What is the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD)? – Dr. Berg

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In this video, Dr. Berg talks about Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD). FMD, developed by Valter Longo, is a diet where you basically consume 800 calories for five days and then go back to regular eating for the rest of the month. This will be done for 3 months. Problems with the Fasting Mimicking Diet program will also be tackled.

Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) Macros:
• 9% Protein
• 44% Fat
• 47% Carbs

Diet Foods:
• Vegetables Soup
• Energy Drink
• Energy Bar
• Chip Snack
• Tea
• Supplement

Problem with Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD):
1. Overpriced
2. Contains sugar – low-quality foods that stimulate insulin
3. Low-calorie diet – It is not fasting but it is a fasting-mimicking program.
4. Very painful - People who are doing this are suffering because they are not going into a gradual adaptation process.
5. This does not teach healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, age 56, is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of the best-selling book The Healthy Keto Plan, and is the Director of Dr. Berg Nutritionals. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.

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Disclaimer:
Dr. Eric Berg received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1988. His use of “doctor” or “Dr.” in relation to himself solely refers to that degree. Dr. Berg is a licensed chiropractor in Virginia, California, and Louisiana, but he no longer practices chiropractic in any state and does not see patients so he can focus on educating people as a full time activity, yet he maintains an active license. This video is for general informational purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, cure, treatment, diagnosis, and prescription or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Berg and you. You should not make any change in your health regimen or diet before first consulting a physician and obtaining a medical exam, diagnosis, and recommendation. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

[phreedomphile]

FMD was created as an alternative to a five day water fast. Longo doesn't get any compensation for the ProLon FMD. It was designed to make it easier for cancer patients to do a simulated 5-day water fast right before they receive chemotherapy. By doing so the patients' cells go into a protective mode and the cancer cells become weaker and thus the chemo is more effective and the patient suffers less from side effects. Also, on days 4 and 5 of a water fast or FMD the body substantially upregulates stem production and that helps in the healing and repair process for several disorders. It was too challenging for most cancer patients to organize their own FMD regimen, that's why UCLA opted to work with a company to design a package that oncologists could recommend. Too bad the ingredients are low quality, esp. at that price.

I hope Dr. Berg takes a closer look at the science and, like Dr. Darren Schmidt, offers recommendations for a healthier way to do the FMD for those who are interested.

[frankiefernandez]

At 51 years old I was 235, had gout, back pain, could barely lift my left arm from arthritis, was prediabetic, headaches, and very high blood pressure. I'm now 55 and have been doing something similar for the last 4 years. Skip breakfast, 500 cal Lunch, meat and vegetables for dinner. All low carb and now 165, all in 6 months. Weight hasn't change much in 4 years. No medications. My doctor is baffled, I'm not.

[karrolsteeves]

Hi Dr. Berg, I thought you might want to hear from someone who has actually done the FMD protocol. Both my husband and I completed the fasting mimicking diet a couple of weeks ago. We did it for the health benefits. We had no problems staying on the diet. We both felt fine on the diet and did not suffer. We have been following the Ketogenic diet for almost a year and have both lost over 20 lbs. We are both over 55 and so it it took awhile before we really started to see results. (Especially for me). A few months ago we added intermittent fasting which has helped to speed up the weight loss and I think helped us to be able follow the FMD diet without pain.

[paulperez]

It's not meant for weight loss. This is specifically to activate the benefits of true fasting while cutting on the drawbacks.
The weight is regained and he says so.
Stem cell activation, autophagy of old and damaged cells, the creation of new ones, and implications for longevity are the purpose.
This vid is a misrepresentation of FMD and Longo's work. The main focus being longevity, restoration of pancreatic function, and the enhancement of cancer treatments. If there's a Fad to it, it comes from all these youtube kids with their eating disorders jumping from diet to diet.

[emmapearson]

I agree, I did fasting mimicking on chicken soup, I did the chicken with a couple carrots and onions in a slow cooker and made bone broth for the bones and it has worked amazingly, I have very few hunger cravings and I’ve managed to keep my blood sugar pretty stable, since I’m type 1 diabetic I don’t think I would have managed that on such a high carb fast that the prolon offers, and it is ridiculously over priced!

[FiZc]

You're showing some ignorance on the topic here. Valter Longo is one of the top fasting researchers in the world.
FMD was specifically developed for compliance. Valter's team went to cancer patients and their doctors to get some human research going to see if fasting can improve cancer fighting. None of the doctors though would advise their patience to go with water fasting only. Which is why this diet was created as it produces similar effects to fasting in terms of autophagy etc. Doctors accepted this diet and we got some invaluable information about fasting.

[kerrylight]

Valter Longo’s book does teach about and provide a way of eating healthier for life. There’s a two week, day by day menu. If you take only half a page from his book to reference for your evaluation I’m sure much that is hugely beneficial is missed.

[tinalemay]

This is not the only fasting mimicking diet. Valter owns Prolon, not the end all be all of FMD's. It replaces a 5 day water fast with almost the same benefits. You tailor it to your ketogenic macro pattern with 40% or less of your normal caloric intake. I feel Dr. Berg is being very narrow minded here. It's not a way of eating for life. Just a cleanse.

