Tip #3: Choose Foods That Support Autophagy
What we eat plays a crucial role in supporting this natural process.
Dr. Yumi Ishihara, personal doctor to Japan’s prime minister and head of Ishihara Clinic in Tokyo, advocates for modified fasting as a powerful health tool. His regimen includes a liquid breakfast of freshly squeezed carrot or apple juice, skipping lunch in favor of black tea with black sugar and ginger, and consuming one solid meal per day.
This approach creates long fasting windows that naturally support cellular rejuvenation and autophagy.
Dr. Ishihara emphasizes the importance of practices like hara hachi bu to encourage longevity and prevent overeating.
Breaking Your Fast: Carrot and Apple Juice
Dr. Ishihara’s liquid breakfast of freshly squeezed carrot or apple juice offers an excellent way to break a fast. These juices are packed with essential nutrients supporting digestion and recovery.
- Carrot juice is rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A, helping with skin, eye health, and liver detoxification while offering an alkalizing effect on your stomach.
- Apple juice is full of antioxidants like quercetin, restores electrolytes, and supports gut health with natural pectin.
Together, these juices are gentle on your digestive system and provide quick nourishment without overwhelming your body.
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To avoid blood sugar spikes, drink a small amount first—about half a glass—and wait 10 to 20 minutes before eating solid foods. Pairing juice with a handful of nuts or a spoonful of olive oil can help slow sugar absorption and keep energy levels balanced.
Black Tea With Black Sugar and Ginger
Another fantastic drink to support autophagy combines black tea with black sugar and ginger. This combination is warming, nutritious, and offers multiple health benefits.
- Black tea is rich in antioxidants supporting heart health and metabolism.
- Black sugar (kurozato) is a natural alternative to refined sugar, providing minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium.
- Ginger adds powerful anti-inflammatory properties, aids digestion, improves circulation, and boosts immunity.
This drink provides gentle energy before fasting and works well after fasting to aid digestion and replenish lost minerals.
The Foundation: Plant-Based Whole Foods
In line with advice from these researchers, limit solid meals to one or two per day. Emphasis should be on a plant-based, whole food diet.
A traditional Japanese diet rich in vegetables, seaweed, fermented foods, fish, and legumes like soybeans, natto, and miso—combined with whole grains such as brown rice and barley—provides nutrients your body needs to thrive while supporting autophagy.
