Intermittent Fasting....what's all the buzz?

Is it just me or are more and more people talking about intermittent fasting?  I've recently received several questions on this topic and thought I'd share my thoughts as others may be curious as well.

While I am not an expert in this area, I do know that a lot of well-respect professionals in the functional and integrative medical community believe in the benefits of intermittent fasting ("IF").   Simply stated, IF is an eating pattern that cycles between brief periods of fasting and periods of unrestricted eating or drinking (aside from water/tea).  There is no set number of hours that you need to fast-I've heard anything from 12 to 20 hours or every other day based on your preference (yikes).  While fasting is a bit of a "trend" right now, it really goes back to our ancestors and how they ate (based on the food that was available).  Additionally, many religions adhere to fasting, especially around certain holidays, so this trend actually has deep-rooted traditions well before the current day.

Part of the benefit of fasting is switching our bodies from burning glucose as fuel to burning fat, which can help jump-start weight loss (especially for those who have hit a plateau). When we refrain from eating we're giving our body a rest from digestion so that it can focus on other areas like generating new healthy cells.  What I've recently learned as I study to become an Integrative Health Practitioner through Dr. Stephen Cabral, is that fasting extends our life span.  When we are constantly feeding our bodies (especially processed foods), we can't regulate our blood sugar or focus on other critical functions.  During fasting, our bodies don't have to expend energy on digestion and we're able to clean up waste, destroy bad cells (bacteria, viruses, disease-based cells) and clean out our liver.

I recently lead a small group through a 7-Day Liver Detox through Dr. Cabral's Company Equilibrium Nutrition and the feedback was so overwhelmingly positive that I'm going to offer a community detox program right before the 4th of July.  This program entails a two-day "fast" where you only consume a nutritional shake and then enjoy a vegan lunch and paleo or vegan dinner for days 3-7.  Sign-up details will be coming soon, but mark your calendars now for June 23-29th!!

Here is a great article from mindbodygreen (which is a great resource if you don't subscribe). Some of the suggested benefits from IF in this article include the following:

• better blood sugar balance

• lower inflammation

• improved cognitive function

• increased longevity

• decreased sugar and food cravings

• boost in athletic performance

• increased energy levels

I like to follow a 12-hour fast and occasionally will stretch it to 13-14 based on my activity/hunger level.  This is not about starving yourself, and it's definitely something that you should gradually work up to if you're interested in experimenting with fasting.  I don't suggest waking up tomorrow and waiting until noon to eat if you're used to having breakfast by 8am.  Most people are probably already doing a 11-12 hour fast but if you're not, I suggest that you aim to fast from 8pm-8am (and abstaining from food 1-2 hours before bed).  If you're really hungry you should eat and certainly not starve yourself; however, we often start eating in the morning, when we're not necessarily hungry (it's called habit).  Before you put your first morsel of food or caffeinated beverage in your mouth in the morning try drinking warm lemon water or herbal tea and waiting until you're hungry.  It may be that you're just dehydrated. I also recommend that your first meal of the day be something easy to digest like a vegetable/fruit based smoothie versus a heavy meal or one high in processed carbs and/or animal products.

What are your questions about intermittent fasting?  Drop me an email and let me know if you are following any fasting protocols and how it makes you feel.

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