Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • Food is a favorite pastime for many which is convenient because we need it to live.

  • But what would happen to you and your body if you were to completely stop eating food right now?

  • In the first six hours, all is fairly normal.

  • Your body begins to break down glycogen, which stores energy in your body, into glucose which your cells use as fuel.

  • Around 25 percent of energy generated this way is used for your brain alone.

  • while the rest goes to muscle tissue and red blood cells.

  • But after about six hours, this method of energy production halts as the glycogen sources deplete

  • which can lead to the notorious hangry or hungry and angry feeling that many of us know too well.

  • At this point, your body enters a state called ketosis as it begins to fast or starve

  • Because there is very little glucose in your blood, your body must begin to break down fat for energy.

  • This fat is in turn broken down into fatty acids

  • However, your brain can't use long chain fatty acids, which is a problem.

  • Because there's no more glucose and the fats are too large to cross the blood brain barrier.

  • Your brain changes modes and begins to use ketone bodies for energy which are short-chain derivatives of fatty acid.

  • This works for the time being, but ultimately only seventy-five percent of the brain's energy requirements can come from ketones.

  • It still needs glucose, which means your cognitive functioning becomes impaired.

  • It's important to mention that you don't have to be starving to be in ketosis.

  • Many people enter this phase if they are on a low-carb diet

  • or professional athletes who use all of their carbs for an extended period of time, like marathon runners, will be in this state as well.

  • However, beyond 72 hours, not only will your mood and energy suffer but your brain will start to break down your body's own protein.

  • The proteins release amino acid which can be converted into glucose which is great news for your brain but bad news for your body.

  • Basically, your body is cannibalizing itself by destroying your muscle mass.

  • In women, under-nutrition often shuts down the menstrual cycle as the body tries to reduce energy expenditure bone density diminishes and both men and women may experience a loss of libido

  • Within a few weeks, the body's immune system will be so weakened without any vitamins or minerals that many will die from disease.

  • Otherwise, it will continue to use up all energy sources until there's no glucose, fat tissue, or muscle mass left.

  • One of the more common causes of death is cardiac, arrhythmia or heart attack due to the tissue degradation in the heart, diaphragm, and body

  • This is fairly common in those suffering from anorexia.

  • Of course, the body experiences severe organ failure all around

  • Starvation can lead to death in as short as 3 weeks or up to 70 days as documented during the Irish hunger strikes in 1981

  • Though, the duration of survival is greatly influenced by how hydrated you are and the amount of fat reserves your body has.

  • which in some ways is incredible that the body can sustain for so long with no food.

  • And yet, approximately 795 million people around the world have to deal with this reality.

  • The good news is that the seven richest countries have pledged to lift five hundred million people out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030

  • But we need to hold them accountable, we are working with an organization called "Global Citizen" to do just that

  • And here's a really easy way that you can help out too.

  • By sharing this video, and then heading to the "Global Citizen" website form here

  • You'll be adding your voice to an important educational movement towards ending hunger worldwide.

  • You can click the screen or use the links in description. It really only takes a few moments.

Food is a favorite pastime for many which is convenient because we need it to live.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it

B1 US body glucose energy brain fatty fat

What If You Stopped Eating?

  • 12 1
    Claire Chi posted on 2015/09/02
Video vocabulary

Keywords

people

US /ˈpipəl/

UK /'pi:pl/

  • noun
  • Ordinary people; the general public.
  • Ordinary people; commoners.
  • Persons sharing culture, country, background, etc.
  • The employees of a company or organization.
  • Humans in general; persons considered collectively.
  • Men, Women, Children
  • A nation or ethnic group.
  • Human beings in general or considered collectively.
  • One's family or relatives.
  • other
  • Human beings in general or considered collectively.
  • other
  • To populate; to fill with people.
brain

