The potential benefits of fasting are numerous and powerful.
From curing Diabetes to helping prevent cancer, fasting has tremendous potential.
Yet most people have never even fasted for longer than 24 hours.
*Always consult your doctor before fasting or beginning any new diet or exercise program. This artile is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition (have to say it).
Let’s take a look at why fasting is so incredible and how it can dramatically improve your overall health and wellness.
“Overconsumption of food with such eating patterns often leads to metabolic morbidities (insulin resistance, excessive accumulation of visceral fat, etc.), particularly when associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Because animals, including humans, evolved in environments where food was relatively scarce, they developed numerous adaptations that enabled them to function at a high level, both physically and cognitively, when in a food-deprived/fasted state.”
Having constantly elevated insulin levels is NOT natural for the body and is highly undesirable and toxic.
Coupled with constant inflammation, our lipids get thrown into chaos and this environment within our body wreaks havoc on the cardiovascular system (atherosclerosis and “hardening” of the arteries.)
Multiply this by 10-20 years of damage, and the stage is set for all things bad.
All of this is due to the fact that we are simply not designed to be insulin resistant.
We’ve built up insulin resistance through the modern industrialized diet full of sugar, seed oils and chemicals.
Fasting will allow your glucose and insulin levels to drop, which will be soothing to the body and allow you to re-sensitize to insulin over time.
Both intermittent fasting and prolonged fasting can reap this benefit.
2. Prevent and Possibly Cure Some Cancers
Fasting has been shown to delay the growth of tumors in breast cancer (see here) and brain tumors (see here), as well as preventing their reoccurrence.
There are many different pathways that fasting can act on to achieve this.
Fasting can naturally reduce insulin and IGF-1, which can slow the growth of tumors.
Through autophagy, fasting can also cause the body to “eat” damaged cells before they become problematic.
Starving Cancer
Tumors often rely on glucose to survive and grow.
Fasting, especially longer duration fasts, will naturally lower glucose levels as the body shifts to ketosis, thus essentially “starving” the tumor of its preferred fuel source.
“Periodic fasting or FMDs consistently show powerful anticancer effects in mouse cancer models including the ability to potentiate chemoradiotherapy and TKIs and to trigger anticancer immunity.”
3. Fasting is Anti-inflammatory
Inflammation increases risk for many diseases, including heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and others.
Studies have consistently shown that fasting results in a decrease in inflammatory markers. (see here)
Inflammation is not a natural state for the body to constantly be in.
It is the result of living against our nature and genetics.
Again, we are designed for scarcity, NOT overindulgence.
We have not adapted to eating constant sugar and inflammatory, processed oils and foods.
Fasting can provide relief to the constant cycle of inflammation and lower our risk for many diseases.
I also highly recommend getting a quality omega-3 supplement as well to further reduce inflammation and improve your lipids.
I’ve had great results with cod liver oil, and I very highly recommend the brand below as one of the highest quality I’ve found.
4. Stem Cells and Anti-aging.
A fascinating study by MIT shows that age-related loss of stem cell function can be reversed by a 24 hour fast.
Stem cells are the body’s building blocks for all of our organs and tissues.
As we age, we lose the ability to regenerate, thus accumulating damage, also known as aging.
Fasting seems to stimulate stem cell production. This boosts the body’s ability to regenerate.
It’s possible that stem cell regeneration plays a significant role in this phenomenon.
5. Fasting can Make You Live Longer
We know that caloric restriction leads to a longer lifespan in both humans and animals.
We don’t know the exact mechanism for this, but the theories are very interesting.
Some believe that this is an adaptation billions of years old from prokaryotes (single-cell organisms) trying to survive amongst very limited resources.
We can view this today by observing that E. Coli will survive 4 times longer when given a calorie free medium vs. a calorie dense medium.
Coupled with the reduced insulin, inflammation and oxidation seen with fasting, there’s a very strong case that it is highly conducive to living longer.
6. Fasting can Protect the Brain
Several animal studies have concluded that fasting and low-calorie diets can delay cognitive decline.
Smaller human studies have also shown similar results.
It is known that diabetics have about twice the risk for Alzheimer’s, so we can reasonably assume that fasting will have a positive effect.
Fasting is possibly the best remedy for insulin resistance, so logically this makes a lot of sense.
A reduction in inflammation and an increased reliance on fat (ketones) also appear to be highly beneficial to the brain.