[jaychon]

I'm a data guy. Longo's research does show the huge benefits of FMD despite the poor quality ingredients as Dr. Berg suggests. So let's not diminish the results from the program. I guess there are more than one way to achieve results I would say or do we have data to indicate otherwise ....

[augustoleonchahin]

You forgot to say that the "Guy" Who create this diet IS the director of the USC longevity institute. But when you became a fanatic of something you can not see the facts and the evidence.

[KeshArt]

Apparently more people in the comments know more about fasting than one of the top fasting researchers in the world...🤔

[robloxpiano]

Hello everyone. I’ve always tried to follow the philosophy of seeking to understand before making assumptions. This is not always easy! It seems to me someone asked Dr. Berg what he thought of the food in the Prolon diet, not the founder of the diet or his research. Dr Berg went out of his way to research and investigate the actual ingredients of the prescribed food and report a summary relating to the health risks and benefits. Thank you for Dr. Berg for the work you do for us and your precious time.

[geertaerts]

Dr. Longo was second in the voting for the Nobel medicine prize for anti-aging discoveries. I don't think Dr. Berg has read the science. It's not about keto, it's about lowering IGF-1 with low protein that extends life through the fasting mimicking diet.

[SublimationClub]

🙄🙄Wait think you forgot to add the part of why it was developed and why he says it works based on his research. He does say you don't have to use his packaged kit that point is to stick to lower calories temporarily so your cells can repair themselves. Longo also says ( in an interview with Mercola) fasting daily for over 13 hours is bad for your your gulbladder and cardio health based on research. I would love to know the diet those people where eating on the trails where fasting showed increased gulbladder and cardio issues if you fast for more then 13 hours a day, daily. Thank Dr Berg you are awesome but would love to know your thought on the research that says fasting for more than 13 hours affects cardio. This Dr is a Longevity researcher so I think it important to understand the research even if we don't end up agreeing with him.

[AlexaTravelEnthusiast]

I’m a nurse and a very active individual on days off. I don’t find it hard at all to be honest. I’m on day 4 and my hunger has diminished tremendously. I have more energy, better skin, more define muscle tones, breathing easier, sleep better, a bit gassy but not feeling bloated at all. I’m ok with cost as long as it helps improve my overall health. I will definitely do it again since it does help guide me through my diet disciplinary, where I can teach myself from the experience and learn how to adapt to changes.

[KeyofDavid]

the 60 30 10 is only if you're healthy and have no autoimmune issues. If you have cancer or epilepsy you should go four parts fat one part carbohydrate and protein.
A avocado and a green smoothie in the morning wait 6 hours and then have an avocado in a green smoothie in the evening and then fast 13 hours minimum up to 16 hours. So if you eat your last meal at 7:30 you wouldn't eat again till 8:30 the next morning. this way there's no keto flu and your body will get into ketosis if you use MCT oil hemp oil flax oil in your smoothie . a typical Smoothie has 26 to 28 grams of protein as Dr Longo explains too much protein causes Aging in the body.

[workoutangel]

Hi! Just wanted to say that I enjoy your videos. Here's my thoughts on this one.... Though I agree that the price point and ingredients could be lots better, you left out some vital info. Dr. Longo doesn't suggest you go back to a regular diet. You also left out all the great research as far as healing from the boom of stem cell reproduction after Day 4 and the healing that takes place after Day 5 in the body, especially after 3 cycles. I feel like this could have been researched more so you could've given a more well rounded review, so to speak...

[UncleDavesKitchen]

I do a fat fast for a few days a month. I eat only butter/ghee or grass fed tallow often mixed in with my bone broth or just eat the fat. My cortisol levels have reduced amazingly well, lose weight and it takes the strain off my gallbladder from not emptying as it did when I did regular fasting (I developed gall stones on keto/fasting). It works, it's affordable and so easy to do, no hunger. I've monitored my glucose and ketones the glucose is stable and ketones rise.

[alphacause]

Any diet that teaches you to eat in a way that causes you to oscillate between deprivation and the very old habits that caused you to be overweight and unhealthy in the first place is not a lifestyle change, and therefore cannot be sustained. The way you can tell whether a pattern of eating is a fad diet, or a true lifestyle change, is that a lifestyle change is something that you do daily - in the same way you brush your teeth daily, or take a shower. Your dentist would never tell you - "okay, you brush your teeth vigorously, three times a day, for a week, and then for the rest of the month you don't have brush your teeth." When you were a little kid, your mom would never tell you - "okay, take a shower 3 times a day, for a week, and then the rest of the month never take a shower." The point is if something is good and healthy, and it is SUSTAINABLE, it should be practiced every day.

[staceykersting]

I've done the fast mimicking diet a few times for 72 hours I did include a golf ball size potato on day 3. I didn't buy the kit. I stuck with my regular salads and some steamed or sauted veggies. I found it to be an east way to fast, eating only 2x a day. I allowed myself 1 cup coffee with 1 Tbsp cream each morning. Look up videos for fast mimicking diet to get some menu ideas and go from there.