Autophagy and Stretch Marks

Fasting Questions
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Hi, I’ve been fasting for most of my adult life on and off. Mostly water fasts for days to a week and OMAD almost everyday and mostly Zero Carb (Carnivore). Problem is… I took a year off work and gained a few stones (eating rubbish) in a short space of time and have these stretch marks on my upper rears arms - I have tattoos that have these marks going through them. I had the main one touched up by my artist and I’m happy with his work. I do have the marks still visible though and want to get rid if possible. I have always been intrigued by Dry Fasting for autophagy and healing and want to give it a try. I have done a 2 day dry fast years back and understand the process. Now to my main question: How long is considered optimal for autophagy for skin related issues? I am back to being fat adapted (Carnivore, Water Only during the day and OMAD). I’m looking to start dry fasting using the OMAD approach (Drink and Food once a day) and then would like to do a true extended dry fast.
But need your advice on duration and frequency of fasts.

Many thanks in advance.

Rob

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Hi Rob,

The best that I can offer are the skin tags I removed with a 7 day dry fast even though we both know skin tags and stretch marks are worlds apart. I’m glad to read you’re looking collectively at many options to find the best outcomes and kudos to you.

Now, a response to your question regarding autophagy.

Chapter 4, pages 28-29 from the book The Phoenix Protocol by August Dunning regarding autophagy.

“Autophagy is strongly activated after 2-3 days of dry fasting and can have profound effects on healing and longevity.”

“Extending the time in autophagy, by dry fasting, allows for more complex cellular repairs.”

- August Dunning

Chapter 4 is loaded with great information regarding autophagy and I suggest you look into his book for further understanding.

Here’s what I do for myself and for the most part it keeps the cellular functions and mechanisms fine tuned if you will. I eat 6 hours (6am-12noon) out of the day allowing my body to rest for a solid 18 hours out of the day. I also include RDA of vitamins and 400mg Magnesium.

I am a chowhound and I consume healthy foods as well as not-so healthy foods (daily) in that 6 hour period and I’ve been following this “method” since January of 2024. My body makes the adjustments to that 6 hour period and I no longer crave and or hunger for food or water during that time.

Every so often I’ll take a break from my daily 6 hour regimen and do an after hours binge on red meat because, well, I like sous vide steaks.

I would like to hear the outcome and or method you choose to do because this will be your litmus test for future reference. Remember, to safely ease in and out of a dry fast by building days albeit 2,3,4,5,6,7 days of a dry fast if that’s for you.

I found a few links provided below which may or may not answer your question re skin related issues(?).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/search?qs=stretch marks

Salud

1 Like
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Hi Paul, I really appreciate your response. A very detailed and informative answer -

I think, as you mentioned, that I will ease into it as this is new for me. I will do the remainder of this week as follows; As I’ve already been on OMAD while water fasting, I will continue to do OMAD, difference being I will also condense my water intake to this time frame, so essentially a 23hr dry fast daily, up until Sunday. Then I will attempt a full 48hr Dry Fast (skipping a days meal basically). I will then refeed and finish the week back on OMAD.

My food intake will be limited to Ruminant meats, such as Beef & Lamb. My fluids will only be water, no coffee etc.

Hope this is a sensible way to ease in?
Again thank you for your post, it really is appreciated.
Will post updates and questions as I go.

Cheers,

Rob

Forgot to add, that I would then extend the fasts as and when ready for durations over 2-3 days to boost the autophagy, like you mentioned above.

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Hi Rob,

Bonus points.

When you reach a 3 dry fast you’ll release millions of newly created MUSE AT stem cells or MUltilineage Differentiating Stress Enduring (AT = Adipose Tissue) cells and are released first of the stem cell(s) family.

They’re tough, they replicate fast, and they also initiate tissue remodeling of the entire body. This information is also in The Phoenix Protocol, but much more detailed. I interviewed August Dunning, the author of The Phoenix Protocol for my podcast which is still pending but to soon be released.

You’re spot-on with your assessment as you methodically make your way through an amazing process of the human body that will garner additional benefits.

I look forward to reading about your progress, Rob.

Salud

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Thanks Paul. Lots of great info there. Glad I found this forum! Sounds like a 3 day dry fast is what I should really be aiming for after my phased in period?

The longer dry fasts I see on here (7 Days and longer) are they more aimed at people needing deeper repairs, I.e due to chronic illness etc?

And Podcast? Where can I find this Paul?