Many people swear by increased mental clarity even several days into an extended fast.
While we are still learning about how fasting affects the brain, it appears there may be significant neuroprotective benefit.
Final Thoughts and Recap
If one thing is clear in our current society, it’s that we are extremely unhealthy overall.
Obesity, insulin resistance, cancer and heart disease are all being caused by what we consume every day.
Fasting is one tool you can incorporate into your life to combat this trend and reclaim your natural health.
Combined with a diet free of sugars, industrial oils and processed foods, you’ll have a simple and powerful plan of attack to stay healthy, live longer and feel better.
If you’re searching for how to lower cholesterol naturally, you’ve come to the right place.
If you like, you can scroll straight down to the diet list of foods and supplements that naturally lower cholesterol.
But I do recommend reading the whole article to get a full picture of the problem and solution.
I’ve searched through research and listened to many experts who are on the cutting edge of this topic.
I’ve also experimented on myself after discovering my lipids were a mess.
This article is what I’ve discovered to be most useful and important.
*Note, I am not a doctor. This article is my opinion based on what I’ve seen and experienced and is not medical advice. You should always consult your doctor before taking any supplements, making dietary changes, or analyzing lab results.
There are some affiliate links in this article. All are products I’ve tried and believe can benefit you
Ok, that’s out of the way. Now let’s move on.
Why I’m Passionate About this Topic
A while back, I got some deep bloodwork done through a company called Marek Health.
I’d never really paid much attention to my cholesterol before, and assumed I was in great health.
I eat well (I thought), work out all the time, and feel good.
By outward appearances, I looked perfectly healthy and strong.
The results from the bloodwork shocked me.
My lipids (cholesterol) were a mess, my glucose levels were high and by all measures I was at a high risk for cardiovascular disease and pre-diabetes.
This led me down a path of getting as much information as I could to fix the problem asap.
And that’s exactly what I did.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is essentially a type of lipid (fat). It is a waxy substance that is made by the liver.
Cholesterol is made by the body because it is extremely important.
It is used by the body for everything from making hormones, to creating new cells.
The first thing to understand is that cholesterol is not “bad.”
It is actually vital, and you literally could not survive without it.
In fact, there are studies showing that certain types of cholesterol can be protective against diseases like Alzheimers.
The Framingham Study
Most of the current beliefs surrounding Cholesterol come from what is known as the Framingham Study.
The conclusion of this study was essentially that high cholesterol is bad and is predictor of heart disease.
This is known as the “lipid hypothesis” of heart disease.
The study further divided cholesterol into “good” HDL cholesterol, and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Major Flaws and Ulterior Motives
As with any study, it is very important not to just take its conclusions as objective truth.
The Framingham study has many flaws.
A great critique of it can be found here in more depth if you want to go deep down the rabbit hole.
From how it was funded, to the bias of those carrying out the study, to the fact that it’s a purely observational study (which can never be used to prove causation).
Despite many shortcomings, this study is still the reason your doctor will put you on statin drugs with an outdated and misinterpreted cholesterol test.
Statin drugs are one of the best-selling drugs on the market, and one of the biggest money-makers for pharmaceutical companies.
So obviously, contradicting the notion that cholesterol is the boogey-man is going to be bad for business…
Unfortunately, statin drugs come with a host of undesirable side effects, such as:
CoQ10 Depletion, which can damage heart function (see here)
Neurophathy (weakness, tingling, pain in the hands/feet)
The point of this first section is to highlight two important things:
Cholesterol is not in itself bad and has to be analyzed deeper. Traditional tests do NOT do this.
Statins are handed out like candy to anyone with even moderate cholesterol levels. This is more due to profits and ignorance than actual benefit to a given individual.
Logic and Reason
When I say that cholesterol is not “bad,” what I mean is this:
First, your body would not produce something and place such a high priority on it, with such complex mechanisms, if it was not extremely important and beneficial.
Second, we need to look deeper into our cholesterol to understand which parts are actually harming us and which are beneficial or benign.
And last, it is our diet and lifestyle that cause our cholesterol to become problematic, and it is probably fixable for most people without prescription medication.
This is where an advanced lipid panel comes in.
Before we discuss diet to lower cholesterol, we need to get an accurate picture of what our cholesterol profile looks like.
Below is my original lipid panel done through Marek Health. It was not pretty, as I said.
Advanced Lipid Panel.
