A short-term, plant-based fasting-mimicking diet followed by a normal diet lessened several of the hallmarks of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a study in a mouse model shows. The study, "Fasting-Mimicking Diet Modulates Microbiota and Promotes Intestinal Regeneration to Reduce Inflammatory Bowel Disease Pathology," was published in the journal Cell Reports. Increasing research shows that dietary interventions can have a therapeutic role in IBD. The so-called fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) consists of eating a diet low in carbohydrates, protein, calories and fat for about five days. The aim is to induce the body into a fasting period without depriving it of food and activate its ability to "rejuvenate." Several studies suggest a beneficial role of a fasting-mimicking diet in reducing cancer incidence and in lessening chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes. Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC)  tested the effects of a four-day, plant-based fasting-mimicking diet in a mouse model of IBD, the so-called dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. These animals exhibit classical signs of IBD, including infiltration of immune cells in the gut and bloody stool. The animals were fed two four-day fasting-mimicking diet cycles, followed by a normal diet. Researchers investigated the diet’s impact on several IBD symptoms. They compared the results with control mice who underwent water-only fasting. The diet consisted of a combination of flavored broth mixes, extra-virgin olive oil, essential fatty acids, vegetable powders, vitamins, and minerals. The results showed that the fasting-mimicking diet lessened several of the symptoms seen in the IBD mouse model, decreasing gut permeability and enhanci