My Experience During The Fasting-Mimicking Diet - #FMD #TheLongevityDiet #ValterLongoPhD

In this post I briefly share my experience doing the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD), a calorically-restricted diet that is designed to reap the benefits of fasting, without the negative effects from extended periods of water only fasts.  I'll be sharing our FMD meals in my next post.  I briefly explain the FMD, and why we decided to give it try in my previous post, with more details in this post.

Super delicious spaghetti squash w/ garden herbs & pine nuts & broccoli w/ red bell pepper - 
one of our fasting-mimicking diet meals

The FMD was developed by Valter Longo, PhD after observing his mentor, Roy Walford, and others who participated in the Biosphere 2 experiment, where participants sustained a severe calorie-restricted diet for two years.  Upon watching them exit the Biosphere back in 1992, Longo thought to himself, "There must be a better way to delay aging and prevent disease." After over a decade of research, including on how to help cancer patients, the FMD was born.  

In The Longevity Diet, Longo's discusses how he and his team determined that in his cancer studies with mice, four major changes in the blood needed to occur to indicate that the mice were in a protected state as a result of fasting:

1. Lower levels of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor, a hormone that is essential for growth in children, peaks during puberty, but decreases as we age.  Low levels are associated with cardiovascular disease, high levels are associated with cancer, while mid-range levels are associated with the lowest mortality.)
2. Lower levels of glucose.
3. Higher levels of ketone bodies, the by-product of fat breakdown.
4. Higher levels of IGFBP1.

To mimic fasting, he and his team created a diet low in protein and sugars, and rich in healthy fats, and called it the fasting-mimicking diet (FMD); they later developed a product called ProLon for patients to have the precise nutrients and calories during the fast.  They also sell a special protein powder, shake, fasting nut-based bars, and a delicious looking almond cocoa 'L-Spread' made with almonds ~ known for their exquisite taste ~ sourced from an area in Italy known for its concentration of centenarians in the area villages.  (I have not tried any of it, and am not an affiliate, although that is an option.  Valter Longo does not receive profits from these products, rather he donates to further research.)

Don and I did our own version of the fasting-mimicking diet, creating meals according to his guidelines with 1100 total calories on day 1, and 800 calories for days 2-5.  Day 1 includes 500 calories from complex carbohydrates coming from vegetables (including pumpkin and mushrooms), 500 calories of healthy fats from a variety of nuts, seeds, and olive oil, 25 grams from protein, and a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement and daily omega-3 / omega-6 supplement.

He cautions against certain people doing the fasting-mimicking diet, including those taking medications for hypertension, or who have low blood pressure, athletes in training, pregnant women, and others.

Please do not do this diet without reading his book first (The Longevity Diet), reading about the fasting-mimicking diet on his website, or consulting physician trained in the FMD.

Why did I / We Decide to Do the Fasting-Mimicking Diet?

Well, I realized going in that I may not be a good candidate for the FMD because of my history of having low blood pressure (LBP).  But, ever one to learn from direct experience, I committed to doing this along side Don, who had his own reasons for giving this a try.  

During our low-carb / ketogenic / 'hypercarnivore' days, our cholesterol shot up way high (total over 300), and we experienced several other symptoms the longer we remained on a plant-poor diet.  We have not  taken a blood test since.

Given that it can take years to reverse certain diseased states, especially atherosclerosis or fatty build up in our arteries or organs, we figured this would be, as it is touted, a good reset. Our organs, especially our kidneys (typically) weaken with age.  Acidic, pro-inflammatory, meat-based diets will accelerate that process!  Although we have been plant-based again for about 3 years now, appropriately planned, periodic fasting can help clean out toxins, along with many other positive benefits.  Fasting has been practiced by religious and spiritual groups for centuries.

My Experience During The Fasting-Mimicking Diet

So what was my experience during the fasting-mimicking diet?  Aside from loving the food, how did I feel?  How would I compare doing the FMD to the Brown Rice Diet?

I think it will be easiest to answer this in bullet points.  What worked, what was challenging, and what did I learn?

