The Optimal Wellness Plan
A free book from a PhD researcher with 25 years in aging science — five things you can start doing this week to feel stronger, think more clearly, and protect your health for the long run.
No spam. No sales pitch. Just the science, simplified.
Dr. Stephen Anton
PhD
University of Florida
Professor
250+
Peer-Reviewed Publications
25 Years
Researching Aging, Metabolism & Longevity
If You're Over 40, You've Probably Noticed Something Shifting.
The energy that used to come easily takes more effort now. The weight that used to move doesn't budge the same way. You sleep and still wake up tired. Your thinking feels a little slower than it used to.
Most people assume this is just aging. They accept it, manage around it, and quietly lower their expectations for what their body can do.
I've spent 25 years studying what actually drives these changes — and the research tells a different story.
Most of what we call normal aging isn't inevitable. It's the result of a handful of specific habits — and it can be changed.
Popular Blogs
36-Hour Fast (Monk Fast): Everything You Need to Know
The 36-hour fast is a challenging fast in that it involves not eating or consuming beverages containing calories for extended period of time (36 hours or longer).
During the fasting period, one can and should consume copious amounts of water.
It’s also ok to consume unsweetened tea or black coffee but no other beverages or food should be consumed during this time period.
Table of Contents
What Is the Purpose of a 36-Hour Fast?
How Is a 36-Hour Fast Different From Intermittent Fasting?
What Is the Purpose of a 36-Hour Fast?
One of the reasons people choose to do a 36-hour fast is because it can enhance all functions of the body.
When done successfully, the 36-hour fast can produce healthier and more resilient cells.
This extended fast can result in a number of benefits (provided the individual is adapted to fasting).
36-Hour Fast Potential Benefits:
Clearer Skin
More Energy
Better Digestion
Mental Clarity
Enhanced Immune Function
Also, don’t be surprised if your physical capacity improves, along with your ability to exercise for longer periods of time.
Just as the further you pull back a bow, the farther the arrow will go, the longer you fast the greater the benefits (to a point).
How to Do a 36-Hour Fast?
The 36-hour fast can eliminate or help the body eliminate waste products that are deep in the tissues.
It does this because it is long enough that it encourages the body to activate its metabolic switch and shift its energy source from glucose to ketones.
When this happens, our mitochondria are able to produce energy more efficiently and effectively.
At the same time, they produce less metabolic waste and encourage the body’s natural waste removal process of autophagy to take place.
The Process of Autophagy:
Is how the body cleans out damaged cells to regenerate newer, healthier ones
When the “junk” is removed, your cells become healthier and can function more efficiently
When our cells function more efficiently, this in turn improves the functions of our organs, tissues, and our entire body, including our immune system
For a health and metabolically flexible individual, the metabolic switch may be activated after a short fasting period of 12 hours but for most individuals longer fasting periods are needed.
And this is where the extended fast can come in.
The longer the fast, the more likely it is that the metabolic switch will be activated and lead to higher levels of ketones in the blood.
So, to really clean the cells one should consider a long-term fasting period of 36-hours or longer.
How Is a 36-Hour Fast Different From Intermittent Fasting?
Time-restricted eating is a popular type of intermittent fasting, where an individual fasts for approximately 14-18 hours each day and thus only consumes food for a shortened time period of 6-10 hours.
This approach to fasting is what most people think of when they hear the term intermittent fasting, but the truth is there are many type of intermittent fasting.
The key difference between this approach and the 36-hour fast is the duration and frequency of the fasting period.
36-Hour Fast vs Intermittent Fasting:
With time-restricted eating, the fasting period is much shorter but occurs on a daily basis
In contrast, with the 36-hour fast, the fasting period is much longer but typically only occurs on a weekly basis
At a biological level, the effects of both approaches are similar but the 36 hour fast can really amplify the beneficial changes that occur while fasting.
This is because the levels of ketones in the body rise as the fasting duration increases which results in higher levels of autophagy (waste removal) and lower levels of inflammation in the body.
These same benefits are likely to occur with time-restricted eating but at a lower level.
This is because the levels of ketones in the blood will likely not rise to a level comparable to the 36-hour fast unless an individual really increases their energy expenditure during the fasting period.
Can Anyone Do a 36-Hour Fast?
Theoretically yes.
BUT it is highly recommended that you first adapt to shorter fasting periods.
Just as it isn’t advisable to try to run five miles if the longest distance you have run is one mile, it would likely not be a good idea to try fast for 36 hours if you have not yet successfully fasted for 12 to 16 hours.
For this reason, I strongly recommend that individuals embark on such an extended fast only after they have adapted to shorter fasting periods.
