says one of the world’s top anti-aging experts
Story by Alexa Mikhail
Long before Bryan Johnson became famous for his extreme biohacking—undergoing countless tests, following strict eating habits, and taking dozens of supplements in the name of living forever—Valter Longo – Search Videos (bing.com) was obsessed with longevity.
In a recent profile of the scientist in the New York Times, Longo, who is a professor
of gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute in California, says he wants
to live 120 to 130 healthy years. His drive for longevity aligns with a growing interest in extending health span, the number of years lived free of disease, as opposed to life span—which refers to the number of years lived. Bing Videos
Italian lifestyle has long been considered the gold standard for longevity, with the focus
on the Mediterranean diet, walkability, and community. Sardinia, Italy is one of the five original Blue Zones—where people live the longest, healthiest lives. Lessons from the residents of Sardinia were the focus of one of the episodes of Dan Buettner’s recent Netflix documentary, Living to 100.
Longo, who was born and raised in Italy, points out that today,
“Almost nobody in Italy eats the Mediterranean diet.”
Italy’s youth are facing obesity because of what Longo calls the “poisonous five Ps — pizza, pasta, protein, potatoes and pane (or bread),” Horowitz writes. Longo fears Italians will live long but not healthyfully if this pattern continues to dominate the culture.
Dying for a Pizza? The Worst Foods for Your Heart
Of course, the occasional pizza or burger won’t immediately raise your chances of having
a heart attack. However, if you know that you’re eating these types of foods too often, it could be time to review your eating habits.
Over 2,000 US citizens die from heart disease every day. The sad fact is that
many of those deaths could have been avoided, had the individual eaten a healthier diet.
Many cases of heart disease, stroke and heart attack are related to poor eating habits. While there’s no problem having the odd blow-out in a restaurant, if you’re eating the wrong things on a regular basis, it will take its toll on your body.
Here’s a brief guide to the foods you should be avoiding if you want your heart to remain healthy.
The Worst Foods for Your Heart
1. Processed meats. It’s always tempting to pop a hotdog on the BBQ or indulge in a bacon bap in the morning. However, processed meats are often bad news for our hearts. They’re full of sodium and higher in saturated fat, which officially makes them a food to steer clear of. They’ve also been linked to diabetes and even pancreatic cancer.
2. Fizzy beverages. A can of Sprite or Coke can provide the perfect pick-me-up when you’re low on energy. There’s a reason for this… it’s full of sugar! This causes your blood sugar to spike, and it can also contribute to obesity, one of the leading causes of heart disease. In fact, according to a 2012 study, just one can of full-fat fizzy drinks a day can increase a man’s chances of having a heart attack by 20%.
3. Trans fats. Trans fats are cheap to make, which makes them popular with the food industry. However, food cooked using trans fats is not beneficial to our hearts. They raise levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body, leaving you more vulnerable to heart attack.
How to reverse it?
Longo, author of The Longevity Diet says, eating a sensible diet is a way to prolong your life and is a proponent of the original Mediterranean diet which consists of plant-based foods and nuts. He has his own recipes for longevity on his website, which include sweet and sour sardines, stuffed artichokes, cabbage patties, and onions in walnut sauce.
He also champions another relatively new concept in the space—faux fasting or a fasting-mimicking diet. This refers to limiting food intake, which is supposed to help the body reap the benefits of fasting without fully abstaining from food. According to Longo’s website, the protocol includes a diet low in carbohydrates and protein and high in fatty acids.
“The Fasting Mimicking Diet patented recipe allows your body to remain in a fasting like mode, which triggers a set of protectionist measures that the body has developed during natural selection,” his site reads. “This allows the body to optimize its performance, rejuvenate its cells, and thrive under demanding circumstances.”
Research has found both benefits and drawbacks to intermittent fasting, but its continued popularity demonstrates the lengths people will go to with the hope of extending their lives.
Does Fasting Have Mental Health Benefits?
Some evidence shows it may help boost mood and stave off anxiety.
Published on March 30, 2024
By Wendy Wisner
Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
Fasting seems to be a bit of a health craze these days, with proponents of it guaranteeing all kinds of results, from quick weight loss to boost mental clarity. Here’s the thing: there’s actually some solid evidence that intermittent fasting as a dietary intervention has health benefits, including reductions in body weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.1 The question is: can fasting have positive effects on our mental health?
While there is some preliminary research linking fasting to improved moods, vitality, decreased irritability, lowered stress and even a reduction in depression and anxiety, there are other studies that show that short-term fasting can increase depression, anxiety, anger and irritability. The available research is relatively new and based on small sample sizes.2
Still, many people who’ve tried it report that fasting often gives their mental health a needed boost. Let’s take a closer look at the mental health effects of fasting, including benefits, risks, and how to do it, along with some expert guidance along the way.
