Metabolic Autophagy: Practice Intermittent Fasting and Resistance Training to Build Muscle and Promote Longevity

629 Pages·2019·13.85 MB·English

by  Siim Land

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Text Copyright © Siim Land 2018
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The information contained in this book is not designed to replace or take the place of any form of
medicine or professional medical advice. The information in this book has been provided for
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The information contained in this book has been compiled from sources deemed reliable, and it is
accurate to the best of the Author's knowledge; however, the Author cannot guarantee its accuracy
and validity and cannot be held liable for any errors or omissions. Changes are periodically made to
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consult a professional medical practitioner in order to ensure you are both able and healthy enough
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: The Code of Longevity
Chapter Two: The Hedonic Treadmill
Chapter Three: Why Intermittent Fasting
Chapter Four: What We Know About Autophagy So Far
Chapter Five: Squaring the Curve
Chapter Six: HyperTORphyc Growth
Chapter Seven: Starting With Strength
Chapter Eight: Anabolic Autophagy
Chapter Nine: Protein Absorption and Anabolism
Chapter Ten: Food Fallacy
Chapter Eleven: The Case Against Sugar (and Fat)
Chapter Twelve: WTF Should I Eat
Chapter Thirteen: The Keto-Adaptation Process
Chapter Fourteen: The Anabolic/Catabolic Score of Food
Chapter Fifteen: Metabolic Autophagy Foods
Chapter Sixteen: Supplementation
Chapter Seventeen: Metabolic Autophagy in Practice
Chapter Eighteen: What Breaks a Fast
Chapter Nineteen: How to Fast for Days and Days
Chapter Twenty: When Not to Fast
Chapter Twenty One: Circadian Rhythms and Autophagy
Chapter Twenty Two: Sleep Optimization
Bonus Chapter: How to Drink Coffee Like a Strategic MotherF#%a
Conclusion
Extras
Introduction
The Wisdom of the Body
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world:
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
George Bernard Shaw

