With the notion of “new year, new me,” every January, gyms see an influx of new business and everyone wants in on the latest trend in dieting. What if we told you there was a diet plan that aids in anti-aging, the reduction of health risks, and weight loss? Sounds a little too good to be true – but apparently there is a science behind it, and AboutHer.com wanted to get to the gist of it.
ProLon is the world’s first five-day Fast Mimicking Diet that is scientifically proven and clinically tested, and an amazing way to stay vibrant, youthful, and healthy for longer.
The plant-based meal program tricks the body into thinking it's fasting but with less discomfort and risk than a true water-only fast. The fasting pushes the body to burn fat, rejuvenates cells, and promotes anti-aging by lowering risk factors of a host of diseases including cholesterol, inflammation, fasting blood glucose, diabetes, and obesity.
Invented by Dr. Valter Longo, ProLon is the first and only meal program that has gone through clinical trials at the University of South California Longevity Institute and has been patented for its anti-aging effects. We spoke with Dr. Joseph Antoun, the CEO and Chair of the Board at L-Nutra Inc to find out how ProLon is the healthiest and most effective way to diet.
What is ProLon?
ProLon is the first and only scientifically developed, clinically tested Fasting Mimicking Diet. With ProLon, consumers are biologically fasting for 5 consecutive days while consuming food to nourish their body. The purpose of mimicking and enhancing a 5-day fasting state is to induce the body’s natural protective and rejuvenating capabilities. It is a metabolic, weight, and cellular reset.
How did you come up with such a plan that targets both weight loss and anti-ageing?
The ProLon plan was invented at the Longevity Institute of the University of Southern California. The research team who discovered the benefits of a prolonged fasting is lead by Professor Valter Longo, who was named by TIME among the top 50 most influential people in health. Prof. Longo for over two decades was researching the pathways in the cell nutrition impacts and induce pro-aging or anti-aging signals. Once these ‘nutrition to aging’ processes were uncovered, the researchers discovered that fasting inhibits the main three pro-aging pathways within a cell, and when done for several days, puts the cell in a situation or protection and rejuvenation which no nutrition of pill has ever showed to date. Because it is difficult and could be unsafe for people to do 5 days of water fast, the research team under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Health developed a breakthrough nutrition program that feeds the cells but still gets undetected by the three pathways. The mix of fasting and rejuvenation makes the ProLon fasting mimicking diet a great program for fast weight loss and healthy aging.
What makes this plan so different from the other popular and ever changing diets out there?
ProLon is a novel concept and class in nutrition. First, nutrition has never recommended prolonged fasting till now. The theories of the 90s and early 2000s about eating multiple times a day have unfortunately drifted our bodies to stay in a pro-age pro-fast storing mode all day long and we witness unprecedented rates of obesity, Diabetes, Cancer and Cardio-vascular diseases. Most weight loss diets on the other hand, have focused on eating lower calories daily. Chronic calorie restrictions in humans have definitely weighted and metabolic benefits but poses challenges such as most people default on it and gain back the weight. Some also lose lean body mass unless they exercise at the same time. The main challenge was yet to be unlocked till now, is how to inspire people to change their lifestyles while respecting tradition and the evolution of our diet rather than impose a daily regimen that sets them in many cases for failure. This is what ProLon is meant for, 5 days of transformation and inspiration to help the consumer win over dieting and change their relationship with food while experimenting better energy, sleep, food portion control, and mental clarity.
Finally, it is important to point out that the fasting mimicking diet is the only diet that has been developed at a university, has gone through pre-clinical and clinical testing, and has been awarded a patent on promoting longevity and health span.
What are the added benefits of a ProLon plan?
ProLon benefits are five folds: weight, metabolic, cellular, behavioral and emotional ones. Indeed, the stress on the cells from not detecting or knowing that they are eating, induces the cellular protection and rejuvenation process. This resets the body in a way that most dietary regiments have never been tested for. Also given that ProLon is a five-day plant based gluten-free regimen, it helps the person go through a healthy journey of lifestyle change and feel that they have won against food addiction and unhealthy habits. Most diet fail because they require daily lifestyle changes. With ProLon, there is a day 1 and a day 5 so most people can complete it and feel a win against food. Most ProLon consumers report a change as well with their relationship and addiction to food. They report higher energy, mental clarity and improve sleep patterns.
How does it work?
ProLon nourishes the body but still goes under the cells’ own food censors. Therefore, the cells are fasting and enter a protectionist, rejuvenative, survival process while they are being fed. The diet is rich in good fats, plant-based proteins and fiber-based carbs. It contains minerals and vitamins. No need to eat or drink, besides water and one coffee a day, anything else with it. To prove its safety and efficacy, ProLon has been tested in mice and humans at the Longevity Institute and Keck hospital in California.
Who would be the ideal candidate for a ProLon plan?
ProLon is first and foremost for healthy aging, which is a natural process that we all go through. For those of us who are healthy otherwise, they could do ProLon 2-3 times a year mainly for the cellular rejuvenation effects. For those who have health risk factors or are overweight, we suggest they do three ProLon cycles over three months period (one ProLon per month) and if they reach their goal, then they maintain with 3 cycles per year. Some people should not do ProLon such as pregnant or breastfeeding women or frail people who need to gain weight. If unsure, we recommend any potential consumer to contact their doctor or our medical science liaisons.
What 5 tips can you give our readers to help them on their way to weight loss in a healthy way?
I will recommend what I do which includes:
1. Do overnight fasting of 12hours up to 14hours max.
2. Eat a pescatarian or flexitarian diet.
3. Exercise 3-5 times a week.
4. Do ProLon 2-3 times a year.
5. Do not snack late at night!
