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In this episode of the Ultimate Human podcast, Gary Brecka discusses the benefits of 3-day water fasting, emphasizing its historical significance and health advantages. He introduces his free guide on water fasting available at ultimatehuman.com. Fasting has been linked to improved mental clarity, cellular repair, and longevity. Key physiological changes occur during fasting, including fat burning, autophagy activation, and increased human growth hormone levels. Brecka encourages listeners to consult their doctors before starting a fast and invites them to join his upcoming 3-day water fast challenge on December 19-21.

Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's are major health threats, with diabetes increasing the risk of the others. Regular intermittent fasting can lower diabetes risk. In a discussion on fasting, Dave Asprey emphasizes its psychological aspects, noting that the body's instinct to eat can make fasting challenging. He shares his personal struggles with weight and hunger, highlighting that fasting can be manageable and beneficial when approached correctly. Fasting extends beyond food; it can include abstaining from alcohol, sex, or even social media. Asprey explains that overcoming the fear of hunger can lead to emotional stability and resilience. He discusses the importance of understanding fasting's effects on women, noting that over-fasting can lead to hormonal issues, unlike men who may not experience these effects as quickly. He outlines different fasting stages, starting from post-meal fasting to longer fasts, emphasizing the health benefits such as improved blood sugar regulation and anti-aging effects through mitochondrial health. Asprey encourages a balanced approach to fasting, advocating for flexibility and community support to enhance the experience. He believes fasting can empower individuals, reduce anxiety, and foster a sense of connection, especially during challenging times like a pandemic. For more insights, he invites listeners to visit fastthisway.com for resources and community engagement.

In this episode, the hosts discuss intermittent fasting, addressing who should and shouldn't practice it. They emphasize that while fasting can lead to weight loss, it is not an effective long-term strategy for dieting. The hosts clarify that fasting is the voluntary abstention from food when it is available, contrasting it with involuntary situations like famine. They explore various fasting protocols, including the Warrior Diet and the 5:2 diet, and highlight the historical context of fasting, primarily rooted in spiritual practices across major religions. The conversation touches on the medical history of fasting, noting its use in treating conditions like epilepsy since ancient times. They argue that the benefits of fasting are often similar to those of calorie restriction, and caution against using fasting solely for weight loss, as it can foster unhealthy relationships with food. The hosts share personal experiences, emphasizing the emotional and mental benefits of fasting, such as improved self-control and awareness of cravings. They warn that fasting can exacerbate issues for those with eating disorders or hormonal imbalances, advocating for a mindful approach to fasting focused on personal growth rather than aesthetics.

Dr. Valter Longo discusses his research on aging and the effects of fasting on health. He highlights that starving cells can protect normal cells while sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy. His early studies involved calorie restriction and its benefits, leading to insights on the role of fasting in longevity. Longo explains that fasting can regenerate the immune system by eliminating damaged autoimmune cells and replacing them with healthy ones. He emphasizes the importance of a fasting-mimicking diet, which balances nutrient composition to promote health. Longo also critiques common dietary advice, advocating for fewer meals and cautioning against prolonged fasting, which can increase health risks.

In this episode, Rich Roll interviews Dr. Alan Goldhamer, a pioneer in plant-based nutrition and founder of True North Health Center, focusing on the benefits of medically supervised, water-only fasting. Dr. Goldhamer explains that fasting involves complete abstinence from all substances except water, typically lasting from 5 to 40 days, and is effective for treating chronic diseases. He highlights that over 70% of adults in the U.S. are overweight, attributing this to the consumption of hyper-concentrated food additives like salt, oil, and sugar, which disrupt the body's satiety mechanisms. Dr. Goldhamer emphasizes that health results from healthful living, advocating for a whole plant food, SOS-free diet. He notes that while intermittent fasting and other fasting-mimicking diets can be beneficial, they may not be sufficient for individuals with specific health issues. Prolonged water-only fasting, in contrast, can lead to significant improvements in conditions like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. The discussion also covers the physiological effects of fasting, including the preferential loss of visceral fat, which is linked to various chronic diseases. Dr. Goldhamer explains that visceral fat produces inflammatory substances that contribute to health issues, and fasting can help mobilize and reduce this fat effectively. He shares success stories from True North, including patients with conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis and psoriasis, who experienced significant improvements through fasting and dietary changes. Dr. Goldhamer stresses the importance of lifestyle changes post-fasting to maintain health benefits, as reverting to unhealthy eating can lead to symptom recurrence. The episode also touches on the challenges of societal pressures regarding diet, the importance of finding supportive communities, and the need for a shift in the healthcare system to integrate fasting and plant-based diets into standard practices. Dr. Goldhamer concludes by encouraging listeners to adopt healthful living practices, emphasizing that health is achievable through commitment to diet, exercise, and stress management.

