如果你停止进食会怎样？：英语精读讲义

Food is a favorite pastime for many, 表達脈絡

对许多人来说，吃东西是最喜欢的消遣之一，

which is convenient because we need it to live.

这倒很方便，因为我们得靠食物活下去。

But what would happen to you and your body if you were to completely stop eating food right now? 語法

但如果你从现在开始完全停止进食，你和你的身体会发生什么变化？

In the first 6 hours,

在最初的6小时里，

all is fairly normal.

一切都还算正常。

Your body begins to break down glycogen, 短語動詞

你的身体开始分解糖原，

which stores energy in your body,

糖原能在体内储存能量，

into glucose,

并被转化成葡萄糖，

which your cells use as fuel. 短語搭配

供细胞用作燃料。

Around 25% of energy generated this way is used for your brain alone, 語法

以这种方式产生的能量中，约有25%仅供大脑使用，

while the rest goes to muscle tissue and red blood cells.

其余则供给肌肉组织和红细胞。

But after about 6 hours,

但大约6小时后，

this method of energy production halts as the glycogen stores deplete,

随着糖原储备耗尽，这种供能方式会停止，

which can lead to the notorious hangry or hungry and angry feeling 用詞

这可能会引发那种出了名的“饿怒”感，也就是又饿又气，

that many of us know too well. 短語搭配

这种滋味我们许多人都再熟悉不过。

At this point, 表達脈絡

这时，

your body enters a state called ketosis as it begins to fast or starve. 用詞

随着身体开始禁食或挨饿，它会进入一种称为“酮症”的状态。

Because there's very little glucose in your blood,

由于血液中的葡萄糖所剩无几，

your body must begin to break down fat for energy.

身体只得开始分解脂肪来获取能量。

This fat is in turn broken down into fatty acids. 表達脈絡

这些脂肪随后又被分解成脂肪酸。

However,

然而，

your brain can't use long-chain fatty acids,

大脑无法利用长链脂肪酸，

which is a problem.

这就成了一个问题。

Because there's no more glucose and the fats are too large to cross the blood-brain barrier, 用詞

因为葡萄糖已经没有了，而脂肪分子又太大，无法穿过血脑屏障，

your brain changes modes and begins to use ketone bodies for energy,

大脑便会切换模式，开始利用酮体供能，

which are short-chain derivatives of fatty acids.

酮体是脂肪酸的短链衍生物。

This works for the time being, 短語搭配

这暂时可行，

but ultimately only 75% of the brain's energy requirements can come from ketones.

但大脑最终只有75%的能量需求能由酮体满足。

It still needs glucose,

大脑仍然需要葡萄糖，

which means your cognitive functioning becomes impaired. 講解

这意味着你的认知功能会受到损害。

Now,

不过，

it's important to mention that you don't have to be starving to be in ketosis. 講解

必须说明的是，不一定非得挨饿，身体才会进入酮症。

Many people enter this phase if they're on a low-carb diet 短語搭配

许多人在采用低碳水饮食时会进入这个阶段，

or professional athletes who use all their carbs for an extended period of time, 短語搭配

而长时间耗尽所有碳水化合物储备的职业运动员，

like marathon runners,

比如马拉松运动员，

will be in this state as well.

也会处于这种状态。

However,

然而，

beyond 72 hours,

超过72小时后，

not only will your mood and energy suffer, 語法

受影响的不仅是你的情绪和精力，

but your brain will start to break down your body's own protein.

大脑还会开始分解你身体自身的蛋白质。

The proteins release amino acids,

蛋白质会释放出氨基酸，

which can be converted into glucose, 短語搭配

而氨基酸可以转化成葡萄糖，

which is great news for your brain, 表達脈絡

这对大脑来说是个好消息，

but bad news for your body.

对身体来说却是个坏消息。

Basically,

简单来说，

your body is cannibalizing itself by destroying your muscle mass. 講解

你的身体会破坏肌肉组织，等于是在吞噬自己。

In women,

对女性而言，

undernutrition often shuts down the menstrual cycle 短語動詞

营养不足常常会导致月经周期停止，

as the body tries to reduce energy expenditure. 短語搭配

因为身体试图减少能量消耗。

Bone density diminishes,

骨密度会下降，

and both men and women may experience loss of libido. 用詞

男女都可能出现性欲减退。

Within a few weeks,

几周之内，

the body's immune system will be so weakened without any vitamins or minerals that many will die from disease. 語法

由于得不到任何维生素或矿物质，身体的免疫系统会变得极其虚弱，许多人将因疾病而死亡。

Otherwise,

即使没有病死，

it will continue to use up all energy sources 短語動詞

身体也会继续耗尽所有能量来源，

until there is no glucose, fat tissue, or muscle mass left. 語法

直到葡萄糖、脂肪组织和肌肉全部消耗殆尽。

One of the more common causes of death is cardiac arrhythmia or heart attack 語法

较常见的死因之一是心律失常或心脏病发作，

due to the tissue degradation in the heart,

这是由于心脏、

diaphragm, and body.

膈肌及身体其他部位的组织发生退化。

This is fairly common in those suffering from anorexia. 短語搭配

这种情况在神经性厌食症患者中相当常见。

Of course,

当然，

the body experiences severe organ failure all around.

身体各处的器官也会出现严重衰竭。

Starvation can lead to death in as short as 3 weeks or up to 70 days 語法

挨饿最快可在3周内致死，也可能长达70天才致死，

as documented during the Irish hunger strikes in 1981. 講解

1981年爱尔兰绝食抗议期间就有相关记录。

Though,

不过，

the duration of survival is greatly influenced by how hydrated you are 語法

一个人能存活多久，很大程度上取决于身体的水分是否充足，

and the amount of fat reserves your body has,

以及体内储存了多少脂肪，

which in some ways is incredible that the body can sustain for so long with no food.

从某种意义上说，人体不进食也能支撑这么久，实在令人惊叹。

And yet, 表達脈絡

然而，

approximately 795 million people around the world have to deal with this reality. 短語搭配

全球约有7.95亿人不得不面对这样的现实。

The good news is that the seven richest countries have pledged to lift 500 million people out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, 講解

好消息是，全球最富裕的七个国家已承诺，到2030年帮助5亿人摆脱饥饿和营养不良，

but we need to hold them accountable. 短語搭配

但我们必须督促它们兑现承诺。

We're working with an organization called Global Citizen to do just that,

我们正与一个名为Global Citizen的组织合作，推动这件事，

and here's a really easy way that you can help out too.

你也可以通过一个非常简单的方式提供帮助。

By sharing this video and then heading to the Global Citizen website form here,

分享这段视频，然后前往这里的Global Citizen网站填写表单，

you'll be adding your voice to an important educational movement towards ending hunger worldwide. 習語

你就能为一场旨在终结全球饥饿的重要宣传教育运动贡献自己的声音。

You can click the screen or use the links in the description.

你可以点击屏幕，或使用视频简介中的链接。

It really only takes a few moments. 語氣意圖

真的只需要几分钟。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

别忘了订阅，获取每周更新的更多科学视频。