Cecil on Fasting

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

Looks like Cecil’s column on fasting may be in need of an update! Turns out the hippiesmay have been on to something after all.

““We could not predict that prolonged fasting would have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration of the hematopoietic system,” said corresponding author Valter Longo, Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute. Longo has a joint appointment at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.”

I’m going to file this under “even a blind squirrel finds a nut from time to time”. What say the teeming millions?

2

Hmm. OK, I’m passing this over to Cecil to see if he’d like to do an update.

3

Past GQ thread on intermittent fasting to put that one study in the broader context; in that context this study is at best slightly interesting but the support for intermittent fasting in humans remains still extreme weak and at best speculative and trendy. The column however was more about the claim of needing to purge the body of toxins (“detoxing”), a concept that the linked study does not update upon at all and which is as unfounded now as then.

4

I agree, but fasting does do something to your mind and to your body at the same time. It makes you suffer.

I know a lot of Christians that fast, but K Hagin said it best, “Fasting doesn’t change God’s mind about anything … it changes you”

5

Congratulations, Quint! Your post (and comment) was the launch for today’s column: Update: Is fasting good for your health? And since it was just a tad over a month since you posted, this was a pretty fast (ahem) response from Cecil. Anyhow, congrats, and don’t let the fame go to your head. :wink:

Since someone else started a thread based on the column, I’m closing this one and suggesting people post there: fast fasting feast - Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports - Straight Dope Message Board Just trying to keep thing tidy.