World No.1 Fasting Expert: The Link Between Cancer & Fasting That They're Hiding From You!

Name: World No.1 Fasting Expert: The Link Between Cancer & Fasting That They're Hiding From You!
Uploaded: 2025-09-01T07:00:46.000Z
Duration: 2 h 42 min 9 s

The Benefits of Fasting

Overview of Fasting's Impact on Health

Fasting is presented as the most effective treatment for high blood pressure, a leading cause of death and disability. It also reduces insulin resistance and enhances cognitive capacities while positively affecting depression and anxiety.

The discussion highlights that fasting helps mobilize visceral fat, which contributes to various health issues like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Many individuals maintain higher levels of visceral fat than necessary.

Dr. Alan Goldhammer's Experience

Dr. Alan Goldhammer has dedicated his life to helping people reverse chronic diseases through medically supervised fasting, emphasizing that modern society often promotes unhealthy lifestyles.

He notes that the chemical changes from fasting mirror those from exercise, including increased BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), which protects against Alzheimer's disease.

Water Fasting Insights

Water fasting has shown significant benefits for patients who have not found success with medications, particularly in conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Dr. Goldhammer emphasizes that all humans possess the capacity to fast effectively.

Understanding Therapeutic Fasting

Definition and Methodology

Therapeutic fasting involves complete abstinence from all substances while ensuring rest to maximize its effectiveness.

Active engagement during fasting can lead to muscle breakdown instead of fat loss; thus, resting is crucial for optimal results.

Physiological Changes During Fasting

The body undergoes complex physiological adaptations when fasting. Initially, glucose is used as fuel until glycogen stores are depleted after about 24 hours.

Once glycogen is exhausted, the body shifts from burning sugar to burning fat for energy, allowing it to sustain longer periods without food.

This structured summary captures key insights from the transcript regarding the benefits and mechanisms of fasting as discussed by Dr. Alan Goldhammer. Each point links back to specific timestamps for easy reference.

Understanding Fasting and Its Effects on the Body

The Mechanism of Fasting

When fasting, the body can switch from burning glucose to fat for energy, allowing a 70 kg male to potentially fast for up to 70 days.

On a typical American diet, the body primarily breaks down food into glucose. Upon cessation of eating, it begins converting fat into ketones as an alternative fuel source for the brain.

Initially, glycogen stores in muscles and liver provide glucose for about 24 hours after stopping food intake; once depleted, the body must either burn fat or break down lean tissue.

Evolutionary Adaptation and Dietary Excess

The human brain's large size necessitated an evolutionary adaptation to utilize alternative fuels like ketones during periods of food scarcity.

While this adaptation is crucial for survival, modern dietary excess has led to unhealthy applications of this biological mechanism.

Historically, most humans faced challenges in obtaining enough food; today's consistent access to calories has resulted in widespread health issues.

Health Implications of Dietary Excess

Diseases such as heart disease and diabetes were once rare among common people but have become prevalent due to excessive calorie consumption.

Conditions previously associated with wealth (e.g., gout and heart disease) are now common due to increased caloric intake across all demographics.

The rise in obesity rates correlates with visceral fat accumulation around organs, which is linked to inflammation and various diseases.

Physiological Changes During Fasting

As fasting progresses beyond 24 hours, the body transitions from using glucose to predominantly utilizing ketones produced from fat metabolism.

Within approximately 16–48 hours of fasting, significant metabolic shifts occur where beta-hydroxybutyric acid becomes a primary fuel source for the brain.

Neuroprotective Benefits of Ketones

Higher levels of beta-hydroxybutyric acid enhance production of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which protects against oxidative damage linked to conditions like Alzheimer's disease.

Studies show that exercise increases BDNF levels; similarly, fasting also promotes its production despite being a resting state activity.

Understanding the Benefits of Fasting and Exercise

The Connection Between Fasting and Exercise

Both exercise and fasting help reverse the effects of dietary excess, particularly by reducing visceral fat and inflammation linked to various diseases.

During fasting, the body enters a state called autophagy, which is essential for removing damaged cells and waste products from the body.