Feel Good Foods: The Diet-Brain Connection
What Is Fasting, Exactly?
First, it’s helpful to understand what fasting is. Fasting as a mindful dietary choice isn’t all about arbitrarily skipping meals or going without food for days on end. People who fast for health and well being do so deliberately, following one of several methods.
The most common type of fasting is intermittent fasting, which may take several different forms. Many people who practice intermittent fasting go for 12-18 hours each day without eating, and also have a 6-12 hour period where they do eat.
This eating period generally takes place in the daytime hours, and most of the fasting period takes place at night. For many people, intermittent fasting simply means skipping breakfast or having mealtime end early in the evening, along with no nighttime snacking.3
Another type of intermittent fasting involves fasting for longer periods, but only doing so several days a week. For example, in alternate-day fasting, people restrict their calories by about 25%, but only do this every other day, and eat normally on the other days. Other similar plans include the 5:2 plan, which is where you fast (or reduce calories significantly) two days a week but eat normally on the other days.2
The Experts Agree: What You Eat Can Directly Impact Stress and Anxiety
Effects of Fasting on Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being
So, does fasting have any positive effects on mental health and emotional well being?
From what we know right now, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, says Clifford Feldman, MD, psychiatrist and medical director at Solace Treatment Center. “Fasting can have a variety of effects on mental health, depending on the length of the fast, the frequency of fasting, and an individual’s overall health and lifestyle,” Dr. Feldman.
As Dr. Feldman notes, there’s some research pointing to the fact that short term fasting can sometimes actually increase symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, irritability, and stress. “However, some studies indicate that, with proper management, fasting can improve mood and emotional well-being in certain situations,” Dr. Feldman says.2
Ila Dayananda, MD, MPH, OB-GYN and chief medical officer of Oula Health,
agrees that fasting can have a positive effect on mental health, but it varies
from one person to another.
Fasting can have positive and negative impacts on mental health, depending
on such factors as individual health status, duration of fasting, and frequency.
— ILA DAYANANDA, MD, MPH, OB-GYN
Dr. Dayananda says that the benefits may vary based on what type of fasting you do. Shorter fasting periods “may improve mental clarity and focus for some individuals,”
she says. At the same time, “prolonged or extreme fasting may contribute to mood disturbances and cognitive impairments,” Dr. Dayananda notes.
Why Am I So Angry?
Fasting and Brain Function
There’s some pretty fascinating info out there about how putting your body in a fasting state can affect the brain—and in turn, how this might affect mental health.
Fasting affects brain function in a few different ways, Dr. Feldman says. It has been linked to neurogenesis or the development of new neurons, which can improve brain health and cognitive function.4
Additionally, fasting increases something known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is important for learning, memory, and mood regulation, Dr. Feldman says.
Together, these brain changes “may contribute to improved cognitive performance and resilience to stress and depression,” he says.5
Fasting impacts brain function via various mechanisms, says Dr. Dayananda, including “changes in neurotransmitter levels, alterations in energy metabolism, and activation of cellular repair processes such as autophagy,” she describes. “By promoting ketone production, fasting provides an alternative energy source for the brain, which may enhance cognitive function and protect against neurodegenerative diseases.”3
Finally, fasting triggers cellular stress responses, and these responses “activate
adaptive pathways, increasing neuronal resilience and improving overall brain health,”
Dr. Dayananda explains.6
Negative Effects of Sugar on the Brain
Fasting and Mental Disorders
It’s clear that fasting can be helpful for certain folks in terms of improving mood and boosting cognition, but can it improve specific mental health disorders?
This is also an area where research is still new and not entirely conclusive. Ozan Toy, MD, psychiatrist and chief medical Officer at Telapsychiatry, says that fasting definitely has specific mental health benefits and may be able to improve some of the symptoms of mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, mood, and cognition in some individuals.
But when it comes to specific disorders, research is not robust enough yet. “Fasting is being researched to help treat mood and other disorders, but there is not enough evidence to support this as a treatment yet,” Dr. Toy says.
Indeed, a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis found that fasting could relieve some of the symptoms of anxiety and depression, but the study researchers warned that there were several caveats to keep in mind, including that the studies were only preliminary and that no studies were conducted specifically in psychiatric populations.3
Berthelot E, Etchecopar-Etchart D, Thellier D, et al.
