The careful manager in the cell

Hidden inside almost every cell is a small sensor called mTORC1. It acts like a careful manager, always checking if food is available. When we eat—especially meals rich in proteins and sugars—this sensor knows. It sends a clear message: “It’s time to build.” Our bodies start making new proteins, storing energy, and growing stronger. Without this, we couldn’t heal from daily wear or keep ourselves sturdy over time.

Research has shown that mTORC1 is a key piece in how our bodies decide when to grow and how to balance resources, connecting what we eat directly to how we age and how diseases develop (Liu and Sabatini, 2020) (Valvezan and Manning, 2019).

The routine cleaning in the cell

But there’s also another critical part of this system. When mTORC1 is active, it slows down the cell’s built-in cleaning process, called autophagy. During autophagy, cells remove and recycle damaged or old parts, making room for fresh, healthy components. It’s like doing routine cleaning and repairs in a home so problems don’t build up. Without it, small issues add up, and things start breaking down.

Recent reviews have shown how essential this process is, with disruptions in autophagy linked to conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and problems with brain health (Klionsky et al., 2021).

The natural order was created in such a way that these two states—building up and clearing out—alternate, each serving a purpose in sustaining life and health. When food is plentiful, our bodies focus on growth. When food becomes scarce, even for short periods, mTORC1 quiets, and cells switch from building to essential repair. This built-in cycle helps maintain health over the long term.

In modern life, however, this balance is easily lost. Food is not only always available, but also often designed to be extremely appealing. Many meals are made with combinations of salt, sugar, and fats that encourage us to keep eating long after hunger is gone. This means mTORC1 stays switched on far more often than intended. Our bodies remain in growth mode every day, with little opportunity to slow down and do the necessary cleaning inside.

At first, this might not seem like a big problem. But over months and years, it quietly adds up. Waste builds up in our cells. Tissues lose some of their strength. The natural systems that once kept everything balanced start to slow down, weighed down by what should have been cleared away long ago. As a result, even though people today often live longer than past generations, illnesses tied to this imbalance—like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and liver issues—have become extremely common.

This is only made worse by the kinds of foods many people now eat. Large studies confirm that diets high in ultra-processed, heavily flavored foods are directly linked to more obesity, metabolic problems, and heart disease (Lane et al., 2024). It’s one of the most surprising problems of our time: we suffer not because we lack food, but because we have too much, too often, with too few breaks.

Ancient wisdom prescribes fasting

Remarkably, ancient wisdom long urged moderation and fasting, echoing what science now confirms.

“Eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Surely, He does not love those who waste.” (Qur’an 7:31)

This advice is not just about polite behavior or humility. It protects the very patterns our bodies rely on for health. By holding back from always eating, we give our bodies the chance to slow down and do the internal work that keeps us strong.

The Qur’an also links fasting to building awareness and self-restraint:

“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become mindful.” (Qur’an 2:183)

Fasting is a tradition shared by many faiths, from Islam to Christianity and Judaism. It is more than simply going without food. It opens up space—both physically inside the body, and mentally inside the heart.

Today, researchers are learning exactly why this matters. Periods of fasting, or even simply having time between meals, allow mTORC1 to quiet down. This lets autophagy rise, so cells can clear out waste and fix what is worn. Major reviews in respected journals show that fasting helps switch the body from growth into repair, improving metabolism, reducing inflammation, and even extending healthy years of life (de Cabo and Mattson, 2019).

A clearer mind

People who fast often notice more than just physical changes. Many describe a clearer mind, a deeper gratitude for simple foods, and a sense of being lighter—not only in their bodies, but also in their outlook. In this way, fasting becomes like pressing a reset button, not only for the body, but for the heart and mind too.

What’s even more striking is how these practices help the brain. New studies show that fasting and careful eating patterns support memory, focus, and emotional resilience (Kapogiannis et al., 2024, Longo and Mattson, 2014). It seems the same systems that clean and repair our cells also clear away some of the mental clutter that weighs on our thoughts.

Eat thoughtfully

This does not mean we need harsh or extreme fasting to find balance. Even small habits can help. Waiting until we feel genuine hunger. Choosing simpler foods that truly nourish instead of just excite. Eating slowly enough to notice when we feel satisfied rather than full. Allowing some time between meals so the body can quietly repair itself. These small steps help keep the natural cycles of building and cleaning moving, supporting health that many today have quietly lost.

Beyond biology, moderation shapes our character. It builds contentment—the ability to enjoy what we already have instead of always chasing more. It teaches patience, showing us how to sit with small discomforts calmly. It grows compassion. By sometimes feeling hunger ourselves, we better understand those who face it daily. Our hearts soften, and we become more grateful for the blessings we have.

