gut flora
    • Improves the body’s ability to detoxify

    Fiber and Your Gut Flora

    Microbiota (gut flora) love chewing on fiber. If you don’t consume enough fiber, they turn to an alternate food source – your protective mucin gut lining!

    Fiber and Flatulence

    Incorporating more fiber into the diet can make you uncomfortably gassy.

    Try a slow introduction to give your gut flora a chance to adjust. If you haven’t adapted after a few months, ask your doctor to test you for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

  • Reduced Fat Intake

    Reducing fat in the diet encourages more favorable gut flora and compounds like butyrate that discourage cancer formation.

  • Additional Nutrients

    While fiber in the diet is the most important, additional support may be found from:

    • prebiotic inulin
    • other complex polysaccharides
    • mucilaginous herbs (like marshmallow and aloe inner gel)
    • probiotics such as Bifidobacterium longum

• Probiotics & Prebiotics

  Gut flora have a tremendous impact on colorectal health and cancer risk.

  Probiotics are healthy bacterial flora, including Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium, found in supplements and lactic acid-forming fermented foods.

  Probiotics are food for the good bacteria, including fiber, mucilage, FOS, and inulin.

  Preliminary studies suggest that probiotics and prebiotics can:

  • improve gut health and motility
  • make the colon less hospitable to cancer cells
  • fight and prevent cancer cells and tumor formation
  • reduce the damage from carcinogenic foods like:
    • grilled red meat
    • cured meats
    • bacon

• Medicinal Mushrooms

  Mushrooms have long been used in Asia for cancer treatment and prevention.

  They contain complex polysaccharide starches, including glucans and beta glucan (and other beneficial compounds) that improve immune system health to better fight and prevent various types of cancer.

  In modern Asia, mushroom polysaccharide extracts are often prescribed as adjunct cancer treatments to improve outcomes.

  To make the polysaccharides bioavailable, medicinal mushrooms should be cooked, heated, or simmered in water, even better if powdered first, or try extract capsules.

  • Turkey Tail

    The most human studies have been performed on turkey tail mushrooms, usually as an adjunct in cancer treatment to improve outcome and remission rates.

    In these studies, turkey tail extract:

    • kept colorectal cancer progression in check
    • decreased the voracity of cancer’s progression (how deep it went, how far it spread)
    • increased survival rate in patients also receiving conventional care

  • Reishi and Shiitake

    A handful of studies show that reishi and shiitake extracts also inhibit colorectal cancer.

• Nutritional Supplements

  While fiber in the diet is the most important, additional support may be found from prebiotic inulin, other complex polysaccharides, mucilaginous herbs like marshmallow and aloe inner gel, and probiotics such as Bifidobacterium longum.

  • Calcium and Vitamin D

    In population studies, the better the intake of these nutrients, the lower the risk. Although not all studies agree, some note a reduced risk on par with exercise: 10 to 15 percent.

    In a four-year, well-designed study, the combination of 1,400-1,500 milligrams (mg) calcium citrate or carbonate and 1,000 IU vitamin D3 together reduced cancer risk for healthy postmenopausal women.

    Other studies have found that vitamin D supplementation reduces risk by 50 percent.

  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    People who consume more omega-3 fatty acids from wild, coldwater fatty fish have a reduced risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers.

    Taking 2.5 grams of fish oil daily reduces cancer’s growth rate.

    Higher doses of fish oil (4.1 grams EPA, 3.6 grams DHA daily) for 12 weeks rapidly reduced cancer markers in colon polyps in a small group of high-risk cancer patients.

  • Turmeric

    Turmeric powder in the diet or supplements may help prevent or fight various types of cancer including colon cancer through immune system support, deceased inflammation, and increased antioxidants.

    This potent anti-inflammatory spice and its constituents slow the promotion and progression of colon cancer and encourage cancer cell cycle arrest.

    Clinical Studies

    Cancer patients who consumed turmeric powder (as well as garlic, onion, tomato, shiitake, rice bran, kale, blueberry, and pineapple) in addition to their regular diet improved antioxidant status and other clinical measures of improved treatment outcomes versus those who did not.

    One study suggested a dose of 3.6 grams of curcumin for colon care.

  • Green Tea

    Drinking five or more cups of green tea (or taking 250 to 500 mg of the standardized extract) daily may be helpful.

    Green tea provides antioxidants and can improve the immune system’s response to cancer, particularly in nonsmokers.

    Thanks to the EGCG antioxidant in green tea, it can:

    • inhibit cancer growth
    • induce cancer cell death
    • inhibit the inflammation that fuels cancer

    Clinical Studies

    In one study, green tea supplementation reduced colorectal tumor incidence in post-surgery cancer patients by 50 percent.

