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  • 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.

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