First up, the more challenging aspects I experienced during the fasting-mimicking diet:

• The FMD was a bit of a challenge for me as I had to spend more time mentally pre-planning our meals to get the right amount of calories from the vegetables and fats.  (There was an upside to this, outlined below.)
• I spent a LOT of time preparing the meals.  (They sell a 5-Day Prolong / FMD kit which are precisely calibrated for those who may want to try this on their own.)
• The last couple days were rough!  My blood pressure got VERY low.  I was increasing my sodium intake as best I could.  On Thursday, day 4, I woke during the night, and felt like I had strained breathing.  Like I couldn't get enough oxygen in.  I felt restless or agitated, almost panicky.  I got up and laid on my back on the ground with my legs propped for a while, which helped.  During that time (around 3:00 am), I took my blood pressure.  It was 85/52, and my pulse was 77.  A little later, I tested again.  The second time my BP was 92/53, yet my pulse went up to 81.  My heart definitely felt like it was racing.  Later, after getting out of bed for the day, and having some Ume Sho Ban Tea (for the sodium), my BP measured 111/58, pulse rate 68.   That was at 7:17 am.  On Saturday, the morning after completing our fasting-mimicking diet, my BP was 87/53!  Pulse - 61.  I felt like I was in fight or flight mode, with an inner shakiness that lingered much of the day.
• I had increasing abdominal discomfort, with poor elimination.  Go figure, despite all these veggies! My lower stomach felt very full, until I finally let it all go Saturday morning.  Whew, what a relief!  
• My weight fluctuated a bit, going down over a pound, then returning to normal.  Then back down a pound by Sunday, after finally emptying out the 'trash' that was stock piling in my intestines. My lean mass fluctuated slightly in both directions, though pretty negligible.  My body fat percentage hovers around 24.6, considered low, though my body fat mass at 25.5 pounds is in the standard range according to our Hume app and scale.  The following days, my lean mass had continued to trend up slightly.
• I had a pretty full schedule throughout this week, especially given how much more time I also spent doing food prep.  I could not do our training though, and barely did any yoga.  I only managed to walk beyond the rest of my normal indoor chores, gardening, and work schedule.  My energy output was no doubt too high for the caloric input!  Just the way the ducks lined up that week.
• I felt pretty light headed a few times throughout the week, especially the last couple days.

The Upside of My Experience During the Fasting-Mimicking Diet

• Despite the time factor, I LOVED our meals.  Fats (avocados, extra virgin olive oil, tahini, walnuts, etc.) help make vegetables taste good! 
• All the pre-planning helped me realize that I need to do more of that to stay on track with my health goals, as opposed to starting to cook when hungry, and preparing meals without full awareness of the macronutrient break down.  I have tracked food intake off and on for years, so I have some idea, however, just winging it doesn't cut it if you have health goals you want to achieve.  
• The first three days were not all that bad.  We were both surprised as to how well we managed on far less calories.
• Despite feeling challenged to maintain my schedule, and feeling light headed at times, I also had good mental clarity and focus throughout the week.  Not all day, but I managed way better than expected, overall.

Would I do the 5-day fasting-mimicking diet again?

I never want to say never, however, at this point, I would say no.  I would, however, do it for three days, and I am  interested in trying their one-day fasting reset kit.  Although we are typically more budget savvy, DIY types, I am intrigued to try their 1-day reset kit.  I am curious how I would feel using their food which has been precisely created with all necessary nutrients to maximize the benefits of fasting.  It would certainly make things much easier as well.  And it's all plant-based, with the exception of one of their bars that has honey.

How Would I Compare The Brown Rice Diet to The FMD?

Metabolically speaking, I did not take before and after blood tests to give any objective data for either diet.  My experience is purely subjective, aside from weight changes.

The Brown Rice Diet was sooooo much easier!  Meal prep was a breeze.  I didn't need to do a lot of pre-planning, other than making sure I had sufficient amount of rice and rice cakes on hand during our long day away from home.  Adding in very simply prepared Miso Soup and fermented vegetables, and our homemade Gomashio (Sesame Salt) made it very enjoyable.

Here's my video from Day 7 of the Brown Rice Diet / Ohsawa Diet No. 7.    You may also want to watch this video summarizing my experiences.

There's something magical about brown rice.  Beyond the inviting, nutty aroma it elicits as it cooks, eating brown rice elevates my mood, and harmonizes my energy -  unlike any other food(s) I have eaten.  

Sure, I have had euphoric sensations indulging in rich, creamy (plant-based) desserts, and perfectly seasoned ethnic foods.  But it's not the same.  Brown rice harmonizes my energy.  It elicits a calm, happy feeling that is unexpected, and bubbles up from deep within.  

I've heard people say they get constipated eating rice.  It could be how it's prepared.  It could be that it was not cooked with or enjoyed with enough salt.  And it could be because of a habit of not chewing your food well.  We are meant to sit and enjoy our meals in a relaxed, versus hurried state.  Chewing slows us down, helps us digest our food, and can be, well, a spiritual experience!

I'll share my fasting-mimicking diet meals, next post.  

Here's the first post in The Fasting-Mimicking Diet series.

#FMD #fastingmimickingdiet #thelongevitydiet #drvalterlongo