US /bren/

UK /breɪn/

  • noun
  • The central processing unit (CPU) of a computer.
  • A very intelligent person; a genius.
  • Intelligence; the ability to think and understand things quickly.
  • The part of the head that thinks
  • A smart person who often makes good decisions
  • verb
  • To strike someone forcefully on the head
  • other
  • To hit (someone) hard on the head.
  • other
  • Mental capacity; intellect.
break

US /brek/

UK /breɪk/

  • verb
  • To create a new record e.g. running the 100m dash
  • To form a crack in something
  • To burst or become damaged
  • To end a relationship
  • To escape from a place such as a jail
  • To train a wild animal e.g. a horse
  • To separate into pieces by force, or by dropping
  • To act against a law, rule, or promise
  • To become known suddenly, as in the news
  • To not do what you promised e.g. not keep promises
  • To solve a crime, or answer a problem
  • To stop functioning properly
  • To suddenly start, open or commence
  • To change in pitch suddenly, as in a voice
  • To fall on the shore, as in waves
  • To begin or change suddenly; the dawn or weather
  • To defeat by causing the person to lose their will
  • noun
  • Time you stop an activity before continuing
  • End of a relationship
  • An escape from a place such as a jail
  • (Lucky) advantage or benefit from something
  • A lucky opportunity.
  • A pause in activity; a rest.
  • Find a solution or answer to a problem or crime
  • Change in the weather
  • other
  • To stop functioning.
  • To enter a building illegally, typically by force.
  • To start suddenly.
  • To escape.
  • To become known; to be revealed.
  • To interrupt an activity for a rest.
  • To separate into pieces; to fracture or shatter.
  • other
  • To put an end to.
  • To reveal or disclose (news or information).
  • To separate into pieces; to fracture or shatter.
  • To fail to observe the terms of (a law, promise, or agreement).
mass

US /mæs/

UK /mæs/

  • noun
  • Religious ceremony in some Christian churches
  • Large amount or number of something
  • Main or largest part of something
  • Large number of people considered as a whole
  • Amount of matter that an object has
  • verb
  • To gather people or things into a large group
tissue

US /ˈtɪʃu/

UK /ˈtɪʃu:/

  • other
  • A collection of similar cells performing a specific function in a living organism.
  • A light, gauzy fabric.
  • A soft, absorbent paper, used for cleaning or wiping.
  • A very thin, translucent paper.
  • noun
  • Substance formed by cells of living thing; flesh
  • Kind of thin, light paper used to pack objects
  • Thin soft paper for blowing the nose, etc.
diet

US /ˈdaɪɪt/

UK /'daɪət/

  • noun
  • Plan of eating to reduce weight or improve health
  • The kinds of food that a person or animal eats regularly.
  • A special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
  • verb
  • To eat special or less food, as to lose weight
  • Restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.
  • To restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight.
  • other
  • The usual food and drink consumed by an organism (person or animal)
million

US /ˈmɪljən/

UK /ˈmɪljən/

  • number
  • 1,000,000
  • noun
  • A million units of currency.
  • A very large number or amount.
  • The number 1,000,000
energy

US /ˈɛnədʒi/

UK /'enədʒɪ/

  • noun
  • Physical or mental strength
  • other
  • Power or capacity applied to perform a task in computing.
  • Resources used for power, fuel, etc., especially in economic terms.
  • Enthusiasm and determination.
  • The capacity to do work.
  • The strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
  • The strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
blood

US /blʌd/

UK /blʌd/

  • noun
  • Red liquid in the bodies of people and animals
  • adjective
  • Related by birth; family
  • other
  • The red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body.
  • Family relationship or descent.
  • A wound that has blood coming out of it.
  • Disposition or temperament.
  • Bloodshed; violence.
  • verb
  • To be initiated into something, e.g. a secret club
body

US /ˈbɑdi/

UK /ˈbɒd.i/

  • noun
  • An object distinct from other objects
  • A group of people involved in an activity together
  • Main part of something
  • A person's physical self