Thanks,

Rob

Added Question:
Paul, just bought the book you recommended. Looks like a really interesting read.
I know you mentioned your fasting protocol of a 6hr feeding window. But due to me eating OMAD for almost 15 years (minus my blowout year) and this being a natural way for me to eat, and me doing regular extended water fasts (up to a week at a time) during those 15 years.

Would a new ‘Personal Protocol’ of OMAD Dry Fasting - Followed by a 3+ Day Dry Fast, once every 3 months be a sensible approach to a sustainable fasting protocol. I genuinely believe fasting is the true way to heal the body and the way our ancestors would have treated themselves in prehistory. So would like to make it a permanent part of my life. As mentioned, water fasts are something I have done my whole adult life - I now want to change that to dry fasts, as I personally believe a dry fast is the only true fast for the body, you allow all organs to rest and recoup.

Sorry if I’m throwing too many questions your way, but you obviously have a solid background in this research.

Like I said before, I will keep detailed notes on the journey and any changes noticed. And I’ll post it all on here at the end of this first phase.

Thanks,

Rob

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“I should really be aiming for after my phased in period?”
Yes.

“The longer dry fasts I see on here (7 Days and longer) are they more aimed at people needing deeper repairs, i.e due to chronic illness etc?”

You can do the OMAD, but remember in order for 7 dry fast (once a year) to be fully effective in removing built up cellular debris, damaged DNA and folded proteins and if they are not too damaged they can be recycled & repurposed. It’ll all come together once you read The Phoenix Protocol.

“Would a new ‘Personal Protocol’ of OMAD Dry Fasting - Followed by a 3+ Day Dry Fast, once every 3 months be a sensible approach to a sustainable fasting protocol.”

August Dunning mentions not to over do it with dry fasting and stem cell releases as they tend to underperform with too many fastings. It’s a cautionary tale if you will.

I took a chance at a 7 day dry fast to repair a 36 year old bulged disc in my lower back with sciatic nerve damage and a 15 year love/hate relationship with an peptic ulcer.

The 7 day dry fast stem cell release did exactly what they are designed to do and that’s to repair our bodies. I no longer suffer from monthly chronic sciatic nerve flareups and slip disc pain. I now easily move around as though I never had a damaged disc.

The Russian doctors (Dr. Filonov & Dr Shchennikov) figured out how to compartmentalize longer stem cell releases with 9 and 11 days treatments. Meaning deeper, longer treatments for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, blood cancers, Huntington’s and a host of other treatments not mentioned … I believe the possibilities are endless.

Before any of this came along our ancestors were releasing stem cells to repair their bodies, naturally … it is truly a built-in survival trait gifted to us.

I was profoundly affected (healed) by the entire dry fasting process that I decided to launch a podcast in search of others with similar results to interview. It’s been a slow arduous process but with time they’ll manifest themselves for others to benefit.

I have yet to release the podcast, but I have an advertising banner on Twitter / X under “stemcellpaul or Stem Cell Reboot Stories.” Who knows, maybe I’ll be interviewing you, time will tell.

Salud

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Thanks for answering those questions.

It sounds like that 7 day fast is definitely something to work towards!

My mum has had chronic lower back pain for the last 4 years now, not sure on the intricacies of her problems, but essentially she has a ‘broken back’ after helping lift my nan off the floor, this was ignored by doctors for 2 years (they said it was a sprain of some sort) - it was until she went to a chiropractor and they said your back is broken, now the doctors have tried a few things, but ultimately said there’s nothing they can do and to accept she will be in pain all her life. I would love to see if a Dry Fast could help that, after reading about your results! Sadly, not everyone is willing to experiment with Dry Fasting.

Ok, sounds like I need to read that book! I will continue with OMAD for myself as I’ve always eaten this way, just maybe not too many longer duration fasts throughout the year. Maybe try for a once a year 7 day fast like has been mentioned.
However, I will continue with the original plan to ease in as I’m a curious person and like to experience how these things affect my body.

So, for now, to build up my dry fasting confidence, I will continue the report I have started.
3 Days Carnivore Adaption (Done)
5 Days OMAD Dry Fast (On day 2 now)
2 Day Dry fast
Report

I have always been intrigued by the how things were done previously mentality. I believe that the modern world often complicates things, usually because of a financial gain to be had, and life can be as simple as we wish to make it. Take nutrition, exercise and fasting as an example; how many books, magazines and reports have been made on those subjects over the years, and all have differing opinions: because new material sells well, but often complicates things.
Now take our ancestors… Nutrition: Whole foods found in nature - Exercise: Walk, Swim, Sprint - Fasting: (Obviously not implemented on purpose) Couldn’t catch or find anything today or yesterday… Will probably find something tomorrow. It just seems so simple… and obvious?

