Eat Yourself to Better Health (Really!)

Cannibalism—yikes, right? But what if I told you there’s a type of self-cannibalism that’s not only normal but essential for your health? This isn’t some gruesome horror story, but rather the fascinating process known as autophagy—literally, “self-eating.” Before you squirm, hear me out. Autophagy is your body’s way of taking out the trash, detoxifying, and repairing itself. Every single cell in your body is hard at work doing this, keeping things in order. Without autophagy, your cells would get clogged with junk and malfunction. This means less energy and mistakes being made.

But here’s the kicker: as we age, this natural clean up and clear out process slows down. Our cells get lazier, and that’s when the trouble starts. Diseases linked to aging—think heart problems, Alzheimer’s, dementia, a fragile immune system—start creeping in. And if you’re running yourself ragged, stressed to the max, and barely catching any Z’s? That’s a recipe for disaster. Your body’s natural cleanup crew goes on strike, leaving your cells swimming in a mess.

Now, before you despair, let me share some good news. You can actually flip the switch and rev up your body’s autophagy engine. How? By engaging in certain activities that nudge your cells to clean house. Here are a few powerful methods:

• High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

• Fasting

• Intermittent Fasting

• Fasting mimicking molecules

• Ketosis

• Quality Sleep

I bet you’re already on board with the benefits of HIIT and know how vital sleep is. But what about fasting? Not just any fasting—there are a few flavors you might not know about: Intermittent Fasting, OMAD, and Circadian Fasting.

Intermittent Fasting is all about timing. You eat within a specific window, say 4 to 8 hours a day. Maybe you eat from 10 AM to 4 PM, or perhaps noon to 8 PM. Outside of those hours? Water, coffee, or herbal tea, but no munchies.

Then there’s OMAD—One Meal A Day. It’s exactly what it sounds like: you eat once a day, and that’s it. Talk about discipline!

Circadian Fasting takes a more natural approach, syncing your eating with the sun. According to Circadian researcher, Dr Satchin Panda’s, research at the Salk Institute, your organs are in go-mode when the sun’s up, so you eat when there’s daylight and fast when it’s dark. He was able to reverse his elderly mother’s diabetes using a protocol that included Circadian fasting.

And then we have Ketosis—a state where your body flips the switch from burning glycogen (which comes from carbs and sugars) to burning fat. When your glycogen tank is empty, your body has no choice but to tap into fat reserves for energy. It’s like switching from using the money in your wallet to dipping into your savings.

Each of these strategies can spark autophagy, setting off that crucial self-cleaning process. But let’s be real—not everyone can stick to a rigid eating schedule or resist the siren call of that midday pastry, especially when deadlines loom and social obligations pile up. So, what’s a busy person to do?

Enter the fasting mimicking molecule spermidine—a compound that can coax your cells into autophagy without needing to fast or hit ketosis. Found naturally in all living things, spermidine is something your gut microbiome naturally produces if you’ve managed to live the clean life—avoiding broad spectrum antibiotics, alcohol, and other gut-damaging substances. Named after its initial discovery in sperm (yes, really), spermidine is also abundant in foods like natto (a fermented soybean dish that is a delicacy in its native Japan but a very pungent acquired taste), aged cheeses (think long matured Cheddar and Parmesan), and wheat germ. Fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut also contain spermidine. Since all fermented foods are high in histamine content, just make sure you’re not sensitive to histamines before you load up on the ferments.

Can’t commit to fasting or ketosis? No worries—spermidine rich foods and supplements are your secret weapon. Studies show that mice given spermidine lived twice as long as expected. And in humans? Folks aged 60 to 80 with cognitive decline saw their brainpower improve after just three months of taking 1mg of food derived spermidine from highly concentrated wheat germ.

So, where do you get your hands on this little miracle? You could chow down on natto (if you’re brave), or opt for plant derived spermidine supplements like those from Oxford Healthspan. These contain prebiotics to support your own gut biome production of spermidine too.

In short, whether you’re fasting, working out, or popping a supplement, there are ways to keep your body’s self-cleaning crew in action. And trust me, your future self will be grateful for the effort you put in now.