Living organisms have developed complex systems of behavior and
physiological processes to adapt to their environment.
There are countless stimuli we get exposed to on a daily basis and all of
them send a certain signal to the body. This, in turn, triggers a chain
reaction of events that determine how your metabolism, nervous system,
and psychology respond. In 1878, Claude Bernard wrote:
The constancy of the ‘milieu interieur’ is the condition of a free and
independent existence.[1]
He used it to describe how the first organisms left the oceans by
developing the ability to balance their internal liquids and “carry the ocean
with them” in the form of kidneys. This internal milieu describes the
phenomenon of homeostasis also called equilibrium, inner balance, and
‘wisdom of the body’[2]. The term itself was picked up in 1939 by
behaviorist Walter Cannon[3]. It also describes the necessity for
maintaining equanimity within oneself to truly experience freedom and
independence in the world. Being stressed out and fatigued literally
blindfolds you to the joys of life and prevents you from enjoying it fully.
This sort of equilibrium is something all living things and systems strive
for. We want to be able to control the world around us as to avoid
discomfort, chaos, disorder, pain, and ultimately death.
Entropy is the tendency of complex systems, including living organisms,
to progressively move towards chaos, disorder, death, and deterioration.
It’s based on the Second Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the
total entropy of an isolated system cannot decrease with time. Ideally, it
can remain in a constant equilibrium or undergo reversible processes.
Aging is a phenomenon that describes a gradual process of entropy in the
physical body. Birth or conception is the beginning point for a journey of
growing and proliferation, which ultimately reaches deterioration and
death. This is called senescence and it’s caused by the phenomenon of
entropy.
Basically, aging and death are the entropy of life – the slow waning
away of the body that happens because of many things.
Immortality and eternal youth have been ideas of great curiosity
throughout the entire history of the human species. Thousands of texts and
practices have been invented in attempts to fight off entropy or at least
postpone it.
Ancient aboriginal shamans, Ayurvedic yogis, Medieval alchemists,
pharmacists, and contemporary biohackers all have many things in
common. They seek to hone their bodies and sharpen their minds in some
shape or form. The difference is only in degree – to what extent are they
capable of altering the human physiology and how. With modern
technology and science, we now have access to more resources and
information that will not only make our lives better and more vigorous but
can also lengthen it.
This book is not about trying to live forever or bestowing you with the
water of eternal youth. It’s more like an attempt to optimize the human
body for both longevity and performance. There’s not going to be a
specific blueprint or a one-size-fits-all template for all to follow. Instead,
I’m going to give you the tools and principles you can use to improve your
healthspan, get more things done, and potentially increase life expectancy
based on the research we currently have.
This homeostatic equilibrium and entropy manifest themselves inside the
physiological processes of our bodies as well.
The word ‘metabolism’ comes from Greek, meaning ‘change’, and it
describes the collection of all the life-sustaining chemical reactions inside
the organism. These actions enable us to produce energy, maintain our
physical framework, and eliminate the waste we get exposed to. It’s the
biological circuitry of life.
The metabolism has two sub-categories or sub-processes called anabolism
and catabolism. They’re opposites of each other that undergo a constant
dance that directs the body to conduct specific metabolic functions and
lead it to a certain direction of development. See Figure 1.
Anabolism, meaning ‘upward’ in Greek, describes the synthesis
of biological molecules to build up new physical matter in the
body. These reactions require energy and nutrients. Being anabolic
means you’re growing and building the framework that will decrease
the accumulation of entropy.
Catabolism, meaning ‘downward’ in Greek, describes the
breaking down of biological molecules to release energy. This can
apply to the breakdown of bodily tissue as well as the digestion of
food that then gets assimilated into the body through anabolic
processes. Being catabolic means you’re fragmenting larger
structures into smaller ones and using it to produce new energy.
Figure 1 The Cycles of Anabolism and Catabolism
These oppositions can be seen everywhere around you. There are day and
night, winter and summer, the sun and the moon, man and woman, black
and white, wakefulness and sleep. It’s how the world balances itself out as
to maintain homeostasis and prevent excess.
This balance is critical for health. You’d think that for health and longevity
it’s better to always stay anabolic as to prevent any loss of bodily tissue.
However, being catabolic has many beneficial and even essential qualities
that actually make you live longer.
This book is a collection of guidelines about the principles of the
anabolic-catabolic cycles in regards to nutrition and exercise. It’s
definitely not a panacea – a solution or remedy for all conditions and
circumstances. Instead, it’s a specific protocol that’s not supposed to apply
for all situations. Truth be told that everyone could do it. It’s just that most
won’t because of fear, lack of understanding, or simply because of poor
decisions.
The quote at the beginning of this chapter by George Bernard Shaw is
perfect for describing this book: “The reasonable man adapts himself to
the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to
himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” It
means that rather than subjecting yourself to the inevitable side of entropy,
you take arms up against it. In so doing, you not only increase your
healthspan but will also make the process more enjoyable.
In addition to ’Metabolic’, you can also find another word in the title -
’Autophagy’, which translates from Ancient Greek into ’self-devouring’ or
’eating of self’. This is central to the main practice of this book. By
maintaining a balance between anabolism and catabolism, you can
effectively extend your lifespan.
The process of autophagy entails your healthy cells devouring the old,
worn-out, weak ones and converting them back into energy. It’s literally
your body eating itself and using that to maintain homeostasis. There are
many longevity-boosting benefits to this as illustrated in virtually all other
species. What and how it all actually works will be covered in the
upcoming chapters.
Here’s How the Book Is Structured:
In the first chapter, I’ll reveal the code of longevity by talking about
what causes aging, how it happens in other species and what
metabolic pathways are associated with increased lifespan in
humans.
Chapter Two looks into why humanity is standing on a slippery
slope of disease and metabolic disorders. More importantly, what to
do about it.
Chapter Three is about the most well-documented and effective ways
of improving your health and longevity, which is caloric restriction
and intermittent fasting.
In Chapter Four, we’ll delve into the topic of autophagy and what we
know about it so far.
Chapters Five-Nine give you arms to combat entropy with and
prevent the deterioration of your body.
Chapters Ten to Thirteen are about food and what you should eat. I’ll
uncover some of the misconceptions and fallacies you might have
heard about healthy eating and bring more context into the story.
In Chapters Fourteen through Sixteen, I’m going to outline the main
dietary components of Metabolic Autophagy. It’s something you
don’t see any other nutritional book really talk about, namely, how
do certain foods affect the anabolic-catabolic cycles of your body.
Chapter Seventeen introduces the central practice of this protocol –
targeted intermittent fasting. It’s a way of crossing the chasm
between the positive and negative side effects of anabolism as well
as catabolism. The following chapters Eighteen to Twenty will
complement the entire concept and give additional guidelines.
Chapters Twenty One and Two are about another critical component
to equilibrium. In addition to nutrition, you have to take into
consideration things like light, sleep, and circadian rhythms.
Even if you think all of this seems overwhelming and confusing then fear
not. As you start reading the book, you’ll begin to have several revelations
about the main message and how everything falls into place. What’s more,
you can choose to make your own adjustments based on your requirements
and lifestyle factors.
Another quote by Bernard Shaw: „Men are wise in proportion not to their
experience but to their capacity for experience.“ Essentially, it means that
wisdom results from not only practical experience but also from realizing
how much there is yet to learn. So it is with this book – although you need
to make it a part of your everyday life, you still have to honor the
complexity and nuance to what goes on in the body. For full mastery, you
have to always consider the context of the situation because it’s going to
determine the final outcome.
My hope is that the principles and guidelines contained in Metabolic
Autophagy will become a permanent part of your daily routines because
they require constant practice. If you want to be healthier and live longer,