    In another large study of nonsmoking men, each daily 2 gram intake of dry green tea leaves (about the amount in one tea bag) was associated with a 12 percent reduction in colorectal cancer risk.

As the CEO of Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, Naomi Whittel has launched hundreds of nutritional supplements made with scientifically proven ingredients for longevity, weight management, and beauty. Here, she discusses her new book, Glow15: A Science-Based Plan to Lose Weight, Revitalize Your Skin, and Invigorate Your Life ($26, HMH, 2018).

An Interview with Naomi Whittel

What new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life over the last five years?

Three years ago, I traveled to Calabria, Italy, to learn more about the bergamot citrus fruit. I knew of its link to heart health, cholesterol, and longevity, but I soon discovered its connection to a cellular process that plays a major role in aging called autophagy (pronounced aw-TOFF-uh-gee).

Autophagy removes toxins and repairs damage that has accumulated in our cells caused by exposure to environmental conditions plus natural wear and tear that accelerate the signs of aging. Like many things in our body, as we age, autophagy slows and becomes less efficient, making you look and feel older.

After learning about autophagy and what activating this process in our bodies can do for health and reversing the signs of aging, I went in search of the science about ways we could reignite this cellular detoxification process. It is why I developed the Glow15 plan, to make activating autophagy simple, easy, and most effective.

How long have you been following the Glow15 formula outlined in your book?

I have followed the plan and its components over the last couple of years. When I saw the results in my own body—more energy, better sleep, and weight loss—we conducted a 60-day clinical study on the plan. That is how we came to the Glow15 title. The women who participated in the clinical study began to see results in just 15 days.

Do you have a personal mantra you live your life by these days?

Fat first, fat most, every day in every way. Dietary fat isn’t a villain, it’s our friend. It is essential to optimal health, and it is your body’s preferred fuel. It’s satiating, making it protective against cravings for unhealthy foods.

I start each day off with fat, like AutophaTea (the tea will be sold at specialty stores nationwide, and a DIY version of it is detailed in the book), avocado, or eggs. In Glow15, I detail the importance of dietary fat for our health and provide easy recipes to get these good fats incorporated into your daily life. (The only type of dietary fat you should not include in your diet is trans fats.)

What beauty rituals detailed in your new book do you enjoy the most?

In order to outsmart aging and boost my sleep, I take a hot Epsom salts bath, soaking in the tub for 20 to 30 minutes. Epsom salts break down into magnesium and sulfate in hot water. The minerals are absorbed through your skin and help with detoxification. The heat also helps your circadian rhythm. This is because your natural drop in body temperature is balanced with the heat of the bath. Then, when you get out of the hot bath, your temperature will plummet again, making you all the more ready for sleep. Since I travel quite a bit, I make sure I pack Epsom salts wherever I go.

What is one of the best investments you’ve ever made?

The investment of time into self-care. I believe it’s important for women to put our oxygen masks on first before assisting others so that we can be the best we can be for ourselves and those that depend on us. It is not an easy decision for women to make, but it is critical for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. I try to make time each day for self-care, whether it’s 30 minutes of exercise or 15 minutes of meditation.

What excites you most, science or business? 

Science is my business, so for me they are one in the same! I travel the globe in search of the best and purest ingredients to support health, wellness, and beauty. I then work with world-renowned scientists and researchers to deliver the best health and wellness solutions to help us all not just survive, but thrive.

How fast is a fast fast? No, that’s not a tongue twister (though feel free to say it three times—fast). Short-term or intermittent fasting is gaining popularity as a route to not just weight control but to potentially living a longer, healthier life.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that includes cycling between fasting and non-fasting, as well as rotating in regular periods of very low-calorie eating.

Does Fasting Work?

There’s evidence that, in animals including rodents and fruit flies, a lifelong restricted diet that cuts calories by more than a third leads to a lifespan that’s a third longer.

Does it work for humans too?

Scientists haven’t figured that out yet, though evidence backs the idea that, in people, eating a calorie-limited diet leads to longer periods of good health with fewer of the diseases that typically strike in old age.

Still, who would want to deny themselves the pleasures of foods for an entire lifetime? Luckily, we don’t have to. We can get the benefits of long-term fasting with daily, weekly, or monthly short-term fasts or calorie restrictions, according to recent research.

The Science Behind Restricted-Calorie Diets

Mark Mattson, PhD, who heads the neurosciences lab at the National Institute on Aging, is an expert on the science behind intermittent fasting. He has contributed to a number of studies on intermittent fasting and calorie-restricted diets involving both animals and humans.

