Autophagy, or how to support the body in the process of self-repair

The human body constantly undergoes complex regeneration processes that allow us to maintain or regain optimal health. Since they are taking place without our knowledge, all we have to do is provide the right conditions to run smoothly. Unfortunately, these conditions, which were everyday life for our ancestors, for us, people living in a hurry and under stress, exposed to an increasing amount of toxins from food or the environment and surrounded by ubiquitous electrosmog, are no longer something natural. Therefore, modern man, in order to start the processes of self-repair of the body (including autophagy, about which we will write today) or to optimize them, must implement certain habits, including appropriate nutrition and physical training.

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autophagy

One of the natural methods by which the body gets rid of any "junk" is autophagy. This process literally means "self-eating" and consists in digesting dead or damaged elements of its structure by the cell. The first mentions of autophagy can be found in research conducted in the 1960s. However, it was only Professor Yoshinori Ohsumi who examined it more closely, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology last year.
Autophagy is an extremely important process for the preservation of life and health of the body. The body's cells store unnecessary metabolic products throughout their lives. Autophagy ensures the elimination of used or damaged parts of cells without the need to kill these cells. Autophagy occurs in cells in response to many factors such as bacterial or viral infections, nutrient deficiency, toxin damage, inflammatory cytokines, and DNA mutations. There are many types of autophagy, but the most important for the human body is macroautophagy. It involves the destruction of intracellular organelles with the help of special structures called autophagosomes and lysosomes containing digestive enzymes. The elements of the cell degraded in this way are broken down into simple organic compounds that can be further used by the cell. For this reason, autophagy is also known as "cellular recycling". So as we can see, autophagy is partly recycling, partly a method of garbage disposal, partly a method of defense and partly a method of energy management. It is therefore extremely important for the cell to maintain its natural balance and homeostasis. If this process does not go smoothly, cells loaded with toxins start to malfunction and then die. More and more studies confirm that abnormal autophagy process has a negative impact on our condition and can lead to the development of various diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. On the other hand, efficient autophagy plays a very important role in infections, leading to their control, it also promotes the activation and increase of acquired immunity, ensuring a better presentation of both viral and cancer antigens to immune cells.
Every day we are exposed to free radicals, we face factors unfavorable to our health in response to inflammation in our body. Usually a person can deal with all of this enough to complain about some minor ailments at best without suffering from any chronic disease. This is what happens when the autophagy processes run smoothly enough to deal with the elimination of most toxins. However, when it is no longer possible due to excessive burden, then these inflammations intensify enough to lead us to a chronic disease. And it is in such a situation that it is worth supporting the body with appropriate habits favoring the optimization of autophagy processes. And what supports them the most? Fasting, training, and a proper diet.

Hunger or Intermittent Fasting

fasting Food deprivation is a key activator of autophagy. This process is closely correlated with changes in the levels of glucagon and insulin. As insulin levels rise, glucagon levels fall, and vice versa. When we eat a meal, insulin levels go up and glucagon levels go down. Meanwhile, when we fast, insulin levels drop and glucagon increases. And it is this increase in glucagon levels that stimulates the process of autophagy. Hence, fasting is the greatest known trigger of autophagy. And it's not about caloric restriction or some special diet. It is about fasting, because even a small amount of food is enough to inhibit autophagy - glucose, insulin and protein turn off the process of autophagy, even a very small amount.
It is important to realize that fasting has benefits not only in stimulating autophagy. It also increases the secretion of growth hormone, which stimulates regeneration processes. But since to build something new we first need to get rid of the old, the destructive process (i.e. autophagy) must precede the building process, and it is just as important. We should also remember that the mechanism of autophagy allows the body to use up everything that is unnecessary in it, including viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.
Another, less drastic, method of inducing autophagy is Intermittent Fasting, i.e. The "eating window". It is easier because fasting lasts, for example, 18 hours, and during the remaining 6 we can eat meals. However, it is worth remembering that Interittent Fasting should be associated with a caloric deficit so that we can be sure that the body actually reaches for "garbage" during fasting, and not glycogen stored in the liver.

It is worth going back to the roots

In the introduction, I mentioned that once a person lived in such conditions that triggered the processes of autophagy - periodic fasts were something normal and often forced by nature, and physical exercise was a necessity due to, among others, work related to obtaining food, its cultivation and processing . Modern man is most often afraid of the feeling of hunger. We have an abundance of food, and there is a fashion to eat 5 or even more meals a day. But maybe it is worth considering whether instead of succumbing to fashion, it is better to be inspired by tradition? Because our ancestors lived for tens of thousands of years, periodically starving, we are perfectly prepared for such conditions. And it is worth asking those who have ever tried to fast - they will surely confirm that it was worth it.
Remember, however, that balance is a very important factor for health. Excessive autophagy is also not recommended and can result in disease. Always bear in mind the natural life cycle of feasting and fasting, not a constant diet. Thanks to this, during the periods of eating, the body has a chance to rebuild, and during the fasting period - to cleanse. Life likes harmony, not extremes.