Called “an illuminating exploration of the rich and varied history—and myriad health benefits—of fasting" by the Wall Street Journal, this book explores how intermittent fasting can set in motion cellular repairs that slow aging and prevent and even reverse diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

Journalist Steve Hendricks delves into the rich history and cutting-edge science behind fasting, an age-old remedy experiencing a dynamic resurgence. He takes readers on an enlightening tour from the earliest days of humanity through the Greek fathers of medicine, Christianity’s “fasting saints,” and a 19th-century doctor’s 40-day fast on a New York City stage

Threaded throughout are Hendricks’s own adventures in fasting, including stays at luxurious and spartan fasting clinics.

A playful, insightful, and persuasive exploration of when we should—and should not—feed our bodies, The Oldest Cure in the World is an entertaining read and an inspiration for those considering fasting as part of a healthy diet.

Steve Hendricks is a freelance reporter and the author of two previous books, one of which, The Unquiet Grave: The FBI and the Struggle for the Soul of Indian Country, made several best-of-the-year lists. He has written for Harper’s, Outside, Slate, and the Washington Post and lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife, a professor of family law, and his dog, a border collie cross.