To get an accurate picture of your lipids, you have to get an advanced panel.
The way most doctors are using the old method is unacceptable, as we know that we can easily get a much more accurate picture with additional measurements.
In my opinion, the old panel is used as it continues to allow the prescribing of the statin drugs. It’s part of the profit machine.
Most doctors are probably just taking the safe route and following the “standard of care,” in which case they are free from liability by prescribing statins for “high” cholesterol, as it is the accepted norm.
They should be discussing a diet to lower cholesterol, including lifestyle changes, before handing out medications.
The Real Cause of Heart Disease
While we’ve allowed cholesterol to be deemed the boogeyman in relation to heart disease, there’s another monster lurking in the shadows.
That monster is insulin resistance.
It is estimated that over 10% of the US population is diabetic, and up to 2/3 are pre-diabetic.
This is NOT natural. It’s a symptom of a massive problem in our society.
This means that through a poor diet and lack of exercise, our bodies have become full of inflammation and resistant to insulin, one of the most important hormones in the body.
When you eat sugars (carbohydrates), Insulin clears that sugar from the blood and stores it away inside cells. When you’re resistant, you cannot properly deal with that sugar.
The result is constant inflammation and oxidative stress, among other things.
The real enemies are sugar, dangerously unhealthy oils, and unhealthy chemicals in our food that cause all of this inflammation and stress.
If this article was titled “how to raise your cholesterol and increase risk of heart disease,” the recommendation would literally be the Standard American Diet.
It’s All About Your Diet
Starting with what you put into your body, it all comes full circle.
It goes something like this:
We eat a diet full of unhealthy sugars and carbs, seed oils and chemicals..
This leads to insulin resistance and inflammation, along with oxidative stress.
This inflammation and oxidative stress damages the LDL particles transporting cholesterol around your body, shrinking them.
Those now small LDL particles (Small LDL-P on the test), will wreak havoc on your vascular system and arteries, leading to further inflammation and plaque accumulation.
Further, eating this way can also lower your HDL or “good” cholesterol.
The test actually measures the size of the small LDL particles, giving you a snapshot of how damaged those particles really are, and how dangerous they may be.
LDL on its own is not necessarily “bad.”
The larger LDL particles are healthy and may not cause problems.
It’s the damaged particles that are dangerous, and that’s critical to understand.
A test that doesn’t differentiate between the two is throwing darts in the dark and handing you potentially harmful medication in the process.
Diet to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
So now the reason you probably clicked on this post in the first place.
What foods can lower your cholesterol naturally?
Here’s a list, with links to studies that show they work.
Note some similarities in a lot of these;
They often work as antioxidants and/or have anti-inflammatory properties.
This is addressing the root of the problem, as we discussed earlier.
Citrus Bergamot
One of the best supplements to lower cholesterol naturally is Citrus Bergamot.
Bergamot is a citrus fruit native to southern Italy.
Studies have shown that supplementing with Citrus Bergamot can lower both total and LDL cholesterol.
It is thought to be the potency of phytochemicals (flavonoids) that provide this protective effect.
Below is a brand that worked really well for me and is rated very high:
Grapefruit
Similar to citrus bergamot, several studies (like this one) have shown that Red Grapefruit (about 1 per day) can reduce triglycerides.
This is likely due to the antioxidants present, including naringenin, a powerful antioxidant.
(note, grapefruit can interact with some medications, so make sure to consult your doctor)
You can also get Naringenin as a supplement, if you don’t want to consume grapefruits every day.
Berberine
Studies have consistently shown that Berberine can reduce LDL and Triglycerides by 20-50 mg/dl.
Berberine is made from the bark, roots and stems of certain plants, so it is natural.
If you’re eating the SAD diet (Standard American Diet), you are probably consuming a ton of carbohydrate and sugars.
As we already discussed, this is leading to insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in your body.
Eating healthier fats and cutting out a lot of those carbohydrates will lower insulin levels and go a long way to fixing your cholesterol issue, and probably other issues as well.
At the end of 12 weeks, their lipid panels were dramatically improved.
The Large LDL particles (good) increased in size and number, and the small (harmful) LDL particles decreased.
This has incredibly powerful implications for improving your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Avocado
Avocados are naturally full of monounsaturated fats.
Eating about 1 avocado a day (along with avoiding processed foods and sugar) can help raise your HDL cholesterol.