This way, eating thoughtfully becomes more than just a health choice. It becomes a way to remember God and show thanks for what He provides. With each meal approached with care, we give thanks not only in our words, but also through how we live.

Many of the health struggles common today can be traced back to ignoring these built-in patterns. When we eat constantly, our bodies stay in growth mode, never taking the needed time to clean and restore. When we always want more, we lose the simple joy that comes from recognizing what is already enough.

It is quietly powerful that as science learns more about metabolism and how cells work, it keeps returning to truths faith traditions have long taught. Careful studies repeatedly show that cycles of eating balanced with gentle hunger protect us, keeping our bodies strong, our minds clearer, and our lives more stable. These modern findings do not replace old truths—they help us see them more clearly and value them even more.

“Eat and drink, but do not be excessive.”
“Fast, so that you may become mindful.”

These verses bring together both our physical needs and our spiritual growth. They invite us to live according to the way God created us, thriving through a pattern that balances growth with careful renewal.

For each of us, this is a calm invitation. It does not call for harsh denial, but for wise care. It might mean waiting for true hunger before eating, savoring each bite, or stopping once we are satisfied. It might mean picking foods that leave us feeling healthy rather than heavy. Or simply leaving a little space between meals so our bodies can quietly do the work they were designed to do.

Most of all, it invites us to reflect. To recognize that tiny switches like mTORC1 respond constantly to how we eat, shaping our health, thoughts, and even moods. And to remember that long before we discovered these details, we were given guidance that leads us kindly toward this balance.

In the end, lasting health and deeper gratitude may not come from every new diet or headline. They may be found instead by returning to timeless guidance — eating with care, respecting gentle hunger, and remembering with each meal the One who created us so perfectly to thrive in this balance.

References

• De Cabo, R. & Mattson, M. P. 2019. Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease. N Engl J Med, 381, 2541-2551.
• Kapogiannis, D., Manolopoulos, A., Mullins, R., Avgerinos, K., Delgado-Peraza, F., Mustapic, M., Nogueras-Ortiz, C., Yao, P. J., Pucha, K. A., Brooks, J., Chen, Q., Haas, S. S., Ge, R., Hartnell, L. M., Cookson, M. R., Egan, J. M., Frangou, S. & Mattson, M. P. 2024. Brain responses to intermittent fasting and the healthy living diet in older adults. Cell Metab, 36, 1668-1678 e5.
• Klionsky, D. J., Petroni, G., Amaravadi, R. K., Baehrecke, E. H., Ballabio, A., Boya, P., Bravo-San Pedro, J. M., Cadwell, K., Cecconi, F., Choi, A. M. K., Choi, M. E., Chu, C. T., Codogno, P., Colombo, M. I., Cuervo, A. M., Deretic, V., Dikic, I., Elazar, Z., Eskelinen, E. L., Fimia, G. M., Gewirtz, D. A., Green, D. R., Hansen, M., Jaattela, M., Johansen, T., Juhasz, G., Karantza, V., Kraft, C., Kroemer, G., Ktistakis, N. T., Kumar, S., Lopez-Otin, C., Macleod, K. F., Madeo, F., Martinez, J., Melendez, A., Mizushima, N., Munz, C., Penninger, J. M., Perera, R. M., Piacentini, M., Reggiori, F., Rubinsztein, D. C., Ryan, K. M., Sadoshima, J., Santambrogio, L., Scorrano, L., Simon, H. U., Simon, A. K., Simonsen, A., Stolz, A., Tavernarakis, N., Tooze, S. A., Yoshimori, T., Yuan, J., Yue, Z., Zhong, Q., Galluzzi, L. & Pietrocola, F. 2021. Autophagy in major human diseases. Embo J, 40,
• Lane, M. M., Gamage, E., Du, S., Ashtree, D. N., Mcguinness, A. J., Gauci, S., Baker, P., Lawrence, M., Rebholz, C. M., Srour, B., Touvier, M., Jacka, F. N., O'neil, A., Segasby, T. & Marx, W. 2024. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ, 384,
• Liu, G. Y. & Sabatini, D. M. 2020. mTOR at the nexus of nutrition, growth, ageing and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol, 21, 183-203.
• Longo, V. D. & Mattson, M. P. 2014. Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications. Cell Metab, 19, 181-92.
• Valvezan, A. J. & Manning, B. D. 2019. Molecular logic of mTORC1 signalling as a metabolic rheostat. Nat Metab, 1, 321-333.