Autophagy: A Key Process in Health

Research on rodents shows that periodic fasting can increase lifespan significantly (by 30% to 100%) compared to unrestricted eating.

The argument presented is that overfeeding is detrimental; it doesn't just shorten lifespan but leads to health issues like visceral fat accumulation.

Dietary Intake vs. Fasting

Avoiding excessive caloric intake is crucial; however, modern food often contains chemicals that disrupt natural satiety signals, leading to overeating.

Chemicals such as salt, oil, and sugar are not true foods but hyper-concentrated components that enhance taste while promoting overeating through increased dopamine stimulation.

The Role of Caloric Density in Eating Habits

Foods high in caloric density trigger more dopamine release due to evolutionary adaptations for survival during scarcity.

Today’s environment offers unlimited access to these hyper-concentrated foods, making it easy to overconsume without realizing it.

Intermittent Fasting vs. Caloric Restriction

Intermittent fasting (or time-restricted feeding), such as avoiding food 3–4 hours before sleep, can help manage calorie intake effectively.

Limiting eating windows may reduce unnecessary snacking driven by boredom or fatigue rather than hunger.

Practical Applications of Feeding Windows

A suggested approach includes an 8-hour feeding window with a 16-hour fast for weight loss benefits while allowing time for morning exercise.

However, individuals with higher caloric needs (like athletes) may require longer feeding windows to meet their energy demands effectively.

Cognitive Performance and Diet: The Impact of Ketosis

Effects of Diet on Cognitive Function

The speaker notes improved cognitive performance during a ketogenic diet or fasting, contrasting it with the diminished ability to articulate thoughts while on a standard Western diet.

It is suggested that ketones may not directly enhance cognitive function; rather, fluctuations in blood sugar levels from refined carbohydrates could impair mental clarity.

High insulin levels from carbohydrate intake can lead to low blood sugar, which negatively affects cognitive abilities due to instability in glucose and insulin levels.

Juice Fasting vs. Water Fasting

Juice fasting is described as a modified eating approach rather than true fasting, lacking essential nutrients and fiber while being high in sugar.

Juice fasting may help individuals transition away from unhealthy diets by providing appealing calories without processed foods but lacks the detoxifying benefits of water fasting.

Water fasting is considered superior for detoxification effects compared to juice fasting, although juice fasts can be safer for those on medications since they maintain feeding physiology.

Guidelines for Extended Water Fasting

Patients at the facility undergo 5 to 40 days of water-only fasting using fractionally steamed distilled water, ensuring no supplements or medications are taken during this period.

Not everyone is suitable for extended water fasts; medical history and lab tests must confirm kidney and liver functions are adequate before proceeding with such fasts.

Monitoring During Fasting

Active individuals may lose lean tissue instead of fat during fasting; thus, monitoring is crucial to ensure health safety throughout the process.

Physiological dehydration and electrolyte changes occur during fasting, necessitating careful observation by healthcare professionals.

Refeeding Protocol After Fasting

A gradual refeeding protocol post-fasting is critical to avoid complications like refeeding syndrome or edema; patients should ideally have controlled refeeding lasting about half the duration of their fast.

The goal after refeeding is transitioning back to a whole plant food diet free from added sugars (SOS: Sugar, Oil, Salt).

The Impact of Fasting on Health

Understanding the Role of Salt, Oil, and Sugar

SOS is described as the international symbol of danger, representing salt, oil, and sugar—chemicals that contribute to obesity and health issues.

Patient Demographics and Conditions

A variety of patients come for 5 to 40-day water fasts, often suffering from conditions like high blood pressure. Research indicates a strong correlation between fasting and improved health outcomes.

Successful Outcomes from Fasting Studies

In studies conducted with T. Colin Campbell, 174 individuals normalized their blood pressure without medication after fasting. Another study showed that out of 27 participants with hypertension, 26 achieved normal blood pressure post-fasting.

Long-term Effects Post-Fasting

After an average two-week fast followed by a week of refeeding, many participants maintained weight loss and normal blood pressure for over a year without medication—a significant achievement in long-term health interventions.

Physiological Changes During Fasting

Fasting induces ketosis where fat becomes the primary fuel source; it also alters psychological relationships with food. Participants experience changes in body composition—losing visceral fat while maintaining lean tissue mass during fasting periods.

