Dr. Jason Fung is board certified nephrologist and author of the Obesity Code and co-author of The Complete Guide to Fasting, with best-selling author, Jimmy More.

Here's the link to the full show notes and new books about the science supporting intermittent fasting: http://bit.ly/2h0bAeL

Why fast?

"Fasting has been practiced since the dawn of humanity. Various religions prescribe periods of fasting and the ancient Greeks did it for mental clarity. Fasting lowers inulin and does not burn muscle like many people think,” says Dr. Jason Fung​.

Watch the video interview and check out the full show and resource page: http://bit.ly/2h0bAeL

Show Notes

02:17 History of Fasting: Fasting has been done since the dawn of humanity. Religions prescribe periods of fasting. Ancient Greeks did it for mental clarity. In the last 50 years there has been a strong move against fasting.

03:06 Nothing Wrong with Fasting: Dr. Fung investigated fasting and found that fasting had a great many benefits. Periodic fasting allows your body to burn off fat. Dr. Fung uses it with all of his overweight patients. Blood sugar medications need to be monitored closely once implementing fasting, or blood sugar could go too low.05:25 Hypoglycemia: If you are taking blood sugar meds, you may become hypoglycemic.

09:42 Muscle Loss and Fasting: Starvation mode and muscle loss are two of the many myths. Hypoglycemia is not a big concern unless you are taking blood sugar meds. As you fast, you will consume glycogen.

16:53 Hormones of Fasting: Fasting increases growth hormone. It increases noradrenaline. These are counter regulatory hormones, which counter the effect of insulin. Insulin lowers blood glucose.

22:04 Three Day a Week Fast: Dr. Fung does 24 hour fasts. He skips breakfast and lunch, going from dinner to dinner. This allows him to have dinner with his family.

26:32 Anti-Aging Benefits: Skin is protein, so skin may alter with intermittent fasting. During the process of fasting, you get rid of old cells as part of renovation.

28:44 Autophagy: mTOR is a major regulator of autophagy. Protein turns off autophagy. mTOR is a nutrient sensor, sensing protein.

33:37 Salt and Fasting: One reason why Dr. Fung’s patients use bone broth during a fast is for salt intake.

35:49 Kidney Function:

37:07 Hormone Impacts: The main hormone affected by fasting is insulin.

42:17 Cortisol and Fasting: Cortisol does rise with fasting. It is part of the counter regulatory hormones.

43:14 Noradrenaline: As this hormone rises, you get more energy and you don’t get the basal metabolic rate decrease that you get with caloric restriction. This is the key to weight loss.

48:09 Calories: Calories have nothing to do with weight loss. Fasting is about the time spent not eating. Fasting is about changing your hormones.

49:50 Nutrient Changes in the 1950s: There was little obesity. People ate cookies, white bread and ice cream. You ate within a 10 hour window.

54:51 Bullet Proof Coffee/Fat Fasting: Many of the benefits of fasting come from reducing insulin. Pure fat has almost no insulin effect.

56:26 Ketogenic Diet: Intermittent fasting and ketogenic diet are along the same spectrum, close cousins. The ultra-low carb ketogenic diet lowers insulin. Low carb diet delivers 71% of the insulin lowering of fasting. Many diseases of hyperinsulinemia, obesity and type 2 diabetes, can be treated effectively with a ketogenic diet. Fasting is easy for those of us on a ketogenic or low carb diet because our bodies become well adapted to fat metabolism after the first 2 weeks. Ketones may suppress the appetite.

01:00:39 Dr. Fung’s Morning Routine:

01:03:45 Dr. Fung’s Favorite Nutrient:

01:07:54 Dr. Fung’s Elevator Pitch: We need to teach people about the therapeutic value of fasting. It has the potential to change the entire health system of the world. Most of what we do is treat diabetes, high blood pressure and all of the downstream issues. All of this can be taken care of for free. We need to spread the knowledge of how to do it.

Watch the video interview and check out the full show and resource page: http://bit.ly/2h0bAeL