OMAD and the Coronavirus Pandemic
With the Quarantine restrictions resulting from the Coronavirus Pandemic some wonder if the lack of activity will make them fatter. In this video, I show you how this may be a great opportunity. You might get adapted to the One Meal a Day (OMAD) regimen and actually lose weight. Better yet, you might bolster your immune system and resist the Coronavirus infection with Autophagy. I’ll show you how with a home-based workout routine while fasted, you will stimulate Autophagy. This is the cellular recycling mechanism.
Hi, this is Juan Sarmiento. Over the last 10 years I have adopted One Meal a Day as an essential part of my daily routine. It is a lifestyle, really. It turns out that this approach may stimulate autophagy and this might help resist the Coronavirus infection. Let me show you what you can do during this quarantine period to change your life for the better. But before I do, don’t forget to subscribe to this youtube channel. Also, click on the bell so you don’t miss the videos coming up.
How to Trigger Autophagy
With the Pandemic outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (or COVID19), I was reminded that Autophagy is stimulated by OMAD. Autophagy may protect against viral infection, and we can stimulate Autophagy. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), when done in the fasted state also stimulates autophagy. Other forms of extended fasting can do it too, including: 1. Alternative Day Fasting with up to 36 hours of fasting. 2. One-Meal-Every-Other Day with up to 48 hours of fasting. 3. Extended fasting for a week or more. The goal of longer fasting is to stimulate Autophagy as a means of “cleansing” the body from toxins.
What is Autophagy
Autophagy is the intracellular recycling mechanism. Damaged organelles, proteins and even some viruses and bacteria, are engulfed by a double membrane vesicle that forms a Phagophore. Eventually, the gap is closed, forming the Autophagosome. In the cell, there is also a lysosome, a vesicle containing the chemicals capable of digesting the engulfed material. The lysosome and the Autophagosome join together in an appropriately named body, called the Autolysosome. In it, chemicals or enzymes degrade the unwanted material, recycling amino acids into the cell. These may be used to build new proteins and organelles, as needed. Autophagy’s main role is to maintain cellular homeostasis.
A Double Edge Sword
Our innate immune system activates autophagy as the first line of defense to degrade and dispose of invading viruses. In later stages of infection, autophagy facilitates antigen processing and thereby the induction of adaptive immune responses. In simple words, Autophagy is a critical part of our defense against viruses. It plays a role whether we have been previously exposed or vaccinated, or neither.
Unfortunately, some viruses and Coronaviruses in particular, have evolved to hijack or evade the Autophagy mechanism to their advantage. Since the effects on autophagy are varied between Coronavirus types, it remains to be seen what are effects of COVID-19. The safer attitude would be to avoid autophagy triggers at the first sign of infection. When healthy, however, Autophagy should be helpful in preventing the disease. The problem is, we probably won’t know when we are first infected.
How do we trigger Autophagy?
There are 3 common ways by which anyone can trigger autophagy: 1. Fasting for over 48 hours or more. 2. High Intensity Interval Training. 3. A low Carbohydrate diet (10% or less), that is the ketogenic diet.
In previous videos I have shown you my daily routine. Take a look at them by clicking the link on the top right corner of your screen. Although I do not fast for 48 hours, I do High Intensity Interval Training with my Pyramid Pushup routine. I do my training near the end of my daily 23 hour fast, before my One-Meal-A-Day. Fasted exercise is ideal to generate the Autophagy.
There are two biochemical pathways that you might hear about in the future. These are like the Ying and the Yang of our cellular homeostasis. Let’s identify them here very briefly: 1. AMPK, senses a decline in energy during fasting. In order to maintain energy homeostasis AMPK promotes autophagy. 2. mTor, detects nutrient signals in the fed stated. mTor is a cell-growth regulator and inhibits autophagy. To suppress autophagy, all we need to do is eat!
Should we suppress or enhance Autophagy?
The benefits of autophagy for the immune system are tempered by the risk of helping Coronavirus replication. Fasting that exceeds 24 hours may give Coronavirus a chance to take advantage of autophagy to replicate.
OMAD and fasted exercise allows our bodies to take advantage of the benefits of autophagy for the immune system. We may have the ability to resist the viral infection before it occurs. Yet, we may limit the duration of our autophagy by eating our meal before 24 hours are up. If we experience symptoms, we may stop OMAD or the fasted exercise or both, and then determine if our health improves.
How to prevent or treat the Coronavirus disease is a medical issue, so I am going to limit my comments about that. I do intend to continue to use my OMAD routine here and keep you informed if I get infected with COVID19. In essence I will be my own guinea pig and will keep a diary of my experiences if I show any signs. So far, I have been in just fine.
While in quarantine at home, why not commit yourself to OMAD for 21 days in a row? You should have plenty of time for a fasted workout and cooking only once a day will free additional time. We might even avoid making too many trips to the supermarket. This might be the opportunity to develop a home-based business or hobby. Perhaps contribute with your knowledge or experience with a YouTube channel of your own. I have been running my pathology consulting business at home since 1995. Now, OMAD contributes to my focus and I hardly ever get sick.
This quarantine might be an opportunity to change your life, lose weight, become fit and resist the virus infection. Knowledge is power.
This is Juan Sarmiento, reminding you that Life is looking up…!
