Did you know…?
Your body already has its own built-in tool that helps reverse aging. I know, crazy, right? But it’s true.
And the best part? It’s free. Oh, how I love that F word. It’s something your cells do naturally, and it might just be the closest thing we have to slowing down (and in some cases even reversing) the effects of aging.
It’s called autophagy, and it’s easy to do at home!
The word literally means “self-eating,” which sounds a little creepy, but stick with me. Autophagy is like your body’s housekeeping service. Every single cell has a system that takes out the trash, cleans up broken parts, and recycles the good stuff into fresh energy.
Without it, your cells get cluttered and start to slow down and that accelerates aging. Autophagy decelerates aging.
**Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or health-care provider. PLEASE check with your doctor before you start any new health regimen. **
So, let’s begin by discussing what autophagy is, how it works and how to achieve it so we can look younger and feel healthy!!
What Exactly Is Autophagy?
Think of your body like a busy city. Every day, there’s garbage, broken equipment and parts of things lying around everywhere. Autophagy is the sanitation crew that comes through and cleans everything up! Neat, right?
Your cells are constantly repairing themselves, but they can only do that if they get rid of the junk first. Autophagy takes those old or damaged parts, breaks them down, and either reuses the materials or gets rid of them completely.
I mean, how can you not love the human body? It’s truly amazing!
how does autophagy reverse aging?
Here’s where it gets exciting.
In study after study, boosting autophagy has been linked to longer lifespans, healthier brains, clearer skin and healthier bodies. In fact, researchers were able to restore memory in older mice just by reactivating autophagy in their brain cells.
Wait, what?
Now, we know we can’t stop aging completely, but including this natural process in our lifestyle habits can help us feel stronger, think clearly, reverse aging or at least, slow it down and keep our bodies running better as the years go by.
Yes. This. Sign me up! Wanna join me? 🙂
Let’s talk about how to boost autophagy so we can feel better, look younger and have stronger, healthier bodies with less inflammation and pain! I’m all over that last part, too, by the way.
I’ve noticed that since I’m in my 60s now, it seems every morning there’s a new pain. My knees, my back, my wrists. It never ends.
Now, I know diet plays a huge role in that. I’m working on cleaning that up, too. While I do eat relatively healthily, it’s not enough right now, and I need to do more.
And by the way, it’s never too late to take care of your health!
How To Boost Autophagy Naturally
Remember, in the beginning, I told you this was free? I’m not lying to you. It’s 100% free. YOU have the power and the ability to boost autophagy, reverse aging and look and feel your best ever.
Here are the simplest ways to do that:
Fasting or Intermittent Fasting
When your body isn’t working hard to digest food all the time, it’s in repair mode. That’s when autophagy kicks in. Even short periods of fasting can help trigger the process.
Fasting can be broken down into 3 different categories:
Intermittent Fasting (IF) is where you have a window of time that you eat and a window you don’t eat. The most common one is 16:8, 16 hours of no eating, 8 hours of eating. Try to be mindful of what you eat during that 8-hour window, too.
Full-day Fasting is no food for 24 hours.
Prolonged/Extended Fasting is going past 24 hours without food. I’ve managed to get as high as 40 hours, but that was really hard. I’m not gonna lie.
The chart below was created using AI; however, I did fact-check for accuracy.
Most resources will tell you that autophagy increases significantly at the 24-72 hour mark. If you can make it to 72 hours, kudos to you! I’d love to try to get to at least 48.
You might really like this article on the benefits of fasting
Remember, check with your doctor first!!!!
| Fasting Type | Duration | Autophagy Activation |
|---|---|---|
| Intermittent (16:8, IF) | 12–16 h | Initial induction of autophagy |
| Intermittent (longer window) | 16–24 h | Clear autophagy activation |
| Full Day / 24 h fasting | ~24 h | Autophagy is underway; it begins peaking |
| Prolonged (36 h+) | 36–48 h | Enhanced autophagy and systemic benefits |
| Extended (48–72 h) | 48–72 h | Deep autophagy and maximal regeneration (care needed) |
Exercise
Moving your body is another powerful way to boost autophagy and reverse aging. It doesn’t have to be hardcore workouts either. Regular walking, strength training, or even stretching gets your muscles and cells into cleanup mode.
If you have mobility issues, you can try chair yoga, bed yoga, couch yoga (yes, those are things that exist). It’s important to move your body and keep those muscles alive and awake!
Check out Sara Beth Yoga on YouTube. I love her and follow her videos all the time.
Certain Foods and Supplements
There are natural compounds found in certain foods and spices that can help too. Things like resveratrol (in red grapes and wine), curcumin (in turmeric), spermidine (found in foods like soy and mushrooms), and berberine (often used as a supplement) have all been shown to support autophagy.
I’m always happy to see chocolate on these lists! Haha!
Here are a few lists of foods/supplements/spices that help kick your body into autophagy and help reverse aging:
Foods That Support Autophagy
- Green tea
- Black coffee
- Blueberries & dark berries
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
- Garlic & onions
- Mushrooms (reishi, shiitake, maitake)
- Seaweed
- Dark chocolate (85%+)
- Walnuts & almonds
Supplements Linked to Autophagy
- Resveratrol
- Quercetin
- Berberine
- Spermidine
- Curcumin
- EGCG (green tea extract)
- Fisetin
- Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil, algae oil)
Spices & Herbs That May Help
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Rosemary
- Sage & oregano
- Black pepper
I also found this fantastic site that has a 7-day meal plan. I may even try this! I’ve got it bookmarked!
Final thoughts on how autophagy can reverse aging (slow down)
Autophagy isn’t some sci-fi discovery. It’s something your body already does, and it might be one of the most powerful ways to fight aging from the inside out.
It’s important to note that while our body already does autophagy naturally, as we get older, it simply slows down. The best thing we can do is give it the boost it needs. A little fasting, some regular movement, and smart food choices can make a huge difference.
So instead of chasing the next big anti-aging trend, start with what your body already knows how to do. Think of autophagy as your built-in cleanup crew. Keep it active, and your cells will thank you by staying healthier, longer.
~side note: For reference here, when I say ‘reverse aging’ I mean slow down the aging process, help you feel and look younger. There isn’t anything that can actually ‘reverse’ aging besides cosmetic/plastic surgery.
Helpful Links If You Want To Dig Deeper
