Intermittent Fasting: A Good Strategy or a Crock?

 

(The Real Agenda News) A new dietary trend has been hovering over the heads of consumers for a few years, both to lose weight and to improve health prognosis through various metabolic markers. That trend is intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting seems simple in the initial approach but offers an endless number of versions or modalities.

Intermittent fasting may sound like keeping your mouth closed, or at least not opening it as many times as we usually do; one of the most classic resources when trying to lose weight.

The origins

Voluntary fasting has nothing to do with starvation: the latter is the involuntary absence of food not deliberate or controlled, and people subjected to starvation have no idea when they can return to eat.

On the contrary, fasting consists in the voluntary limitation of the act of eating.

The consequences of one and the other have nothing to do either.

This is the mystery involved in the toxicological concept of hormesis.

The search for the advantages of eating little, restricting food or fasting voluntarily are inherent in any culture, and in all of them there are ancestral references to their practice.

However, beyond millenary beliefs and practices, science has tried in recent years to confirm the health benefits of a certain controlled fast and, if necessary, to know the mechanisms through which they occur.

Regarding the origins of intermittent fasting as a therapeutic strategy, attention should be focused on the line of research that links caloric restriction with longevity and health prognosis.

Today there are already many accumulated publications that have proven the omnipresent and prominent role of controlled dietary restriction on aging and its associated diseases in virtually all kinds of organisms, from unicellular to humans, through invertebrates, rodents and monkeys.

After all, and in the most theoretical field of the matter, intermittent fasting would try to emulate the real conditions of our ancestors who, far from it, ate as many as five times a day.

The difficult thing is to define how to do it, effectively, and to end up eating less often than usual, especially when you live under pressure from the advice to eat until you reach 5 or 6 daily intakes.

But the issue of intermittent fasting has more crumb, especially when considering the scientific articles of the last decade that have observed the foreseeable benefits and possible harms of following this practice, especially if the fast is not controlled by professionals.

By intermittent fasting, we understand all those actions directed to stop eating for variable periods of time, but in a controlled manner.

Although there are different versions more or less personalized, these are the three best-known ways to perform an intermittent fast

The daily intermittent fast contemplates two slots every day, one in which nothing is swallowed -except foods that we will see later- and another in which “it is allowed” to eat.

Those who propose this type of routines usually recommend starting with a 12/12 strategy, in which they would fast for 12 hours in a row, usually including nighttime rest hours, and allow themselves to eat in the remaining 12 hours.

From there it is usually proposed to progress towards a 14/10 strategy; 14 hours of fasting and 10 in which you can eat to reach the most usual 16/8 or 18/6 and even a 20/4 strategy.

The weekly fast, in which a full day is fasted out of every seven consists of for example, having breakfast on a Tuesday and not eating anything until breakfast on Wednesday.

Another version of this proposes fasting two days a week separated by two and three days in which food is eaten: for example, fasting on Mondays and Thursdays.

The fast of two or three days in a row every month is more difficult, because of the long period of fasting that it implies.

The fact is that although the benefits of intermittent fasting remain controversial, most authors argue that there are no extra benefits due to fasting more than one day in a row and, yes, the risks are likely to increase if you do it for longer periods of time.

The possible benefits of intermittent fasting

Before proceeding, it is important to bear in mind that the knowledge we have of this subject is, for the moment, limited: many of the studies that we will see have not followed the same fasting pattern among those that have been described and, in addition, a good part of them are observational.

That said, these are -in general terms- the benefits that are transferred to intermittent fasting:

• It facilitates weight loss while preserving muscle mass.


• Improves some biochemical parameters related to inflammation.


• Improves some parameters related to the lipid profile, cardiovascular risk or diabetes.

We already have in the scientific literature two reviews that critically address the issue of intermittent fasting.

The first of them is Health Effects of Intermittent Fasting: hormesis or harm? A Systematic Review.

Among other observations, this work concludes that despite the differences in the designs of the studies, the regimes and the results, there is a convergence in them that points towards certain health benefits when the fast is prudent.

The second, a more recent analysis is Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. It concludes that “intermittent fasting patterns are a promising approach leading to weight loss and improvement of metabolic health in those who can safely tolerate those periods of fasting without eating or eating very little during certain times of the day, at night or during some days of the week.

If its efficacy is finally consolidated, this type of regimen “could represent a promising, not pharmacological approach for the improvement of public health in various aspects “.

