The Midlife Art Of Eating Oneself – The Key To Longevity

Connection Kuel Category Expert: Kay Newton

Did you know eating yourself is possibly the best advice for longevity?

“The constant body pain had to stop.”

Not in the sense of cutting off an arm and putting it on the barbecue, but at a cellular level! When we connect to our body and its natural system we can turn on the secrets of living longer and healthier. 

I have been absent from my regular monthly connection column at Kuel whilst I underwent a personal experiment. It all started with the decision that enough was enough. The constant body pain had to stop. I no longer wanted to complain about my backache, neck creeks or sore joints. It was time to focus on being Sensibly Selfish, just as I told my clients. 

With my 60th birthday looming, there was never a better time than now. I wanted to drop some weight and as much inflammation as possible. And as happens so often in my life, synchronicities appeared. The next article I read led me down a rabbit hole of exploration and a new lease on life created by – The Art of Eating Oneself. 

“We have known about fasting since time immemorial.”

The Art Of Eating Oneself – Autophagy:

The article I found concerned Yoshinori Ohsumi, who had won the 2016 Nobel science prize. Using fungi he had managed to prove a natural function of the body we have always known about – Autophagy. 

Your body requires energy to function even when you don’t eat. After eating food, a gradual process occurs; blood sugar levels rise, then drops and settles down. Next is the fat-burning stage, followed by ketosis and finally autophagy. Autophagy occurs around 16 hours after eating and begins a clear-out at a cellular level. The body, in effect, does a declutter, recycle, spring clean and a renewal. Autophagy not only makes your cells more efficient it prolongs cell life and, in turn, your own.

The fasting concept is so simple yet profound. We have known about fasting since time immemorial. You can find it in most religions and watch it at work in ancient tribes still wondering the planet today. Take the Hazda tribe in Tanzania, East Africa. As nomadic hunters and gatherers, they eat what they can catch or whatever is in season. It has kept its people alive for thousands of years. 

“When we fast, we create a natural space for our body to do the work it was designed to do.”

The Pandemic Of Obesity:

In total contrast, the Western world has food available 24/7. You name it, you can eat it – around the clock. Most of it is not food at all. We wonder why we are sick, why our life expectancy is declining rapidly (In the US 2020, it has declined by 1.5 years), The Western World is quickly eating itself towards a horrific early death. 

The pandemic of obesity should be on everyone’s lips. You have probably heard of weight-related issues, heart disease, stroke, autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure, cancer and osteoporosis – what if they are all caused by the lack of ‘space’ to let the body do what it does best? When we fast, we create a natural space for our body to do the work it was designed to do. Let me repeat – when we connect to our inner self, our natural system has space to heal. 

Just a side note here – there is no money to be made from the Autophagy process. This could be one of the reasons you have probably never heard of it. No one can sell you a diet program, supplement, or exercise routine to enable autophagy. Do not believe them if they do!

“My fasting time and eating time change regularly, as if I was living with the Hazda tribe.”

My Story:

Since April, I have lost 10 kgs in weight without ever feeling hungry. I eat healthy food within my eating window. My fasting time and eating time change regularly, as if I was living with the Hazda tribe. Some days I have a five-hour window for food. Other days I meet friends and have fun. 

Fasting is a lifestyle choice and not a diet. I love good food and refuse to count calories or eliminate carbs or protein just because it’s a fad. Yet writing down my food stories and publishing them helped me see the bigger picture. 

The Midlife Art Of Eating Oneself With Things I Love The Most:

The more I connect to the space within my body, the more I clear out the crap placed there over the years. Autophagy loves visceral fat, which means my meno belly is declining gradually and the wrinkly skin to some extent too! I have a better quality of sleep, no night sweats, shiny hair, strong nails, and glowing skin. 

More importantly, for me, is the reduction in inflammation and pain. The Midlife Art of Eating Oneself has given me more energy to do the things I love the most. You will find me connecting with nature, connecting to wonderful people and having fun. If you want to join in the journey to better health get in touch. The New Year is just around the corner…

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