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I like to hear your story about fasting, fasting mimicking and Cancer

Posted by Denise @denisestlouie, Feb 2, 2025

In 2023 I participated in a study that is looking at the effect a fast mimicking product had on Crohn's disease. Because of that study I started reading about the health benefits of extended fasting. Twelve months after participating in that study I was diagnosed with cancer and was advised to have chemotherapy. I choose to fast around my treatments. The research in breast and colon cancer indicated people who fast had fewer side effects. From chemotherapy. In theory fasting may help the chemotherapy be more effective, but we don't know for sure if that yet.

I'm post chemotherapy. I am receiving a targeted treatment for maintenance, but honestly the cancer I have doesn't respond long term to chemotherapy. The prognosis is poor and it doesn't matter if chemotherapy or radiation was given most people have recurrences and don't live very long.

I am all in on alternative therapies. I am staying with natural therapies at this point. Mostly lifestyle changes.

I am going to make fasting for extended periods part of the plan.

I'm interested in a discussion about fasting as a medical treatment. How do you do it. How frequently is it done. What papers have you read on fasting? What are you learning about fasting.?

Thanks for responding

Denise

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer Support Group.

Profile picture for Ginger, Volunteer Mentor
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Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Apr 12 10:57am
In reply to @millarussian "How was your experience with fasting so far? I started fasting from 30 day fasting back..." + (show)
Profile picture for millarussian @millarussian

How was your experience with fasting so far? I started fasting from 30 day fasting back in 90s after reading Miracle of Fasting by Paul Bragg.
The last time prolonged fasting got me off the insulin.

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@millarussian Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Are you dealing with a particular type of cancer? If so, what type and for how long? Your post indicates you may be a diabetes patient.
Ginger

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donovanduncan | @donovanduncan | 2 days ago

dr. thomas seyfried-on keto and starving cancer

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Lori, Volunteer Mentor | @loribmt | 2 days ago
In reply to @donovanduncan "dr. thomas seyfried-on keto and starving cancer" + (show)
Profile picture for donovanduncan @donovanduncan

dr. thomas seyfried-on keto and starving cancer

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Hi @donovanduncan Welcome to Connect. Thanks for joining the conversation about different approaches to diet and their impact on cancer.
Have you personally been diagnosed with cancer? Have you had success with Dr Seyfried’s keto diet?

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mawmaws | @mawmaws | 4 hours ago
In reply to @stage4survivor "Firstly, I’m sorry that you’re going through this journey. Chemotherapy is rough, and fasting got me..." + (show)
Profile picture for stage4survivor @stage4survivor

Firstly, I’m sorry that you’re going through this journey.

Chemotherapy is rough, and fasting got me through the treatments. 5 day water only fasting to be precise. Once every 3 weeks made it hard.

Over time I learned a lot about diet and my spiritual health as well. Dr Jason Fung writes about fasting and I did decide to “Go for it”, so to speak.
His books was not available at my local library day so it looked into spiritual fasting, which is prayer and water only fasting. I only made it to day 10, and the subsequent scans showed no signs of solid tumours (Stage 4 Prostate cancer that spread to my bones). The first 5 days are usually hard, then you don’t feel hungry. The spiritual component in my opinion is vital.
If you google “Nickerson Institute Psycho Oncology how unresolved trauma can cause cancer, you will find an interesting read about the two.

Best of luck on your journey.

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@stage4survivor I would like to get more information about your story? I didn’t know if I was misunderstanding or not but when you did the fasting and the spiritual praying that your tumors were not there after? i’m going through breast cancer that spread to my spine. They also tell me stage four, but I’m not accepting it. I’m still waiting for my miracle. You’re the only thing that can help me is prayer and food because I can’t do chemotherapy.

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mawmaws | @mawmaws | 4 hours ago
In reply to @beebe "@handera Thanks so much for sharing this information. I had read that HIIT increases mitochondrial function..." + (show)
Profile picture for beebe @beebe

@handera Thanks so much for sharing this information. I had read that HIIT increases mitochondrial function which is the key to your immune system so the fact that it is helping you is wonderful news.
Recently I have increased my walking speed with light hands weights to get into the HIIT zone, it works and boy do I feel great afterwards.
Your positive results with HIIT make me think I am on the right track. The Keto and metabolic diets are just too hard to maintain long term and probably only good for certain types of cancer while HIIT is great for all of them.
There is a lot of research by Dr. Valter Longo on the Fasting Mimicking Diet when used during chemo treatments but not sure in the long run, once you are out of treatment how much it benefits us.
Thanks again, you made my day:)

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@beebe I just bought Dr. Longo‘s book fasting cancer. I haven’t started it yet I will start it tomorrow probably. I can’t do chemotherapy like most people I have reoccurring breast cancer that went to my spine. Had a major spine surgery so my hope is something that can help me slow down or stop the lesions. Can’t do the hormone suppressing pills either. Prayer, Faith and food the right kind to try to keep this under control is the only thing I have. Still praying for a miracle desperately looking for what can help and I’m hoping my mother is right she said I would have that miracle.

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