Results indicate that cycles of fasting may support cardiovascular health, lead to improved learning and memory and decreased symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and alleviate symptoms of asthma.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?

• Promotes Cellular Strength

  One theory is that fasting puts cells under mild stress. “They respond to the stress adaptively by enhancing their ability to cope with stress and, maybe, to resist disease,” Dr. Mattson told the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

• Resets the Immune System

  Valter Longo, PhD, of the University of Southern California, argued in a 2014 study that three days of fasting can “reset” the immune system and trigger the production of new white blood cells, helping to ward off disease.

• Humans Naturally Adapted to Fasting

  While researchers have done many recent studies on fasting, it is not new. According to Francoise Wilhelmi de Toledo, MD, medical director of the Buchinger Wilhelmi Clinic in Germany, the propensity to deprive oneself of food is evolutionary and natural.

  Dr. de Toledo contends that because food was often in short supply as humans evolved, our bodies have adapted. Throughout history, droughts and other harsh conditions produced food shortages that caused our ancestors to fast—often involuntarily—and our bodies eventually got the message.

The Benefits of Fasting

• Reproductive Health

  Studies indicate that benefits of fasting include improved reproductive features (in menstrual cyclicity, ovulation, and fertility) and metabolism.

• Joint Health

  Pain and stiffness from rheumatoid arthritis improved when study participants employed fasting techniques for one to two weeks.

• Cardiovascular Health

  Fasting showed promise in improving cardiovascular health by lowering high blood pressure and reducing the cholesterol that can clog arteries and cause heart attacks.

  Not only do fasting people lose weight, but their arteries are less inflamed if they fast every other day or employ the 5:2 Fast Diet (which features five days of regular eating and two fasting days each week). With both techniques, fasting days provide about one fourth of a person’s normal caloric intake.

  An abstract from a 2024 conference presentation suggested that intermittent fasting may not reduce risk of cardiovascular death. The data has not yet been reviewed nor has it gone through the process of validation. Researchers have yet to compare and analyze a time-restricted eating group with a non-time-restricted feeding group.

• Long-Term Health

  Scientists think fasting mildly stresses cells. They surmise that on low-calorie days, the body is forced to deal with this mild stress, which strengthens the long-term ability to ward off disease.

Intermittent Fasting Plans

Unlike traditional diets, intermittent fasting is more about when you eat than what you eat. The idea is to skip or limit food for a certain number of hours in a day or a certain number of days in a week or month. Here are some common approaches.

• Every-Other-Day Fasting

  Every-other-day fasting suggests you eat normally on the first day, then limit yourself to 500 calories (for women) or 600 (for men) the next. Continue to alternate.

  With only 500 calories on your fasting day, it’s critical you make those 500 calories count, so choose food wisely. Opt for nutrient-rich foods, such as lean proteins and fresh produce.

• Half-Day Fasting

  Half-day fasting is essentially 12 hours on—when eating is permitted—and 12 hours off, when you fast. Beginning the fast in the evening makes the limited food intake much easier to tolerate since you’ll be dozing for about two-thirds of the period.

  Over time, you might find you can increase your fasting hours to 16 hours a day. Some research shows increased health benefits if you limit eating to eight hours per day.

• The 5:2 Plan

  Eat what you normally do for five days a week, and eat just 500 calories on the other two (nonconsecutive) days.

• The 16:8 Plan

  Fast for 16 consecutive hours during every 24-hour period, limiting your eating to the other eight hours. For instance, have your first meal at 10 a.m. and finish your last meal by 6 p.m.

• Eat-Stop-Eat

  Fast for 24 hours once or twice a week.

• Five Days a Month

  Cut your food intake by 30 to 40 percent for five consecutive days a month, and eat as you normally do on the other days.

  In a recent study, human volunteers who were put on a regimen of 725 to 1,090 calories a day for five days a month lost abdominal fat, became more fit, and had lower blood glucose levels than a control group after only three months.

• Convenience Plan

  If you can’t adopt a regular mode of intermittent fasting, try fasting when it works for your schedule. Skip a meal if you’re not hungry, or take a day off from eating when the time is right. You’ll still get some of the benefits of a more structured plan.

Fasting Precautions

• Stay Hydrated

  Be sure to drink plenty of noncaloric liquids while you are fasting. Water, unsweetened coffee and tea (a splash of milk or cream is OK), and other sugar-free drinks will help keep you hydrated.

• Check with Your Doctor

  Check with your healthcare provider before you make any radical changes in your eating habits, especially if you have medical conditions. People who should not fast include children, those who are underweight or have a history of eating disorders, and women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.