It is no secret that our immune system is an incredibly important, not to mention incredibly complex part of the body that helps protect against illness and disease. What if I told you in just three days you could regenerate your entire immune system, by doing nothing at all?
I know you have probably heard of fasting as a body cleanse or a way to shed a few pounds, but has anyone ever told you too fast for your immune system? New research from The University of Southern California shows that fasting as little as eight days a year could benefit your body and make it healthier.
The theory is fasting two to four days at a time every six months causes stem cells to awake from their normal sleeping state and to start regenerating themselves. The research also showed that the fasting destroyed damaged cells and caused new cells to be born, this means a renewed immune system. “When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged.”
After the fast, the body begins to generate new blood cells when the nutrients start to flow back into the system. The immune system is made up of the lymphatic system, the thymus and spleen and the bone marrow as well as the white blood cells in the circulatory system, they work together to kill off pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi. So keeping the immune system fit is optimum for good health!
“[I]f you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system,” Longo said in a university press release.
Cancer patients can benefit from this kind of fasting as well. It can strengthen the immune system, but also rid the body of large amounts of toxins as well, such as the ones that build up during a course of chemotherapy. Longer term fasting may also be beneficial for those who are battling cancer.
Another thing to remember is that there are many different types of fasting, some more restrictive than others, so if you are considering it do your research and find out what best suits your health needs.