5 Thought Friday

Took the fasting plunge and fasted for 5 days (well, 4.5 days at the time of this blog release). I share my experience in #3 below.

1.       What I am currently reading, viewing, or listening to:

• The Oxygen Advantage; Patrick McKeown

• This is in my top 3 books of the year! Simple instructions on how to improve your oxygen saturation, athletic performance, sleep, red blood cell count….yes, simply by breathing differently than we were taught as children.

• I started a few of the techniques of nose breathing at the gym (thanks Gui) and improved my ability to hold my breath 2+ minutes in the first week. It actually helped with my mental state during fasting too!
  

2.       Gratitude Practice (for improved happiness):

• Grateful for all the support and encouragement I received during my 5 days fast. I even joined a wine dinner on Wednesday with a group of friends, and they were quite understanding of my quest for knowledge and improved health span.

3.       Wellness ideas to consider:

• Fasted 5 days and found it “relatively” easy vs. what you might believe about fasting:

  • I felt very little hunger except Day 2

  • Brain clarity/energy levels were excellent

  • Exercised twice; day 2 - great workout and day 4 - 60% level

  • Blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, and ketone levels were all in good order

  • Slight difficulty sleeping and some agitation Days 4 and 5

• I followed Dr. Jason Fung’s book for the fast and drank water, tea, coffee, and small portions of bone broth (1x daily). I also took vitamins B-Complex, D3, Potassium Citrate, and Magnesium/Calcium daily.

• Expected benefits:

  • Autophagy pathways activate to cleanse the body of damaged cells. Basically, your body consumes damaged cells for energy when no other sources are available

  • Stem cells are activated around day 3, which eventually grow to healthy/normal cells and replace the consumed damaged cells

  • Ketones activate genetic pathways that assist with anti-aging and prolong disease onset

  • Dropped a kg of un-needed fat as an added benefit

4. What I’m eating, drinking, buying, or whatever else is on my mind:

• Bone Broth - homemade and delicious

• Here is a recipe for your next fast!

5. Quote(s) I am Pondering:

• “Improving fitness depends on enhancing the release of oxygen to your muscles, organs, and tissues. Increased oxygenation is not only healthy; it also enables greater exercise intensity with reduced breathlessness. In short, you will be able to discover better health and fitness as well as better performance.” Patrick McKeown, The Oxygen Advantage

Happy Friday!

Mike