Sounds good. I will keep an eye out for it!
This is the thing, it’s people like yourself that are going to push this message out there. It’s the world we live in, mainstream media and medical professional are never going to give attention to ideas such as dry fasting quick enough for the general public to hear about it and hopefully heal from it. So genuinely, hats off to you for helping to push it out there, I hope it does well for you and others that will benefit from it!

Who knows, anything is possible!

Rob

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Hi Rob,

New material often repackaged with added value comes to mind.

lol, “Couldn’t catch or find anything today or yesterday… Will probably find something tomorrow. It just seems so simple… and obvious?”

There’s a passage in the beginning of The Phoenix Protocol regarding hunter-gatherer techniques that made me chortle about your post.

The passage had something to do with outrunning the slowest member of your tribe/clan.

Your first dry fast will remove decades of cellular debris in 7 days and any dry fast thereafter will remove built up cellular debris, plaque, damaged cells of the following year (and that’s it) or repurpose salvageable cells, DNA strands, folded proteins.

They have cellular “age tests” you can buy online that reveals your cellular age vs your chronological age. You’ll be surprised at the results on how cellularly old we are which doesn’t have to be that way once you remove cellular debris returning your body to a younger age e.g., as though your are twenty years old again. How about that for high functioning? The fountain of youth and Ponce De Leon are still around.

This info is also in The Phoenix Protocol

Rob, what I find interesting is that we know more about the material world then we do about the physiology of our own bodies. Simply put, we rely too much on others to assess our health or we put our health in the hands of others we trust. Western medicine practices has a place in our lives, but it is not be-all-end-all nor is dry fasting, but dry fasting is a good place to start.

Salud, my friend.

“So, for now, to build up my dry fasting confidence, I will continue the report I have started.”

3 Days Carnivore Adaption (Done)
5 Days OMAD Dry Fast (On day 2 now)
2 Day Dry fast
Report

Perfect

1 Like
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Definitely sounds like the right book for me then. Haha!

So, is eating and drinking within a 6hr period each day and dry fasting 7 days once a year what you have settled on as your sustainable approach?

That’s interesting, I never knew such a test existed… Well, I was feeling like I had no energy and everything felt sluggish in myself, so guess my cellular age was pretty high. But day two on the OMAD and I feel like my old self again, full of energy, eyes feel sharper, sense of smell, and the taste of water… no words to describe. I did expect this, as this is how I used to feel when doing water fasts and meat, however the time frame is a lot quicker with the dry fast component. It’s day two and a lot has improved already, whereas it’d be the end of the first week when I’d notice significant changes on water.

I couldn’t agree more Paul! Decades of relying on modern medicine has left the majority of people unable to assess their own bodies and to really understand everything about themselves health wise. It’s a shame, but definitely reversible.
I feel I’ve always been in tune with myself, I’ve yet to visit a doctor for any issues I’ve had and relied on intuition to help myself and so far have never touched medication. (This isn’t a swipe at modern medicine and in no way am I saying I will never seek the help or medicine offered, however for as long as I can - I will try my best to use as natural a method as possible) and I attribute this to the early realisation that a carnivore and fasting way of life was right for me and knowing how it made me feel.

Thanks Paul, for all your help so far
Glad to know I’m on the correct path.

Many thanks,

Rob

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“So, is eating and drinking within a 6hr period each day and dry fasting 7 days once a year what you have settled on as your sustainable approach?”

It’s what works best for me so far. Sometimes I’ll switch my times to eat between 9am-3pm, but the days of eating or grazing all day are behind me. It was time for me to make changes of when I eat and not what I eat. I rely on a 7 day dry fast to remove any exposure to chems, topical products, cholesterol that at some point will enter the mitochondria creating health issues, but any of the above can be easily removed.

There’s an example in the book Neogenesis by August Dunning regarding an interview he conducted with health influencers. The health influencers ate well, worked out for years and are very successful with their business’, but the health influencers were not happy when they took the “cellular age” test and discovered that they were a lot older then their chronological age. Well, their cellular age is easily fixable.

Salud

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Thanks for replying to all these, I’ll give you a break from all these questions.

Will post the results on here and the results page when they’re completed!

Cheers, Paul

Rob