Dr. Alan Goldhamer, founder of True North Health Center, discusses the intersection of psychology, nutrition, and fasting in promoting health. He emphasizes the importance of understanding our addictive relationship with food, likening it to addiction to substances like alcohol or heroin. Goldhamer explains that humans evolved in an environment of scarcity, but modern abundance leads to overeating and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. He argues that many people struggle with dietary changes due to emotional and psychological factors, and that simply advising moderation often fails. Goldhamer introduces the concept of the "pleasure trap," where processed foods high in salt, oil, and sugar stimulate dopamine in the brain, leading to overeating. He asserts that for individuals struggling with obesity or related diseases, it may be more effective to eliminate these substances entirely rather than attempting moderation. He highlights the societal normalization of unhealthy eating habits and the challenges faced by those trying to adopt healthier lifestyles. Fasting is presented as a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of addiction to unhealthy foods. Goldhamer notes that fasting can accelerate the adaptation to a whole food, plant-based diet, making it easier for individuals to enjoy simpler, healthier foods after the initial discomfort of withdrawal. He explains that fasting not only aids in weight loss but also has profound effects on metabolic health, potentially reversing chronic conditions. Goldhamer shares a case study of a patient with stage three follicular lymphoma who experienced significant improvement after fasting, illustrating the potential of fasting as a complementary approach to conventional treatments. He emphasizes the need for medically supervised fasting and the importance of addressing the underlying causes of dietary excess. The conversation also touches on the broader implications of dietary choices for public health, with Goldhamer advocating for a whole food, plant-based diet free from added salt, oil, and sugar. He acknowledges the challenges of changing entrenched dietary habits but believes that education and support can empower individuals to make lasting changes. Goldhamer concludes by discussing the importance of research in validating the benefits of fasting and plant-based diets, expressing optimism about the future of dietary interventions in improving health outcomes. He encourages listeners to seek support and resources, including the True North Health Center and various educational materials, to help them on their journey toward better health.

The primary reason people experience health issues is the "pleasure trap," which can be escaped through fasting. Alan Goldhamer discusses misconceptions surrounding long-term medically supervised water fasting, emphasizing that fasting is a biological adaptation that allows humans to survive without food for extended periods. Unlike chimpanzees, humans can convert their brain's energy source from glucose to fat, enabling longer fasting durations. Fasting can reverse the effects of dietary excess, which leads to obesity and metabolic syndrome, increasing vulnerability to diseases like cancer and heart disease. Goldhamer explains that medically supervised fasting creates optimal conditions for the body to heal itself. While intermittent fasting is beneficial for most, medically supervised long-term fasting is not suitable for everyone and requires thorough medical evaluation. He highlights that fasting can lead to significant health improvements, including weight loss and reductions in visceral fat, particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome. He also notes that fasting can benefit healthy individuals, potentially yielding greater biomarker changes than in sick individuals. Goldhamer addresses concerns regarding fasting for women in their prime fertility years, stating that fasting can help with conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome. He emphasizes the importance of proper re-feeding after fasting to avoid complications. Goldhamer advocates for a whole plant food SOS-free diet, arguing that oils, including olive oil, should be avoided as they contribute to dietary excess. He encourages listeners to try a 16-hour daily fast and emphasizes the importance of lifestyle changes for long-term health. Overall, fasting is presented as a powerful tool for health improvement, particularly when combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Fasting emerges as a powerful medical tool in this conversation, with Dr. Alan Goldhammer arguing that water-only fasting can reverse hypertension, rebalance insulin resistance, and reset the gut. Over four decades, he has guided thousands to health by using one of humanity’s oldest healing practices, including a landmark study in which 174 consecutive patients with high blood pressure normalized their readings without medication. He describes fasting as complete abstinence from all substances in a resting state, emphasizing that rest minimizes lean-tissue loss while maximizing fat loss. He distinguishes water fasting from juice fasting, noting that the latter is a modified diet, and he asserts that the most dramatic metabolic changes—BDNF increases, autophagy, and improved brain function—often accompany fasting just as they do with exercise. He also stresses that the goal is to avoid dietary excess, not merely to restrict calories. Mechanistically, the dialogue traces the fasting sequence from glycogen depletion after about a day to a brain that switches from glucose to ketones as a primary fuel, with beta-hydroxybutyrate supporting cognitive stability and elevated BDNF. Autophagy is introduced as housekeeping cellular cleanup, while visceral fat—tied to inflammation, heart disease, and diabetes—sheds first during a fasting window and continues to decline with refeeding. The conversation links these changes to a broader shift away from processed foods that load the brain with dopamine-boosting salt, oil, and sugar, and toward a whole-plant SOS-free diet. Intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding are offered as practical tools: avoid eating within three to four hours of sleep, extend the fast to sixteen hours when possible, and tailor the feeding window to individual needs, activity, and caloric goals. Clinical outcomes anchor the discussion: hypertension can normalize with two weeks of fasting, and long-term follow-ups show many maintain normal blood pressure off medications after refeeding and lifestyle changes. Lymphoma and polycystic ovarian syndrome appear responsive, with case reports and series indicating tumor regression and improved reproductive function during and after fasting. Beyond disease, healthy individuals may gain reduced visceral fat and lower cholesterol, though shorter fasts are suggested for prevention. Safety remains essential: patients are screened, monitored, and refeed gradually to avoid refeeding syndrome, and long-duration fasts require supervision. The broader message is that fasting reshapes physiology and behavior, including taste perception and reward pathways, helping people reset habits toward a plant-based, SOS-free lifestyle.