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(TRFW News) A study in the June 5th issue of the Cell Press journal Cell Stem Cell clearly indicated how stem cells shift from dormant to self-renewing when the body experiences prolonged cycles of fasting.(1)
A state of starvation activates recycling of white blood cells
White blood cells decreased in numbers, which is explained by Valter Longo, the Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at the USC Davis School of Gerontology, and director of the USC Longevity Institute: “When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged.” Once the person would start eating again, new white blood cells are created. The study has so far involved both mice and the first human testing stage, phase 1 human clinical trial.
Fasting generates new immune system
Another huge benefit from prolonged fasting is how our levels of
IGF-1 lowers as a result. This is a growth-factor hormone linked to
the risk of cancer, the progression of tumors and also our aging.
Longo explains further:
“PKA is the key gene that needs to shut down in order for these
stem cells to switch into regenerative mode. It gives the ‘okay’
for stem cells to go ahead and begin proliferating and rebuild the
entire system.” He and his team also found that: “…the good news is
that the body got rid of the parts of the system that might be
damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting. Now, if
you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging,
fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system.”
These are great news, especially since statistics show how nearly 14 million people were diagnosed with cancer during 2012 (2), and this new discovery may have a very positive impact on how the consequential damages of chemotherapy treatment will be significantly reduced.
Sources for this article include:
Image source: http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=3240&picture=plate-and-cutlery
http://news.therawfoodworld.com/study-shows-fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration/
