Did you know your body eats itself daily? Learn about autophagy (self-eating) fasting and exercises for numerous health benefits

Before anyone freaks out, let’s get some clarity on what exactly is “autophagy”. The term “auto” (self) and “phagein” (eat), translates to “eat the self.” This is a mechanism of the body that happens right from our birth, without conscious effort.

It’s a way for the body to cleanse itself. “Think of it as our body’s innate recycling program,” says Colin Champ, MD, an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

The eating here refers to the eating of the microscopic cells. When in autophagy mode, your body’s cells create membranes that find dead, diseased, or worn-out cells, eat them up, and use the resulting molecules for energy or for making new cell parts. What you can do is boost this process in your body, and reap its many health benefits.

A 2012 study on mice, found that autophagy can protect against:

-Cancer

-Neurodegenerative Disorders

-Infections

-Inflammatory Diseases

-Aging

-Insulin Resistance

Another study showed that removing the autophagy gene in mice caused weight gain, lethargy, higher cholesterol, and impaired brain function.

“Autophagy makes us more efficient machines to get rid of faulty parts, stop cancerous growths, and stop metabolic dysfunction like obesity and diabetes,” Champ says.

Autophagy is a response to stress, so to trigger it requires you to put your body through some hardship. Essentially, you need to starve your cells of energy. Once your body enters autophagy, it will begin repairing damaged cells and breaking down old cells for fuel. You can increase autophagy through exercise or fasting. Read on to learn how.

Ketosis happens when your body doesn't have enough carbohydrates to burn for energy. So, the idea is to reduce carbs in the body to such low levels that the body has no choice but to use fat for energy. This is how the wildly popular ketogenic diet works.

Keto diets are high in fat and low in carbs. Ketosis can help people lose body fat while retaining muscle. Some studies suggest that it also may help the body fight cancerous tumors, lower diabetes risk, and protect against brain disorders.

“Ketosis is like an autophagy hack. You get a lot of the same metabolic changes and benefits of fasting without actually fasting,” Champ says.

It is best to consult your doctor first before going on a keto diet, especially if you have any health condition such as kidney or liver problems.

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Intermittent fasting is another great way to induce autophagy. But this may not be everyone’s cup of tea. In order to enter the autophagy phase through intermittent fasting, you need to fast for a minimum of 14 to 16 hours.

A research review found that intermittent fasting and autophagy can make cancer treatments more effective while protecting normal cells and reducing the side effects.

Working out, especially intense workouts and weight training, damages your muscles. This causes microscopic tears that your body rushes to heal. Regular exercise can boost your body’s self-cleansing process.

A 2012 study of mice looked at autophagosomes, structures that form around pieces of cells the body has decided to recycle.

The researchers found that the rate at which the mice were healthily demolishing their own cells increased after they ran for 30 minutes on a treadmill. The rate continued to increase until the mice had been running for 80 minutes.

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It is important to remember that you don’t have to stay in ketosis, fast, or exercise intensely all the time and every day to get the benefits of autophagy. Just a few hours here and there occasionally can also help.

In case you choose to fast, drink plenty of water to remain hydrated.

During an extended fast, make sure you do not deprive your body of the primary electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These are essential to stay alert and healthy. If you are not eating food, then taking supplements (consult your doctor for what all to take and how much) are necessary, or you could feel dizzy and get headaches.

The safest way to begin a fast for autophagy is to start small, especially if you’ve never fasted before.

Also, fasting, in general, is not recommended for children, and people with diabetes or for pregnant women. Autophagy is still a subject under research and study, and at present there is no guarantee that it could prevent or cure cancer or slow-down aging.