Fasting, or more specifically the seemingly most popular variant, intermittent fasting has become a popular dietary trend. Many swear by this type of fasting, but there are still doubts. Is it possible to lose weight effectively and in the long term? And what about perseverance or the sometimes unpleasant side effects such as headaches, fatigue, etc.? A newer concept could be more suitable for this: Fasting notes, or “fasting mimicking diet”, as it is called in English (FMD for short), is said to be the most promising method according to current knowledge. This scientifically based fasting method allows you to eat certain amounts and still get all the benefits of fasting.

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Dr. Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and Life Sciences at the University of Southern California, discovered as part of his interdisciplinary research that completely abstinence from food over a certain period of time can have a positive effect on longevity and health. However, it is not necessary to abstain from solid food for days to enjoy the many benefits of fasting. Longo's scientific findings rather suggest that fasting, which only simulates the organism, is just as effective. On this basis, Longo and his team developed a nutrition program which, in contrast to strict fasting, provides the body with small meals and essential nutrients without interrupting the fasting state.

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Fasting-mimicking diet: These foods are allowed

This fasting package, which contains individual food sachets with wholesome meals (in soup form) for five days and a diet plan, can currently be ordered for 179 euros - i.e. a similarly cost-intensive affair as a detox treatment with special cold-pressed juices. The foods it contains are: nut bars, chocolate bars, crackers, tea, olives, unsweetened espresso, bag soups and multivitamin tablets.

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How fasting resets your biology

Longo's studies have shown that the optimal duration of a multi-day fasting cure is five days. According to ProLon®, “During this period, there is the best balance between health benefits and potential risks.” If the duration is shorter, the metabolic processes of the fasting state — such as increased fat burning and rejuvenation at cell level — do not develop the necessary intensity. If the fasting period lasts longer, it also increases the risk of unwanted side effects.

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This optimal cycle is described as follows on individual days:

Day 1 fasting — transition to a fasting state with subsequent cell optimization

Day 2 Burning Fat — The body moves on to burning fat. Cell cleansing starts

Day 3 Cell recycling — recycling the cells with a good chance of reaching ketosis

Day 4 Cell regeneration — Autophagocytosis continues and promotes cell regeneration

Day 5 — Renewal — cell regeneration continues and the body is rejuvenated from within

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There are various success reports that report positively about Longo's fasting mimicking diet. In principle, it is now generally confirmed that fasting can have an anti-inflammatory effect. Regular meal breaks of at least four hours between meals help the body recover, promote weight loss and thus help keep blood sugar levels constant. This is intended to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the development of type 2 diabetes and cancer. And autophagy is also stimulated by regular fasting — the more often we break down our so-called cellular waste, the greater the chance of growing old healthily. The note fast diet also pursues this goal.

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However, even with this dietary method, it should only be carried out for a short period of time and never over a longer period of time. Because despite the positive effects that such a cure can bring, malnutrition cannot be ruled out. Anyone who suffers from severe obesity or chronic illnesses should first discuss with their doctor which diet is best for their individual health status.

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For those for whom note fasting is out of the question, Valter Longo has also developed another concept: The so-called “Longevity Diet”, which is very similar to the Mediterranean diet and uses a combination of vegetables, fish, oil and small amounts of meat. There is more about the Mediterranean diet here.