The risks of Intermittent Fasting

Following the immobility of the dietary issue by certain professionals, intermittent fasting is observed with suspicion.

Opposing groups promote that intermittent fasting will lead to muscle loss, slow down the metabolism – something undesirable when it comes to losing weight – and that in the long-term it promotes weight gain, can lower blood sugar to dangerous levels, generate headaches and a state of increased irritation or susceptibility, and so on.

In this sense, it should be stressed -as the above-mentioned reviews show- that it is not the same to follow a programmed and calculated pattern of intermittent fasting in well-informed persons, than to submit to the effects of starvation.

It is also not appropriate for any reader to follow any guidelines of this type unless supervised by a physician.

Intermittent fasting is not a diet that you can use to “take off and put” a few pounds, to follow for a few weeks and then forget about the matter.

If intermittent fasting is valid for someone, it must be monitored by a professional – at least in its initial stages – and should be assumed more as a new lifestyle, as for someone at a given time who decides to be a vegetarian.

What to eat when you eat almost nothing

The classic approach during periods of fasting involves not eating or drinking anything except water, coffee, teas or infusions – sugar-free, of course – that can be taken without restriction.

In other perspectives in which whole days are fasted, it is also allowed to ingest a certain amount of food, without exceeding – more or less –  500 kcal / day. This must be done without losing the north regarding the quality of the diet, what is eaten and what is not.

It is preferable to eat real food five times a day every day of your life.

By way of final reflection, it would be difficult for me to believe that in our society, given our circumstances, the question of intermittent fasting will be a collective solution to the problems arising from obesity and non-transmissible metabolic diseases.

At the same time, in those suitable and consistent candidates, it could be a truly useful tool.

Its practice has obtained promising results in concrete and -we must not forget- controlled groups, but there is still a long way to go, as all the publications on the subject point out.

The post Intermittent Fasting: A Good Strategy or a Crock? appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes Through Fasting

Type 2 diabetes, sometimes referred to as adult-onset diabetes, doesn’t have to be permanent. Fasting and calorie restriction can help you get control of your blood sugar, lower your blood pressure, and even help reverse type 2 diabetes. But, before we get into how fasting can undo the damage of type 2 diabetes, we first need to understand how type 2 diabetes affects the body.

How Does Type 2 Diabetes Develop?

Diabetes develops when fat accumulates in areas of the body that shouldn’t accumulate fat. It all starts with an abundance of fat in your muscle tissue. Typically this is caused by a family history, poor diet, or sedentary lifestyle. This fat is called intramuscular fat. It’s like the marbling on a steak, only it’s inside your muscles, and it causes insulin resistance—the characteristic that distinguishes type 1 diabetes from type 2.^[1, 2] Even worse, intramuscular fat causes muscles to produce toxic fat metabolites like ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG). These toxins also contribute to insulin resistance.^[3]

High Insulin Levels Lead to a Fatty Liver

When blood sugar is high, the pancreas produces insulin to lower blood sugar. However, insulin resistance causes the liver to stop responding to insulin.^[4, 5] In fact, the liver keeps producing sugar despite a high level of sugar in the blood. Consuming food that’s high in sugar is like throwing gas on the fire, and the abundance of sugar is converted to fat and stored in the liver.^[4]

When the liver accumulates fat, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can develop. When non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is present, the liver releases fat into the bloodstream where it’s distributed to other organs and they, just like the liver, stop responding to insulin. Especially affected is the pancreas.^[5]

Fat Cripples Pancreatic Function

As fat builds up in the pancreas, its function is compromised. Since the pancreas is responsible for producing insulin, this is a major issue. Predictably, insulin production drops. Reducing body fat can help normalize blood sugar, but a lot of people begin insulin injections instead. Insulin injections help in the short-term, but also increase fat formation throughout the body, including the liver and pancreas, which leads to other health issues.^[6] Fortunately, there is a better way.

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes Through Fasting

For almost 150 years, we’ve known that fasting has serious benefits for those with diabetes. In the 1870’s, Dr. Appollinaire Bouchardet, an expert on diabetes during his time, noticed that fasting produced positive results for his diabetic patients.^[7] Over 100 years ago, Dr. Elliott Joslin published research suggesting that fasting could reverse diabetes.^[8] They were among the first to realize that fasting detoxes your tissues and organs of fatty deposits.

