The Impact of Fasting on Aging

My food contains glucose, the fuel that feeds the trillions of healthy cells in my body.

But that glucose also feeds something else.

Zombie cells.

Old, damaged cells that have lingered beyond their useful life.

By spewing toxic sludge, these zombies infect other healthy cells, speeding up the aging process.

Everything from hair loss and wrinkles to the onset of arthritis, cancer and dementia.

But what scientists have realized is that when we fast and cut off the supply of glucose,

that zombie army is starved of energy, which saps them of their power.

When food is plentiful, our body stores excess energy in the form of fat, under the skin and around the internal organs.

When food is scarce, that fat is sent to the liver, where it's turned into an alternative fuel source called a ketone.

And it's these ketones which provide the emergency power source, not only for our bodies, but also our brains.

Remember those toxic zombie cells aging my body?

Well, they're not the only things getting dealt with.

Even inside my healthy cells, there's wear and tear.

But scientists think that without food to process, those cells can switch into repair mode.

Fixing damage, cleaning up garbage, nipping any problems in the bud.

With the zombies in check and the rest of me in tip-top condition, the future looks healthier and also longer.