Pain Perception and Athleticism

The discussion highlights how athletes may have a different relationship with pain compared to non-athletes; discomfort can be associated with positive responses rather than something to avoid entirely during fasting interventions.

Dietary Interventions vs. Fasting

While dietary changes alone (like adopting a Mediterranean diet) could help maintain muscle mass without losing lean tissue, fasting offers unique benefits such as rapid mobilization of visceral fat crucial for those with chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes.

Water Fasting and Its Impact on Health

The Efficiency of Water Fasting for Visceral Fat Loss

Water fasting is highlighted as an effective method for mobilizing visceral fat, which is the fat surrounding internal organs.

While ketogenic diets can induce ketosis through high-fat, high-protein intake, they may have health risks associated with excessive animal protein consumption.

Nutritional Balance and Dietary Needs

Essential nutrients include fats, proteins, and carbohydrates; a whole plant food diet can provide all necessary nutrients without relying on animal products or processed foods.

A whole plant food SOS-free (salt, oil, sugar-free) diet offers quality nutrition while minimizing dietary excess risks.

Unique Benefits of Water Fasting

Water fasting rapidly reduces visceral fat and lowers blood pressure more effectively than other medical or lifestyle interventions.

Fasting has been shown to reduce insulin resistance significantly; many type 2 diabetics achieve normal blood sugar levels without medication through fasting.

Gut Microbiome Rebooting Through Fasting

Fasting acts like a reboot for the human body, particularly affecting the gut microbiome by altering the balance of bacteria based on dietary intake.

Different diets lead to different gut organisms; fasting decreases total organisms but allows for regrowth of beneficial bacteria upon refeeding.

Importance of Refeeding After Fasting

Careful refeeding post-fasting is crucial to restore healthy gut flora balance, potentially aiding conditions like ulcerative colitis and IBS.

The gut microbiome's health impacts cognitive functions due to its role in producing neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Gender Considerations in Fasting Effects

Women's hormonal fluctuations necessitate consideration when discussing fasting effects; conditions such as fibrocystic breast disease are linked to hormone levels influenced by gut microbiome health.

Studies indicate that fasting positively affects liver function and may reverse fatty liver disease.

Fasting and Its Impact on Health

The Role of Fasting in Disease Management

Fasting may lead to a "reboot" of the gut microbiome, potentially explaining improvements in conditions like fibrocystic breast disease and dysmenorrhea post-fasting.

While fasting can provide short-term benefits, it must be coupled with lifestyle changes for long-term success; education is crucial to motivate these changes.

Case Study: Lymphoma and Dietary Influence

A case study published in the British Medical Journal highlighted a young woman with follicular lymphoma who opted for fasting over chemotherapy despite her oncologist's belief that diet was irrelevant.

After three weeks of fasting, her tumors visibly shrank; however, skepticism remained regarding whether this was due to fasting or natural remission.

Long-Term Follow-Up and Results

Following a three-year period where strict dietary adherence was required, CT scans confirmed she remained cancer-free; this led to further publication of her case.

Over ten years later, she continues to follow a whole plant food SOS-free diet and has shared her experience publicly, attracting more patients seeking similar treatments.

Additional Patient Experiences

Another patient with stage 4 lymphoma underwent multiple fasts after failing chemotherapy; his oncologist initially opposed but later acknowledged his improvement.

The discussion emphasizes that while remission can occur through fasting, it does not equate to a cure—conditions like lymphoma require ongoing management rather than definitive cures.

Understanding Chronic Conditions and Fasting Benefits

Chronic conditions such as obesity or high blood pressure can be managed but not cured; returning to unhealthy habits will likely result in relapse.

A 40-day water fast results in significant missed meals (120 plates), allowing the body energy to address accumulated health issues without the burden of digestion.

Autoimmune Diseases and Gut Health

Autoimmune diseases stem from an overactive immune response often linked to leaky gut syndrome; fasting may help heal gut permeability issues.

By reducing inflammation during fasting, the body can focus on healing processes that repair intestinal integrity and mitigate autoimmune responses.