How to Prepare for a 36-Hour Fast
Before engaging in an extended 36-hour fast, it’s really important to think about the environment you put yourself in while engaging in the 36 hour fast.
Ideally, you would want to do this type of fast only when there are a few other stressors happening or during a relatively stress-free time period.
It’s best of you can relax and engage in activities that are not too stressful, such as reading, socializing, and even watching television, as the fast represents a stressor for the body.
On the other hand, many people find that focusing in on work makes the fasting period easier and time go faster.
This of course depends on the type of work you do and would be most applicable to individuals whose work involves sedentary tasks as opposed to hard physical labor.
Take Home Points
The 36-hour fast represents an advanced type of intermittent fasting and has the potential to provide a number of health benefits.
If done successfully, most people will report feeling healthier and having more energy after this fast.
This doesn’t mean that everyone should try it, however.
The importance of matching the stressor, whether that be exercise or fasting, to the body’s capacity cannot be overstated.
It’s clear that our body’s need some level of stress to grow stronger, but the key is providing the right stimulus at the right time, followed by the recovery period.
For individuals who have successfully adapted to shorter fasting time periods, such as with time restricted eating, the 36-hour fast could provide additional health benefits and is definitely worth considering.
The Optimal Wellness Plan — Free, and Readable in About 10 Minutes.
I wrote this book because I wanted to put the most important science into the hands of people who can actually use it — without the jargon, without the hype, and without asking you to overhaul your life overnight.
It covers the five areas that matter most for how well you age: your metabolism, your muscle, your brain, your sleep, and your stress response.
Each section gives you one specific, evidence-backed action you can take this week. Not a complicated protocol. One thing. Because one thing done consistently is worth more than five things done occasionally.
How I Help You Age Better
I've organized everything I offer around five core areas. You probably need help in more than one of these areas - most people do. The good news is if you improve in one area, you are likely to see improvements in other areas.
More Energy & Better Metabolism
You want to wake up ready to go, not drag through the day. This is about optimizing how your body processes food and fuel. Better metabolism means better energy, easier weight control, and stronger physical performance.
Brain Health & Sharp Thinking
Protecting your brain and maintaining your mental clarity as you age isn't something that happens by accident. It requires specific nutrition, sleep habits, movement, and lifestyle strategies specific to brain health. I'll show you exactly what works.
Stay Strong & Move Without Pain
Maintaining muscle, balance, and mobility is what allows you to live a full life and stay independent as you age. Whether it’s hiking, skiing, playing with your kids (or grandkids) or just moving through your day without stiffness - this matters.
Recovery & Physical Resilience
Your body needs proper recovery to stay healthy. This includes good quality sleep, stress management, and movement strategies that help you bounce back faster.
Purpose & Peace of Mind
Physical health is part of the equation. So is feeling like you're in control of your future, living with purpose, and knowing you're doing the right things at the right times.
How I Help You Age Better
I've organized everything I offer around five core areas. You probably need help in more than one of these areas - most people do. The good news is if you improve in one area, you are likely to see improvements in other areas.
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This Book is for You if:
You're between 40 and 75 and serious about staying healthy — not just avoiding disease, but maintaining the energy, strength, and clarity to actually live the life you want.
You're skeptical of quick fixes and extreme programs. You want to know what the research actually says, explained in plain language.
You're willing to make real changes — but you want to start with the ones that matter most, not a 47-point checklist.
You've felt like most health content talks around the issue rather than directly at it.
If that's you, this book was written with you in mind.
A Little About Me
I'm Dr. Stephen Anton. I'm a professor and researcher at the University of Florida, where I've spent more than 25 years studying aging, metabolism, and lifestyle interventions.
I've published over 250 peer-reviewed articles. My research on intermittent fasting was named the most-downloaded article in the journal Obesity in 2019. I've spent my career in the lab and in clinical settings, working with real people on the habits that actually extend healthy, functional life.
I'm also someone who applies this research personally — every day. What I share with you isn't a curated wellness persona. It's what the evidence points to, lived out.
I wrote this book because the science is clear, and too few people have access to it in a form they can actually use.
Get the Free Book.
Ten minutes from now, you'll have a clear picture of where you stand and one specific place to start.
That's the goal — not information overload, but a starting point you can act on today.
No cost. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Recent Blogs
36-Hour Fast (Monk Fast): Everything You Need to Know
The 36-hour fast is a challenging fast in that it involves not eating or consuming beverages containing calories for extended period of time (36 hours or longer).
During the fasting period, one can and should consume copious amounts of water.
It’s also ok to consume unsweetened tea or black coffee but no other beverages or food should be consumed during this time period.
Table of Contents
What Is the Purpose of a 36-Hour Fast?
