I have gained so much weight over the past two years from stress and meds, and for the first time in my life face the dreaded "d" word "diet". Ugh. This requires way more discipline than I have. The minute I tell myself I cannot have something, I crave it.

I then remembered an article on an intermittent fasting as an anti-aging practice and revisited. Not only do you lose weight, but check out the neurological benefits:

In this review article we describe evidence suggesting that two dietary interventions, caloric restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF), can prolong the health-span of the nervous system by impinging upon fundamental metabolic and cellular signaling pathways that regulate life-span. CR and IF affect energy and oxygen radical metabolism, and cellular stress response systems, in ways that protect neurons against genetic and environmental factors to which they would otherwise succumb during aging. There are multiple interactive pathways and molecular mechanisms by which CR and IF benefit neurons including those involving insulin-like signaling, FoxO transcription factors, sirtuins and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. These pathways stimulate the production of protein chaperones, neurotrophic factors and antioxidant enzymes, all of which help cells cope with stress and resist disease. A better understanding of the impact of CR and IF on the aging nervous system will likely lead to novel approaches for preventing and treating neurodegenerative disorders.


There are also disease factors called MicroRNA's and fasting seems to mitigate those as well.

Has anyone out there tried this? I am not expecting or even suggesting this is any sort of cure but wondered if there was a symptom benefit. There is one site claiming a man "healed" himself by intermittent fasting for over a year, and I am skeptical. At the very least, I don't think it would hurt...

Here is main article:

Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting: two potential diets for successful brain aging.

Eating less suppresses microRNA assassins in the brain.

Our early ancestors would sucker punch a mammoth and stuff himself for a day or two. Oncethe leftovers had been put away he would tend to put off another hunt until he was actually hungry. So a pattern of gorge - sleep - hunt would evolve. Google "intermittent fasting" and you find several blogs of guys doing it.

Laura,
Nothing ventured, nothing gained (or better; less eaten, less gained).
However, I'm not sure Rick's "gorge and starve" is advisable.

Seriously, this seems to be a recently recognized valid approach to enhancing brain health. I checked your links and some related recently published work that seem to support this approach.

Look out for hypoglycemia. I get really grouchy when my blood sugar gets low!
Robert

dieting is hard enough, i'd attempt that first. once you can lose a lb a week, then i'd try to incorporate fasting. being overweight has it's own health risks as we age and being fit enough to vigorously exercise might have just as much benefit as fasting, might even duplicate some benefits.
and one major reason to stay fit is to be healthy enough to qualify for a clinical trial that might reverse pd. gotta be ready just in case.

Always find that not eating makes things feel better, but guess I am not the ideal person to be talking diet/ fasting! On the other hand I am fairly indifferent to food and if I am not prompted don't really bother. How about a day normal and a day on low intake? I am going to try this when my last chick is out of the nest! I have all round better uptake of meds and better mobility on low intake.

I forget whether you have a lot of bradykinesia/akinesia.... for me that is where weight gain takes over....

Hi all,

Well I know the extra weight is not good regardless of PD...I don't imagine I'll return to my "skinny" jeans but just getting within 10 lbs of what I used to weight would be nice. Thanks for the good advice and words of support. I will definitely start out gradually.

Robert, I can get to be a crank fuss with no food. I think I will try to go from rising to late afternoon then have a very lite supper for the first few weeks. Over night I am essentially fasting too so with that if I go until 4 pm without eating that is still 10 to 12 hours including sleeping.

Lindy, my little guy seems to be a natural intermittent eater. He chows down one day and barely eats the next...his diet prompted me to revisit what t I had read about intermittent fasting and how good it is for us. I figured "when in Rome...", but I can understand how difficult it would be to do with a teenager around. Also, glad to hear your meds worked better.

If anyone wishes to try this along with me...please let me know. Misery loves company.

Laura

Laura,

One of the things that is difficult about fasting is boredom: so much of our day is spent planning, preparing for, eating and tidying up food that going without leaves a big hole.

I don't want to lose weight, so I won't sign up entirely, but I'll be happy to do up to a 24 hr fast.

Whatever you do, I suggest that you baseline for a few days before, and continue for a while afterwards.

What are you going to measure?

I'm similar to Lindy, in normal circumstances, I can go without food for hours. But if it's available, I can eat huge amounts. My wife is the opposite. (I used to do a lot of mountaineering and long distance cycling. Somtimes you'd almost come to a halt - temporary bradykinesia ? - until you could shovel in calories.)

soccertese,

I agree exercise and fasting are related: the first accelerates the second. If you were to organize something in this area, I'd be happy to sign up.

John

john,
i gave an opinion and have no desire to suggest anything more.