Fasting
In addition to the standard Newire program, which focuses on neuroplasticity and the 5 pillars, Newire also offers an optional 6th pillar - a fasting program. This fasting program will be customized to your individual desires, and will take you through various durations of intermittent fasting as well as full water fasting if you’d like to try a longer fast.
While many fasting programs focus on the physiological benefits of fasting (detailed below), at Newire we place just as much emphasis on the mental benefits. Newire’s founder developed this program after completing several 100+ day water fasts and discovered the powerful mindset transformation that is enabled by the unique and profound mental state created when fasting. During a fast, the mind becomes extremely focused, obsessed about food. This hyper-focused state primes the brain for rewiring, in effect turbocharging the neuroplastic potential of the brain, making the rewiring even more powerful.
Extended Fasting Case Study
a 6 month (183 Day) Water Fast
Newire’s founder developed the Newire program while testing the limits of extended water fasting on himself, having done multiple 100+ day fasts (during which he took a daily multivitamin, electrolytes, and drank broth on occasion). While a 100+ day water fast is extreme, and is certainly not what the Newire program provides, he felt great throughout the process and wanted to push fasting to the extreme to set an example that extended water fasting is both mentally and physically possible (of course, it is recommended to do this under doctor supervision).
During these extended fasts, he realized the power of the focused mental state created by fasting, as if a plasticity portal was opened in his mind by fasting, allowing healthy brain rewiring to happen at a deeper and accelerated level. It was during these fasts that the concepts behind Newire were born.
cholesterol and biological age reductions
After an extended 6 month fast, he (age 50.9) conducted a biological age test, and it revealed a biological age of 33.9. So, after fasting, his biological age was 17 years less than his chronological age.
While myriad biomarkers improved as a result of this extended fast, here you can see one prominent example in the improvement in his cholesterol. His HDL (the good cholesterol) increased dramatically after a 101 day fast, and his LDL (bad cholesterol) decreased dramatically at the same time.
Fasting Benefits
While short-term intermittent fasting offers myriad benefits, longer-term water fasting offers additional benefits. Water fasting is a type of fasting in which mainly water is consumed (and sometimes broth, vitamins and electrolyte supplements, depending on the duration of the fast). It has been practiced for centuries for religious and health reasons. There are many potential benefits:
Autophagy
One of the most well-known benefits of water fasting is that it triggers autophagy. Autophagy is a cellular process that breaks down and recycles damaged or dysfunctional cell components. This process is essential for cell health and longevity. Fasting triggers autophagy.
In 2016, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi for his discoveries of the mechanisms for autophagy. Autophagy was first described in 1962 when researchers noted that damaged sub cellular parts and unused proteins are marked for destruction by lysosomes. And it turns out that nutrient deprivation is the key activator of autophagy. Fasting provides the greatest known increase in autophagy. Beyond just stimulating autophagy and clearing out old proteins and other cellular parts, fasting also stimulates growth hormone, directing the body to make fresh new parts via stem cells.
Stem Cell Production
Water fasting has also been shown to increase stem cell production. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that can develop into different types of cells. They play a role in tissue repair and regeneration. A 2014 study found that prolonged fasting between 48–120 hours can activate pathways that enhance cellular resistance to toxins and stress in mice and humans. The study also found that fasting may be linked to increased immune system regulation. Another MIT study showed that stem cells drastically increased their rate of regeneration in a fasted state. The stem cells extracted after fasting showed double the regenerative capacity, meaning the stem cells could proliferate into higher numbers with greater efficiency, and these results were recorded after only 24 hours of fasting.
Brain Cell Regeneration
Water fasting can also help to improve brain health. It has been shown to increase the growth of new nerve cells in the brain, a process known as neurogenesis. This can help to improve cognitive function and memory. Fasting can stimulate the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is responsible for neuron growth. In one study, a 48 hour fast increased skeletal muscle BDNF levels by 350%.
Weight Loss
Water fasting is a very effective way to lose weight. When you fast, your body starts to burn stored fat for energy. This can lead to significant weight loss, especially if you combine fasting with a healthy diet and exercise before and after.
Blood Pressure
Water fasting can also help to lower blood pressure.
Insulin Sensitivity
Water fasting can also improve insulin sensitivity. This means that your body becomes better at using insulin to control blood sugar levels. This can be beneficial for people with diabetes or prediabetes. Water fasting for people on medications, particularly for diabetes, should not be conducted without a doctor’s supervision, as your medication will need to be adjusted during and after the fasting.
Reduced Risk of Chronic Disease
Water fasting has been shown to have a number of other health benefits, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and autoimmune diseases.
Increased Energy
Water fasting can also lead to increased energy levels. This is because fasting helps to improve mitochondrial function. Mitochondria are the "powerhouses" of the cell, and they produce energy.
Improved Digestion
Water fasting can also improve digestion. This is because fasting allows the lining of the small intestine to rest and repair itself.
Reduced Inflammation
Water fasting has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. This can help to reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Get Started Fasting
Newire’s fasting program will be customized to your individual desires, and can take you through the benefits of time restricted feeding various durations of intermittent fasting as well as full water fasting if you’d like to try a slightly longer fast (recommended under doctor supervision).