<p><strong> Dr. Valter Longo</strong></p> <p>This episode of the FoundMyFitness podcast features Dr. Valter Longo, a professor of gerontology and biological sciences and director of the longevity institute at the University of Southern California.</p> <p>Dr. Longo has made huge contributions to the field of aging, including the role of fasting and diet in longevity and healthspan in humans as well as metabolic fasting therapies for the treatment of human diseases.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this podcast, Valter and I discuss...</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(00:00)</strong> Introduction</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(03:30)</strong> The fasting-mimicking diet makes fasting accessible to more people</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(08:10)</strong> Prolonged fasting stimulates stem cell regeneration</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(12:57)</strong> Does inflammation cause aging or is it the other way around?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(17:59)</strong> Using the fasting-mimicking diet in a hospital setting</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(22:18)</strong> Fasting prior to chemotherapy preps cancer cells for death and protects healthy cells from damage</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(36:05)</strong> Using fasting and time-restricted feeding to control weight gain</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(42:08)</strong></span> How long do you need to fast to induce autophagy?</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(45:32)</strong></span> A fasting-mimicking diet reversed a multiple sclerosis-like autoimmune condition in mice</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(52:09)</strong> What are the cellular mechanisms that underlie the regenerative benefits of fasting?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(58:27)</strong> Are fasting-mimicking drugs, such as spermidine and resveratrol, safe and effective? What about metformin?</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(01:07:03)</strong> Blocking t</span>he growth hormone/IGF-1 axis protects from cancer and diabetes in people with Laron's syndrome</li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>(01:14:23)</strong> Exercise is essential for healthy metabolism and longevity</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you're interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here: <a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/valter-longo">https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/valter-longo</a></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly:</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter">https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter</a></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A's with Rhonda and more:</span> <a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/crowdsponsor"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.foundmyfitness.com/crowdsponsor</span></a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Combine FMD with Cancer Therapy
For cancer treatment, combine fasting or fasting-mimicking diets with chemotherapy, as this integrated approach has shown cancer-free survival in mice and leverages both traditional and scientifically-backed alternative methods for powerful results.
2. MS: FMD + Mediterranean Diet
For multiple sclerosis, consider a single cycle of a five-day fasting mimicking diet followed by six months of a regular Mediterranean diet, as this approach showed more impressive results than six months of a ketogenic diet in a clinical study.
3. Consult Doctor for FMD Use
If you have a disease (e.g., MS, cancer, autoimmune, degenerative) and current treatments are ineffective or have severe side effects, discuss with your clinician the potential of adding a fasting-mimicking diet to your treatment plan, weighing the risks and benefits.
4. Flexible Meal Frequency & Time Restriction
To manage weight and visceral fat, adopt a time-restricted feeding window of 12 hours or less. If overweight or prone to weight gain, aim for two meals a day (breakfast and lunch or breakfast and dinner); if underweight, eat three meals a day.
5. FMD for Inflammation Reduction
Utilize three cycles of the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) to reduce high C-reactive protein levels and other inflammatory markers, bringing them back to normal levels, as observed in human populations aged 20 to 70.
6. Avoid Excess Nutrients in Cancer
Avoid providing abundant nutrients like sugar and amino acids to cancer patients during chemotherapy, as these can make cancer cells ‘happy’ and normal cells sensitive to treatment, hindering the effectiveness of therapy.
7. Embrace Sustainable Dietary Changes
To ensure long-term adherence to a longevity plan, adopt sustainable dietary changes like two meals a day and a 12-hour time-restricted feeding window, rather than overly restrictive protocols that people tend to abandon.
8. Vegan Pescatarian & Time Restriction
Adopt a ‘perfect diet’ consisting of a vegan pescatarian approach that is low in protein and high in nourishment, combined with two meals a day and a 12-hour time-restricted feeding window, to potentially reduce the need for frequent fasting mimicking diets.
9. Exercise with Dietary Restrictions
Incorporate exercise, especially weight training, into your routine to prevent loss of lean body mass during dietary restrictions, as it sends crucial signals for muscle rebuilding.
10. Acute Aerobic Exercise Benefits
Engage in acute aerobic exercise to lower serum IGF-1, as this may help direct IGF-1 to beneficial areas like muscles and the brain, supporting muscle repair and brain cell growth.
11. Explore Fasting Mimicking Drugs
Consider resveratrol and spermidine as ‘fasting mimicking drugs’ that can push cells in a similar direction to fasting, although they may not be as powerful as actual fasting.
12. Access ProlonFMD Diet
To undertake a clinically tested fasting-mimicking diet (ProlonFMD), contact LNutra.com or ProlonFMD.com. Obtain clearance from your doctor, especially if you have existing diseases or take medications, and follow guidance from an assigned nutritionist or dietitian for the five-day at-home protocol.
13. Check Found My Fitness Video
Check out the accompanying video for this podcast on youtube.com/foundmyfitness for detailed annotations, definitions, references, graphs, and figures related to the discussed topics.
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