I’ve referred to the Master Cleanse as pressing the reset button of the body for a decade now, but I must admit it’s nice when mainstream medical research agrees.
We could not predict prolonged fasting would have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell … regeneration in the [bone marrow, which creates blood],” said Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology & Biological Sciences at USC Davis School of Gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute.
The research showed that cycles of prolonged fasting not only protect against immune system damage but also stimulate immune system regeneration, activating dormant stem cells.
A 3-day fast also protected against toxicity in a pilot clinical trial in which a small group of patients fasted for a 72-hour period prior to chemotherapy. “The results of [that] study suggest that fasting may [reduce] some of the harmful effects of chemotherapy,” said co-author Tanya Dorff, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital.
Please note. these patients fasted BEFORE the chemotherapy, not during or immediately after. THIS IS VITAL because fasting detoxifies and can cause chemotherapy drugs to recirculate in the body if done at the same time or very shortly afterward. DO NOT DO THE MASTER CLEANSE WHILE UNDERGOING CHEMOTHERAPY OR WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF RECEIVING IT.
The study was published June 5, 2014 in the Journal Cell Stem Cell (yes, it really did have “Cell” twice in the title) and it showed that fasting (only 3 days) stimulated stem cell activity and heightened immune system function.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and two doctors from the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC participated in it.
Another study from Harvard University published in the same issue of Cell Stem Cell found the blood cell stem cells were also protected from aging!