How Is a 36-Hour Fast Different From Intermittent Fasting?
What Is the Purpose of a 36-Hour Fast?
One of the reasons people choose to do a 36-hour fast is because it can enhance all functions of the body.
When done successfully, the 36-hour fast can produce healthier and more resilient cells.
This extended fast can result in a number of benefits (provided the individual is adapted to fasting).
36-Hour Fast Potential Benefits:
Clearer Skin
More Energy
Better Digestion
Mental Clarity
Enhanced Immune Function
Also, don’t be surprised if your physical capacity improves, along with your ability to exercise for longer periods of time.
Just as the further you pull back a bow, the farther the arrow will go, the longer you fast the greater the benefits (to a point).
How to Do a 36-Hour Fast?
The 36-hour fast can eliminate or help the body eliminate waste products that are deep in the tissues.
It does this because it is long enough that it encourages the body to activate its metabolic switch and shift its energy source from glucose to ketones.
When this happens, our mitochondria are able to produce energy more efficiently and effectively.
At the same time, they produce less metabolic waste and encourage the body’s natural waste removal process of autophagy to take place.
The Process of Autophagy:
Is how the body cleans out damaged cells to regenerate newer, healthier ones
When the “junk” is removed, your cells become healthier and can function more efficiently
When our cells function more efficiently, this in turn improves the functions of our organs, tissues, and our entire body, including our immune system
For a health and metabolically flexible individual, the metabolic switch may be activated after a short fasting period of 12 hours but for most individuals longer fasting periods are needed.
And this is where the extended fast can come in.
The longer the fast, the more likely it is that the metabolic switch will be activated and lead to higher levels of ketones in the blood.
So, to really clean the cells one should consider a long-term fasting period of 36-hours or longer.
How Is a 36-Hour Fast Different From Intermittent Fasting?
Time-restricted eating is a popular type of intermittent fasting, where an individual fasts for approximately 14-18 hours each day and thus only consumes food for a shortened time period of 6-10 hours.
This approach to fasting is what most people think of when they hear the term intermittent fasting, but the truth is there are many type of intermittent fasting.
The key difference between this approach and the 36-hour fast is the duration and frequency of the fasting period.
36-Hour Fast vs Intermittent Fasting:
With time-restricted eating, the fasting period is much shorter but occurs on a daily basis
In contrast, with the 36-hour fast, the fasting period is much longer but typically only occurs on a weekly basis
At a biological level, the effects of both approaches are similar but the 36 hour fast can really amplify the beneficial changes that occur while fasting.
This is because the levels of ketones in the body rise as the fasting duration increases which results in higher levels of autophagy (waste removal) and lower levels of inflammation in the body.
These same benefits are likely to occur with time-restricted eating but at a lower level.
This is because the levels of ketones in the blood will likely not rise to a level comparable to the 36-hour fast unless an individual really increases their energy expenditure during the fasting period.
Can Anyone Do a 36-Hour Fast?
Theoretically yes.
BUT it is highly recommended that you first adapt to shorter fasting periods.
Just as it isn’t advisable to try to run five miles if the longest distance you have run is one mile, it would likely not be a good idea to try fast for 36 hours if you have not yet successfully fasted for 12 to 16 hours.
For this reason, I strongly recommend that individuals embark on such an extended fast only after they have adapted to shorter fasting periods.
How to Prepare for a 36-Hour Fast
Before engaging in an extended 36-hour fast, it’s really important to think about the environment you put yourself in while engaging in the 36 hour fast.
Ideally, you would want to do this type of fast only when there are a few other stressors happening or during a relatively stress-free time period.
It’s best of you can relax and engage in activities that are not too stressful, such as reading, socializing, and even watching television, as the fast represents a stressor for the body.
On the other hand, many people find that focusing in on work makes the fasting period easier and time go faster.
This of course depends on the type of work you do and would be most applicable to individuals whose work involves sedentary tasks as opposed to hard physical labor.
Take Home Points
The 36-hour fast represents an advanced type of intermittent fasting and has the potential to provide a number of health benefits.
If done successfully, most people will report feeling healthier and having more energy after this fast.
This doesn’t mean that everyone should try it, however.
The importance of matching the stressor, whether that be exercise or fasting, to the body’s capacity cannot be overstated.
It’s clear that our body’s need some level of stress to grow stronger, but the key is providing the right stimulus at the right time, followed by the recovery period.
For individuals who have successfully adapted to shorter fasting time periods, such as with time restricted eating, the 36-hour fast could provide additional health benefits and is definitely worth considering.
© Copyright 2026 | All Rights Reserved Dr. Stephen Anton | Terms & Conditions
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Please consult your physician before making changes to your health routine.