Diet and Fasting: Managing Health Conditions

Healing the Gut and Dietary Changes

After healing the gut, returning to a diet free from free radicals (e.g., avoiding smoking, alcohol, high-fat, and fried foods) can help manage health conditions with a whole plant food SOS-free diet.

While individuals may not be cured by dietary changes alone, adhering to a healthy diet can help manage conditions without relying on powerful medications that often have long-term side effects.

Water Fasting Protocol

During a 40-day water fast, only water is provided while monitoring electrolytes and blood levels to ensure nutrient recycling remains adequate.

If potassium or sodium levels drop below safe thresholds during fasting, refeeding protocols are initiated using broths and juices to prevent deficiency symptoms.

Refeeding After Fasting

Upon completing a fast (e.g., 5-day or 40-day), the refeeding protocol begins with fresh fruit and vegetable juices for one day per week of fasting.

The initial focus is on introducing food without fiber to ease digestive challenges. Juices are given in the morning to avoid sleep disruption as they quickly raise blood sugar levels.

Gradual Introduction of Solid Foods

After acclimating to juices, raw fruits and vegetables are introduced next, followed by more concentrated foods like steamed starchy vegetables until patients return to a whole plant food SOS-free diet by halfway through the refeeding phase.

Benefits of Fasting for Healthy Individuals

Research indicates that even healthy individuals benefit from fasting; improvements in cardiovascular risk factors such as weight management and body fat percentage have been observed.

Fasting Benefits and Protocols

Health Improvements from Fasting

Healthy individuals experience significant health benefits from fasting, including lower blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and body fat percentage. Short fasts (5 to 10 days) are more beneficial for healthy people than prolonged fasts.

The duration of fasting should be tailored to the individual's health condition; those with severe issues may require longer fasts compared to those with mild conditions.

Frequency and Duration of Fasting

It is recommended that healthy individuals practice daily fasting for at least 12 hours. Annual week-long fasts can also yield profound effects on health if the individual is clinically stable.

Many people who consider themselves healthy may not meet objective health standards due to hidden biomarkers like visceral fat and inflammation. Only about 2% to 12% of people are truly healthy based on various studies.

Tailored Fasting Recommendations

Different personas benefit from fasting in unique ways:

Healthy individuals gain introspection and improved dietary choices.

Those looking to lose weight can expect a structured approach based on their specific needs.

For generally healthy individuals, fasting serves as a reset for taste preferences and gut microbiome, enhancing cognitive function and mood.

Weight Loss Protocol through Fasting

The duration of fasting for weight loss varies by individual response; typically, it takes about three weeks for someone who is overweight (e.g., 20 pounds over ideal weight) to reach their target weight while losing approximately one pound per day.

Monitoring during fasting is crucial to prevent weakness or depletion; the goal is to ensure continued improvement in health markers post-fasting.

Understanding Fasting Outcomes

Outcome data shows changes in body weight during fasting periods. Individuals often continue losing fat even after refeeding begins, indicating effective long-term results from short-term fasting protocols.

Studies reveal that participants maintain their body change percentages over time following a structured refeeding process after fasting.

Fasting and Body Composition Changes

Weight Loss and Maintenance

Participants lost about 10% of their body weight over an average of two weeks of fasting, followed by a week of refeeding at the facility. They maintained this weight change even after 65 days.

Understanding Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is the harmful type that accumulates around organs and contributes to inflammation. It differs from subcutaneous fat, which is located just beneath the skin.

Evolutionary Perspective on Fat Storage

The human body evolved in an environment where food scarcity was common, leading to genetic programming that favors fat storage for survival. This can be detrimental in modern times with dietary excess.

Effects of Fasting on Health

Fasting helps preferentially mobilize visceral fat, reducing it significantly while preserving other tissues like muscle. The body's intelligence allows it to prioritize which fats to burn during fasting.

Blood Pressure and Lean Mass Changes

Blood pressure decreases during fasting and continues to lower with refeeding. Patients with stage three hypertension experienced significant reductions in systolic blood pressure without medication.

Lean mass also decreases during fasting but recovers during refeeding, often resulting in higher lean mass percentages than baseline after six weeks.

