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Lewis HowesLewis Howes

Use These FASTING SECRETS To Lose Weight & Prevent CANCER! | Jason Fung & Lewis Howes

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Dr. Jason FungguestLewis Howeshost
Nov 13, 20202h 10mWatch on YouTube

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At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Dr. Jason Fung Explains How Fasting Fights Obesity, Diabetes and Cancer

  1. Fung says that tobacco (about 35%) and diet (about 30%) are the biggest contributors to cancer, and that obesity and type 2 diabetes are major risk factors, with the WHO listing 13 obesity-related cancers.
  2. He describes cancer as a seed that everyone carries and says lifestyle supplies the soil, because constant eating keeps insulin and mTOR high and sends growth signals that help cancer cells thrive.
  3. He argues that fasting lowers insulin, lets the body burn stored fat, and is free, simple and compatible with any diet, and he rejects common myths about muscle loss, starvation mode, hunger and mental fog.
  4. He says type 2 diabetes comes from too much sugar stored in the body and is reversible through low-carb eating and fasting rather than by cramming more sugar in with medication.
  5. The conversation also covers practical matters such as fruit, athletes and fasting, bulletproof coffee, longevity, community support, and the role of stress, gratitude and religious practices.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Diet is nearly as large a cancer contributor as smoking

Fung cites estimates of about 35% for tobacco and about 30% for diet, and says pesticides and radiation contribute only around 1–2% at the population level.

Cancer needs fertile soil, not just a genetic seed

He says everyone carries the seed of cancer, and he points to BRCA carriers whose breast cancer risk was about 30% in earlier decades versus about 80% today as evidence that lifestyle matters.

Eating frequency keeps growth signals switched on

Eating six to eight times a day keeps insulin and mTOR high, which Fung says promotes growth, blocks fat burning and supports cancer, while fasting turns those signals down.

Fasting does not cause muscle loss or a slowed metabolism

Fung says the body stores fat to be used, that a four-day fast raised calorie burn by about 10% in a study, and that muscle is maintained through exercise.

Hunger comes in waves and can be managed

He says ghrelin peaks at habitual mealtimes and then falls, so staying busy, drinking tea or coffee, and having community support help people ride it out.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

The secret to managing all of these things is not more medicine and surgery. It's less. It's actually within our grasp because fasting is free to every single person on earth.

— Dr. Jason Fung

So what's important then is you can't do anything about the seed, but what you can do something about is the soil, which is that if you provide a fertile sort of soil for that seed to germinate, then you are going to increase your risk of developing this cancer.

— Dr. Jason Fung

Body fat is not there for looks. It's there for you to use, right? And that's the whole point. What's so bad about using it?

— Dr. Jason Fung

It has nothing to do with willpower. It all has to do with the habits that you put in.

— Dr. Jason Fung

Type two diabetes is a completely reversible disease. It's simply too much sugar. You need to empty that sugar bowl.

— Dr. Jason Fung

Read the available transcript
Causes of cancer and the seed-and-soil ideaInsulin, nutrient sensors and growth signalsFasting myths: muscle loss, starvation mode and hungerAutophagy and longevityReversing type 2 diabetesFasting for athletesHabits, snacking culture and community support

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SPEAKERS

  • Dr. Jason Fung

    guest

    Physician and author known for clinical expertise on obesity, insulin resistance, fasting, and metabolic health.

  • Lewis Howes

    host

    Host of The School of Greatness podcast and interviewer.

High quality AI-generated summary created from speaker-labeled transcript.

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