Fasting 8 days a year helps to maintain the immune system

A person's entire immune system can be refreshed by fasting 8 days a year.

New research in the United States shows that a vegetarian diet every 2-4 days every 6 months can help start the immune system, especially when it has been damaged by aging or cancer treatment.

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A vegetarian diet every 2-4 days every 6 months can help renew the immune system.(Photo: webmd)

Professor Valter Longo, longevity expert at the University of Southern California, said that when hungry, the body will try to save energy. And one of the ways to save energy is to regenerate immune cells. Prolonged fasting times reduce large numbers of white blood cells and they will be regenerated after normal eating again.

"With an immune system severely damaged by aging or chemotherapy, periodic vegetarianism can stimulate the creation of new white blood cells against infection , " said Professor Longo. .

Test results also showed that cancer patients lost less white blood cells if they were vegetarians 72 hours before chemotherapy. Prolonged fasting also reduces enzymes associated with aging and hormones that increase the risk of cancer and tumor growth.

"Chemotherapy causes significant damage to the immune system. The results of this study suggest that vegetarianism may alleviate some of the toxic effects of chemotherapy. However, any intervention Such eating should be done only under the guidance of a doctor, " co-author Tanya Dorff analyzed.

Scientists are continuing to do research to find useful diets for older people and especially cancer patients.