Fasting's Impact on PCOS

Treatment Efficacy for Women with PCOS

Many patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have successfully treated their symptoms through fasting, diet changes, and lifestyle modifications.

Case Studies on Menstrual Cycle Regulation

A personal account highlights how removing sugar from the diet helped regulate menstrual cycles for women suffering from PCOS, demonstrating the impact of dietary changes on hormonal health.

Pregnancy Outcomes Post-Fasting

Women who fasted reported improved fertility outcomes; many were able to conceive within one or two cycles after treatment despite previous difficulties related to hormonal imbalances.

Hormonal Responses During Fasting

Extended fasting can stress the body and potentially disrupt menstrual cycles as a protective mechanism against resource scarcity; however, optimal weight maintenance can mitigate these effects.

Disruption of Menstrual Cycle and Fasting

Impact of Weight Loss on Menstrual Cycle

Disruption of the menstrual cycle can occur due to rapid or excessive weight loss; however, fasting may help normalize hormonal cycles for some patients.

The body requires energy for menstrual functions; if it senses insufficient energy reserves, it may shut down the menstrual cycle as a protective mechanism.

Fasting and Hormonal Balance

Not all individuals experience menstrual disruption while fasting; many maintain hormonal balance despite reduced caloric intake.

Extended fasting can enhance willpower, motivation, and discipline in individuals, leading to improvements in various life areas unrelated to health.

Overcoming Fear of Fasting

Many people fear starvation during fasting; however, after experiencing prolonged fasts (e.g., 5 to 40 days), they become less fearful about skipping meals.

Common misconceptions include fears about dying from starvation or severe depletion during fasting that are often unfounded.

Safety Concerns and Protocols in Fasting

Duration and Monitoring of Fasts

While a healthy male could theoretically fast for up to 70 days, most supervised fasts last between 10 to 40 days due to safety concerns regarding electrolyte balance.

Fasting is viewed as a medical intervention rather than a frequent lifestyle choice; periodic fasting is recommended based on individual health conditions.

Risks Associated with Water Fasts

Key risks include orthostatic hypotension (dizziness upon standing), dehydration, and potential cardiac dysrhythmias. Regular monitoring is essential during extended fast periods.

Misconceptions About Fasting

Understanding Body's Response During Fasting

A prevalent misconception is that fasting leads to muscle depletion and immediate weight regain post-fast without any beneficial changes in body composition.

Instinctive fears surrounding food scarcity drive misconceptions about fasting being harmful when it can actually serve as an adaptive survival tool.

Fasting and Its Spiritual Significance

The Role of Fasting in Major Religions

Fasting is a common practice across major religions, including Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism. Each tradition holds fasting in high regard due to its transformative effects on self-perception and worldview.

Fasting is closely linked to spiritual practices such as meditation and achieving mental clarity.

Mechanisms Behind Fasting

The discussion highlights various mechanisms involved in fasting beyond weight loss. It emphasizes the need to explore these lesser-known aspects.

One significant effect of fasting is the body’s natural diuretic response, leading to rapid fluid loss as excess sodium is expelled from the system.

Sodium's Impact on Health

Excess sodium can lead to health issues like hypertension and obesity. It promotes passive overeating by enhancing food palatability through dopamine stimulation.

Foods high in salt can trick the brain into consuming more than necessary, which contributes to unhealthy eating habits.

Detoxification During Fasting

Fasting initiates detoxification processes that help eliminate accumulated toxins from the body. This includes harmful substances found in animal products.

The body's ability to mobilize and eliminate toxins improves with repeated fasting experiences, making it an effective method for detoxification.

Autonomic Nervous System Balance

Fasting significantly impacts the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates involuntary bodily functions. A balanced ANS is crucial for overall health.

Various healing methods aim to rebalance the ANS; however, fasting has been identified as one of the most powerful techniques for achieving this balance.

Taste Adaptation Through Fasting

Research indicates that fasting alters taste perception; post-fast, healthier foods become more appealing compared to conventional diets where processed foods dominate.