Fasting Interventions for Stress, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2021;13(11):3947. doi:10.3390/nu13113947
As Dr. Feldman notes, there’s been research on the practice of fasting during Ramadan,
a religious Muslim holiday marked by a month of fasting. A 2023 study linked Ramadan fasting to reduced interpersonal sensitivity and phobic anxiety, for example. However it is also important to note that some research has found that fasting during Ramadan was associated with a higher recurrence rate in patients with bipolar disorder.7
These advantages could stem from the sense of accomplishment and self-discipline that fasting fosters, as well as physiological changes that occur during fasting, such as changes in brain chemistry that can improve mood and stress resilience.
— CLIFFORD FELDMAN, MD
Again, though, at this time fasting is not prescribed by doctors or psychiatrists as a method of addressing mental health disorders like phobias, anxiety, depression, or any other mood disturbances.
What Is the Cotton Ball Diet?
Practical Tips for Safely Fasting
While fasting isn’t for everyone—and anyone who is interested in trying it should check with a healthcare professional first—it does show some promise in terms of helping with mood, mental clarity, and emotional well being for some people.
Getting started with fasting can feel confusing and overwhelming, which is another reason why it makes sense to seek guidance from a healthcare professional or dietician before trying it. It’s important that you stay hydrated while fasting and that you stop immediately if you show signs of disorientation, confusion, feelings of dizziness, faintness or the new onset of any physical or mental symptoms.1
Dr. Dayananda shared her top tips for newbies starting to fast:
Start slow, trying gradual restrictions and fasting/eating windows.
Once you get the hang of it, try to stay consistent in terms of the windows you choose
Pay attention to what you eat in your eating window, focusing on nutrient-rich food that will sustain and energize you
Be patient with yourself as you transition toward longer fasting windows.
Remember that it takes time for the body to adapt
Keep in mind that everyone is different and it’s up to each of us to decide what works
best for our body, in terms of how long to fast, what type of fasting to try, and whether
to continue fasting at all
Foods to Help Fight Depression
Risks of Fasting
While fasting—especially the less extreme version of fasting,
such as intermittent fasting—is generally safe, it’s not for everyone.
“People with certain medical conditions such as diabetes could run into problems associated with hypoglycemia that could have serious consequences,” Dr. Toy says. “Furthermore if someone is suffering from an eating disorder, fasting could also be a risky intervention in this patient population as well.”1
Dr. Dayananda doesn’t recommend fasting to certain groups, like pregnant women and children. “Pregnant women, for example, need to be selective and thorough about their nutritional needs as they eat and drink for two,” she says. “Asking them to fast while pregnant could be uncomfortable or, at worst, dangerous, and therefore not worth the risk.”1
Additionally, as Dr. Feldman emphasizes, anyone experiencing an acute mental health crisis should not turn to fasting as a solution. “Fasting without proper guidance or consideration of one’s health status can result in dehydration, nutrient deficiencies, worsening of mental health symptoms, and disrupted sleep patterns,” he says.
How to Avoid Emotional Stress During Pregnancy
The Bottom Line
While it’s clear that fasting has several potential health benefits, including lowered glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and the ability to help maintain a healthy weight, it’s less clear how it impacts mental health.1
There is some preliminary evidence that fasting can improve mood, enhance mental clarity, lower stress, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. But we are not at a place yet where mental health professionals are recommending fasting as a treatment for mental health issues.2
At the same time, many people have found fasting to be beneficial for their mental health and overall well being. For most of us, there’s no harm in trying fasting, especially if eased into gradually, with a focus on nutrient dense food during eating windows. Still, pregnant folks, children, people with a history of eating disorders, and people with certain underlying medical conditions shouldn’t fast.1
If you have questions about whether fasting is right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider.
What Is Cibophobia (Food Phobia)?
For more on how to live longer:
9 longevity experts share their best advice for creating healthy habits that can help you age well
Wealthy men are spending millions to lower their biological ages and live longer. These women are lowering their biological age with cheaper solutions
The longevity secrets of Singapore, the 6th blue zone city where people are living the longest, happiest lives
The strict anti-aging routine of a 45-year-old CEO who spends millions a year to be 18 again—from diet to exercise
How To Live To Be 100. Full Series (youtube.com)
What’s the secret of the oldest people? Why did their biological clocks slow down?
Our unique round-the-world expedition travelled to study the questions of longevity.
Our goal was to explore the territories where people live longer-than-average lives in order to draft a rulebook of a centenarian. We ask some of the oldest people in the world the question everyone wants answered: how to live to 100 years old. 00:00 – Japan 42:55 – USA 1:26:54 – Russia 2:14:04 – The Caucasus 2:58:40 – Italy 3:42:59 – Greece 4:30:06 – Cuba 5:16:21 – Costa Rica
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
The key to a long life is avoiding the ‘poisonous 5 Ps,’
says one of the world’s top anti-aging experts (msn.com)