I felt great all day yesterday except for a drop of energy until evening. I felt mildly nauseous from about 8 PM until 2 PM. So much for thinking this would be smooth sailing for all 21 days. This morning I woke up feeling clear-headed but with low energy. My weight continues to drop, as I am down 12 pounds. Losing weight was not why I came to True North, but it is a pleasant side effect.
I came here to fast for two reasons: autophagy and to lose visceral fat, which is the fat you don’t see surrounding your organs. Fat is inflammatory for your body. Being overweight most of my life, I am trying to repair some of the damage I’ve done to myself.
Inflammation contributes to many diseases. Fasting is especially beneficial because it helps one lose visceral fat preferentially.
I am going to use an AI generator to explain autophagy:
Ah, autophagy—a fascinating cellular process like a little spring cleaning for your body! 
Let’s dive in!
Autophagy (pronounced “aw-tof-uh-jee”) is our cells’ natural, self-preservation mechanism. It’s like the Marie Kondo of the cellular world—except instead of decluttering your closet, it tidies up your cells. Here’s the lowdown:
1. Self-Eating, Literally: The word “autophagy” itself is a mashup of Greek: “auto” means self, and “phagy” means eat. So, quite literally, it’s “self-eating.” But don’t worry—it’s not as gruesome as it sounds. It’s beneficial!
2. Cellular Cleanup Crew: Imagine your cells as tiny apartments. Over time, they accumulate damaged or dysfunctional parts—like that old, wonky microwave you’ve meant to replace. Autophagy steps in and acts like a diligent cleaner. It identifies these worn-out components, wraps them up neatly, and sends them to the cellular recycling center (a.k.a. lysosomes). There, they’re broken down into their basic building blocks for reuse. Efficient, right?
3. Anti-Aging Superpower: Autophagy is like a fountain of youth for your cells. Autophagy kicks into high gear when our cells are stressed (maybe they had a rough day at work?). It helps protect us by removing toxic proteins and recycling cellular material. Think of it as cell rejuvenation—a way to turn back the clock and create younger, sprightlier cells.
4. Survival Mode: Autophagy also plays a crucial role during tough times. Autophagy keeps the lights on when you’re fasting or experiencing starvation (hopefully not too often!). It breaks down cellular bits and repurposes them for essential processes. It’s like your body saying, “Okay, team, we’re low on supplies—let’s MacGyver this situation!”
5. Cancer and Autophagy: Researchers are intrigued by autophagy’s potential role in preventing or treating cancer. You see, as we age, autophagy declines. And sometimes, cells that no longer play nice (the troublemakers!) are allowed to multiply. Not cool. Ideally, autophagy should recognize and remove those rogue cells. So, some scientists are exploring whether boosting autophagy could lower cancer risk.
I had a bit of a health scare at the beginning of the year with an ultrasound, MRI, and biopsy. The biopsy turned out benign, but I do have cysts on both ovaries and other abnormal growths that we will continue to watch. I decided to take my health into my own hands and hope that autophagy will take care of this abnormal tissue growth.