Fasting and Dietary Changes: Transforming Taste and Health

The Impact of Fasting on Food Preferences

Whole fruits and vegetables, without added salt, oil, or sugar, become more appealing after fasting. Over time, individuals may prefer these whole plant foods over processed options.

Fasting induces significant changes in cravings and food preferences that are not easily measurable but greatly affect people's well-being.

Personal experiences reveal that dietary shifts (like the ketogenic diet) can alter taste perception; for instance, sugar-free drinks may taste excessively sweet when on a low-carb diet.

The ketogenic diet mimics some effects of fasting by changing taste sensitivity. Refined carbohydrates desensitize taste buds while whole plant foods help maintain taste acuity.

Foot Health and Natural Movement

Modern footwear often weakens foot strength and mobility. Transitioning to barefoot shoes can restore natural foot function and alleviate related pain issues.

Research indicates that wearing barefoot shoes for six months can significantly increase foot strength by up to 60%.

Guidance on Fasting Practices

A free consultation service is available for those interested in fasting. This includes guidance on safely entering a fast based on individual health assessments.

It’s crucial to seek medical advice before attempting water fasting to ensure proper hydration and refeeding practices post-fast.

Case Studies and Evidence Supporting Fasting

Notable case studies highlight the effectiveness of fasting in treating conditions like hypertension. Long-term fasting can normalize blood pressure when combined with healthy lifestyle choices.

Misconceptions About Health

A prevalent misconception is that health comes from quick fixes like pills rather than through consistent healthy living involving diet, sleep, and exercise.

The modern environment often promotes easy solutions over hard work necessary for genuine health improvements; understanding this distinction is vital for success in health endeavors.

Understanding Delayed Gratification and Its Impact on Life

The Concept of Delayed Gratification

The speaker emphasizes the importance of prioritizing long-term benefits over short-term gains, suggesting that delayed gratification is a defining trait of the 21st century.

They reference classic psychological experiments with children and cookies to illustrate how waiting for greater rewards can lead to better outcomes in life.

Key Characteristics for Success and Happiness

The speaker identifies three essential traits to look for in relationships—honesty, integrity, and intelligence—as crucial for personal success and happiness.

Honesty involves telling the truth; integrity means doing the right thing; intelligence refers to executing tasks correctly. All three are necessary for achieving high levels of success.

The Importance of Health Studies

A major study is being launched involving 2,000 to 3,000 participants aimed at understanding how lifestyle choices can prevent disability in later years.

The focus is on diet, sleep, exercise, and fasting as methods to enhance quality of life during aging.

Fasting: Motivations and Outcomes

Patient Experiences with Fasting

One patient’s story illustrates the extreme lengths some individuals will go through—like a 41-day fast—to alleviate chronic pain from a traumatic brain injury.

Many patients who undertake long fasts are highly motivated by health issues or fear of death, often having exhausted other treatment options without success.

Challenges Faced by Patients

The speaker notes that while fasting itself may not be difficult, living healthily in a society designed around unhealthy habits poses significant challenges.

Successful patients often find it easier if they are less sociable or more focused on their health goals.

Psychological Benefits of Fasting

Resetting Habits Through Fasting

There is an emphasis on the psychological changes that occur during fasting which help reset cravings and habits alongside physiological changes.

Regularly engaging in ketosis or fasting serves as a powerful tool for resetting one’s dietary habits and urges.

This structured summary captures key insights from the transcript while providing timestamps for easy navigation back to specific points discussed.

Understanding Learned Helplessness and Health

The Impact of Medical Advice on Patient Mindset

A medical doctor informs patients with high blood pressure that they will remain sick for life if they follow prescribed treatments, which can lead to a sense of hopelessness.

This situation exemplifies learned helplessness, where individuals believe they cannot change their circumstances, leading them to stop trying to improve their health.

Studies show that when people are told they cannot change their situation, like the rats in experiments, they may give up entirely on seeking help or solutions.

Overcoming Negative Paradigms

The speaker invites individuals ready for a transformative experience to participate in a program at their center, suggesting it could lead to significant positive changes in health.

An announcement is made about launching a private community for deeper engagement with content and direct access to the host, emphasizing the importance of community feedback and involvement.