Avocados are one solid way you can replace carbs/sugars with healthy fats and see progress.
Cardiovascular Fitness
This discussion would not be complete without at least mentioning this.
Studies show that increasing cardiovascular fitness has a positive effect on lipid profiles.
It also has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality (higher cardiovascular fitness means you’re less likely to die from just about everything.)
By combining increased cardiovascular fitness with an improved diet, you’ll have a very solid plan of attack.
Final Thoughts on how to lower cholesterol naturally.
The overarching theme of this article is pretty clear.
Profits often dictate a lot in our current world. Reliance on pharmaceutical products and the widespread consuming of garbage foods is a symptom of that fact.
The root of much of our cholesterol and heart problems lies in what we eat.
Insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress are wreaking havoc on our bodies.
But, we can take steps to combat the problem.
Through eating the right foods, taking the right supplements, avoiding processed foods, sugar and chemicals, you can see dramatic improvements in health, which are likely to be reflected on your lipid panels.
For some people who have genetic disorders and simply cannot control their cholesterol, statins may provide enormous benefit.
But for the majority of us, it’s lifestyle changes that are long overdue.
Hope you enjoyed this one, leave a comment and let me know!
ISSA Tactical Conditioning Specialist, creator of Forged Female and Swole Town Training programs, author of SupaStrong.net. Former Army 11B Infantryman. Coach, Husband, Father, Brother, Son, Friend.
Mix all the ingredients together really good. It may take a minute or two.
Add another splash of milk if you’re having trouble or if the mixture is too dry.
Once mixed, use your hands to form the protein bites, rolling them into balls. Shoot to make 8-10.
Put them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them up.
Try adding Cinnamon, chopped up peanuts or almonds or anything else you think sounds good.
Benefits of a High Protein Snack
The benefits of having a high protein snack option are many.
It can be a struggle to get enough protein throughout the day.
Studies show that the optimal amount of protein for muscle building and recovery is somewhere around 0.7 grams per pound of body weight.
It’s a long-standing myth that you need 1 gram of protein per pound.
This means that if you weigh 185 pounds, you’ll need around 130 grams of protein each day.
The extra calories and protein you can get between meals with a calorie dense, high protein snack can fill the gap and make a big difference in building muscle and recovering from workouts.
Some additional benefits are:
You won’t eat other, less nutritious snacks
You’ll keep a steady flow of muscle building amino acids in the body
Helps curb your appetite for other sweets that are nothing but sugar
Conclusion
These high protein snack bites are a great option to help you get enough protein each day to build muscle and recover from your workouts.
They can help keep you away from other garbage snack foods and are simple and easy to make.
It usually takes us about 5-10 minutes.
I hope you liked this article. If you did, feel free to share!
Follow our blog for more articles like this one.
As always, I hope this article helps get you just a little bit closer to that best version of you!
*Note: This article contains affiliate links. Anything purchased comes at no additional cost to you
Mike (Supastrong)
ISSA Tactical Conditioning Specialist. Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Former Army 11B Infantryman. Husband, Father, Brother, Son, Friend, Coach.
Pre workout supplements have come a long way since the first product, “Ultimate Orange,” was formulated in 1982. Today, the pre workout market is a billion dollar industry, and it’s only getting bigger.
And it’s no surprise. Products like Red Bull and other energy drinks have also become massively popular, displaying the need most of us have to get a boost of energy to get through the day, or a workout.
What Are Pre Workout Supplements?
Pre workout supplements are a mix of ingredients specifically designed to:
Stimulate the nervous system (mobilize energy)
Increase blood flow to active muscles (give you a “pump”)
Delay Fatigue (let you work out harder, longer)
Make you stronger/more powerful
Help gain lean mass/lose fat
Do They Work?
The short answer is, yes, they work.. and we’ll discuss the specifics later. The problem is that they only work if the correct ingredients are present, and at clinically relevant doses.
“Proprietary Blends”
Many supplement companies list a “proprietary blend” of ingredients. This allows them to not disclose how much of each ingredient is present. So, they can say: “Proprietary blend: Caffeine, Creatine, Taurine, Beta Alanine.”
These ingredients can all have beneficial effects, but only if enough of the ingredient is present. Without the amount being listed on the label, you have no way of knowing exactly what you’re taking.
I currently use bulk supplements. They send you pure ingredients, in much larger amounts at a much better price. This way I know exactly what I’m taking and how much.
