This book by Avery Hansen revealed itself through my search for healthy living. While I’ve heard of intermittent fasting before, I didn’t realize there was a correlation with cellular regeneration—which is something I’m extremely fascinated by.

The author shares her personal story and incredible research into the process of encouraging autophagy and how this stage, when invoked by intermittent fasting, can start to heal the body from within. It’s packed with insight and relevancy and impressively, hard core stats on what makes autophagy something worth experimenting with.

The practical applications will not overwhelm the novice seeking books about health and healthy advice. Instead, Hansen shares the reasoning and logical approach to autophagy and its benefits. The breakdown of how the body processes meals and what happens when it’s given a chance to rest provides clarity on why it’s important to consider this approach—under medical guidance of course.

Through my own experimentation, I’ve found that eating habits are hard to break.

But Hansen explains that’s the hormone “ghrelin” talking—when our body starts grumbling for food, it’s simply our brains secreting the hunger hormone and not a desperate cry for nutrients. But through gradual steps, this habit of eating whenever you “think you need to eat” can be curbed.

Yes, I’ve been three weeks into practicing autophagy and have discovered a few benefits. But to ensure it works, you need to avoid overeating during your “feeding window.” Thankfully, the author offers solutions for this potential roadblock.

Final note on this book: It’s worth a read but be sure you don’t experiment without consulting your physician first because everybody, and every body, is different. And for those who have always been “early bird” eaters, you won’t have to apologize for this behavior anymore.:)