How Do Pre Workout Supplements Work?
Below are the ingredientsshown by research to have a positive effect on your body and your performance, along with the minimum amount needed to create a training effect (clinical dose).
Ingredient
Benefit:
Clinical Dose
Caffeine
Improves Cognition and performance during endurance, power and resistance training
300mg
Taurine
Improves muscular endurance during resistance training. Longer term use improves endurance performance.
1.5g
BCAA’s
Studies show little performance or muscle building enhancement. Can help spare muscle tissue during intense/longer duration training.
5-10g
L-Citrulline Malate
Precursor to Nitric Oxide Increased blood flow to active muscles. Increase vasodilation, improved performance in both endurance and high intensity training.
6-8g daily
Creatine
Increase intramuscular phosphocreatine levels by 30%. Improved high intensity exercise performance. Improved strength/power. Improved gains in lean muscle mass Proven safe, best taken after workout.
3-5g daily
Betaine
Increased rate of creatine synthesis Elevated Nitric Oxide levels (improved blood flow, vasodilation, pump). Enhances repetitions to fatigue (can do more work).
1.25-2.5g
Beta-Alanine
Precursor to Carnosine Improves high intensity exercise performance. Acts as a buffer, clearing out acidic byproducts of intense exercise, delaying fatigue.
4-6g/day for at least 2 weeks
You’ll notice, if you compare these doses to most pre workout supplements, that the only ingredient they’re usually giving you enough of is caffeine. You get the energy boost, but never really experience the true benefit of all the other scientifically proven performance boosters.
So, Is Pre Workout Bad For You?
What Research says
Research has been somewhat limited in scope. The FDA does not require studies on the safety of these products to go beyond 8-12 weeks.
There is still plenty of research to look at. Here is what studies say about long term use of pre workout supplements (> 10 weeks).
The Good
Greater increases in fat-free mass
improved aerobic performance among sedentary and fit individuals.
Improved force production
Increased Growth Hormone and Testosterone during training.
The Bad
Some may experience side effects (headache, jitters, anxiety, upset stomach.
Studies have not found a link to kidney or heart problems. Keep in mind the limited scope of current research due to the low level of regulations and safety requirements by the FDA.
Caffeine and other stimulants do speed up heart rate. This can place extra stress on the heart during endurance type training.
The other dark side of long term pre workout use
Research aside, I think it’s important to logically take a look at the potential for harmful effects of chronic pre workout use. There are several reasons why I feel it can definitely be bad for you. Let me explain:
Taking heavy stimulants causes a massive release of stress hormones in the body, such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. These hormones are responsible for releasing energy. It’s a survival response.
This causes the body to be in a sympathetic (fight or flight) state. This is more commonly referred to as, “stress.” Constantly taking pre workout and other high stimulant energy drinks keeps your body in a sympathetic state.
It is impossible for the body to build muscle, recover or improve while in this state. As a result, I suspect the long term implications can be very negative. Check out this video below by Christian Thibaudeau, one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the world.
The Real Problem: Why Do You Need Pre Workout?
The root problem to look at with pre workout use is, why do you need it? If you’re using it for long periods of time, why do you not have the energy to work out without it?
The fact that your energy is lagging is a symptom of a bigger problem, and taking energy supplements is masking that problem. You could be training too hard and/or too often. Maybe You’re not be sleeping enough. Perhaps you may have too much stress in your life, or are simply not recovering properly.
Either way, masking the problem with stimulants is causing a massive debt to be incurred over time, and sooner or later you’re going to have to pay up. Energy will be borrowed from other systems, such as the immune system, your organs, your cognitive function. It’s worth taking a look at, and with the right interventions, you may not need the stimulants as often. As a result, you can then use them more strategically for your most intense sessions.
Conclusion
Research clearly shows many benefits to taking properly dosed pre workout supplements, and they aren’t inherently dangerous in the short term. However, if you’re taking them because you NEED them to work out, then I would definitely recommend taking a step back an analyzing why your energy is so low. There are most likely issues that need to be addressed, and failing to do so may have consequences in the long term.
Thanks for reading! Here are some other articles you may find helpful. Till next time, keep moving towards that best version of you.
Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach and personal trainer. I’ve run boot camps and served as the wellness coordinator for a fortune 500 company. Currently a Federal Agent in San Diego, CA, and an Infantryman in the Army Reserve.
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