Even if someone has had type 2 diabetes for a long time, the results begin almost immediately. If you can start metabolizing the fat in your organs, you can restore insulin sensitivity. And once you restore insulin sensitivity, you can get your blood sugar back on track.^[7, 9]

Are There Possible Complications?

Fasting with type 2 diabetes comes with a few potential health consequences, which is why you should onlybegin a fasting regimen under the watchful eye of a certified health professional who has experience and expertise with helping diabetics through this process. Ideally, have your blood tested throughout the day to monitor your blood composition and overall health. Again, if you have diabetes, do not fast without careful, attentive supervision from qualified and experienced health care professionals.

Fasting vs. Bariatric Surgery

Fasting works similar to bariatric surgery, a gastric surgery that effectively reduces the size of your stomach. One study found that bariatric surgery helped 73% of participants go into diabetic remission.^[10] This kind of surgery, however, is dangerous—both the surgery itself and managing nutrition afterward. There’s the additional consequence of forever having a stomach that’s the size of a shot glass and the difficulties that come with it.^[11]

Instead of going the extreme route with invasive surgery, simply adopt the post-bariatric surgery eating philosophy. After seven days of reduced calorie intake (about 500-600 calories a day), fasting glucose normalizes. After two months on this diet, your pancreas can start producing a normal level of insulin to control blood sugar.^[12, 13]

Reversing Pancreatic Damage

In the last few years, researchers have found that reversing pancreatic damage is possible. Once you clean out the fat, the insulin-producing cells start pumping out insulin again.^[6] Fasting can undo the damage to your liver and pancreas to the point that they begin to function normally again.^[14]

Because it takes a few months to detox your organs of accumulated fat, intermittent fasting is the way to go. With a fasting diet, you can sustain the fast long enough to get rid of the excess fat deposits that lead to type 2 diabetes. Monitor your blood sugar and blood pressure. Break your fast if your blood sugar exceeds 300 mg/dl or drops below 70 mg/dl.

A reduced-calorie plant-based diet may help repair the damage from diabetes. Remarkably, one study found that a well-planned vegan diet can lower insulin dependence by over 60% in just two weeks—without losing any weight.^[15]

Overcoming Diabetes

Small changes lead to small improvements, moderate changes yield moderate improvements, but significant changes lead to extraordinary results. Do what’s right for your body. Follow a healthy diet to lead a healthy life. Cut out refined sugar, starches, and meat and cheese—all of which are consistently shown to promote diabetes.^{[16, 17, 18]}

You can restore your health if you dare to try and have the willpower to stick with it—and I am confident that you do.

Have you tried fasting to reverse your diabetes? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!

References (18)

1. Kraegen, E.W., Cooney G.J. “Free fatty acids and skeletal muscle insulin resistance.” Curr Opin Lipidol. 2008 Jun;19(3):235-41. Web. 21 June 2017.


2. Rachek, L.I. “Free fatty acids and skeletal muscle insulin resistance.” Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 2014;121:267-92. Web. 21 June 2017.


3. Consitt, Leslie A., Bell, Jill A., and Houmard, Joseph A. “Intramuscular Lipid Metabolism, Insulin Action and Obesity.” IUBMB life 61.1 (2009): 47–55. PMC. Web. 21 June 2017.


4. Sanders, Francis W.B., Griffin, Julian L. “De novo lipogenesis in the liver in health and disease: more than just a shunting yard for glucose.” Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2016 May; 91(2): 452–468. Web. 21 June 2017.


5. Bugianesi, E., Moscatiello, S., Ciaravella, M.F., Marchesini, G. “Insulin resistance in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.” Curr Pharm Des. 2010 Jun;16(17):1941-51. Web. 21 June 2017.


6. Taylor, R. “Banting Memorial Lecture 2012 Reversing the Twin Cycles of Type 2 Diabetes.” Diabetic Medicine 30.3 (2013): 267–275. PMC. Web. 21 June 2017.


7. Steven, S., Lim, E.L., Taylor, R. “Dietary reversal of Type 2 diabetes motivated by research knowledge.” Diabetic Medicine. 10 February 2010. Web. 21 June 2017.


8. Joslin, Elliott P. “The Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus.” Canadian Medical Association Journal 6.8 (1916): 673–684. Web. 21 June 2017.


9. Santomauro A.T., et al. “Overnight lowering of free fatty acids with Acipimox improves insulin resistance and glucose tolerance in obese diabetic and nondiabetic subjects.” Diabetes. 1999 Sep;48(9):1836-41. Web. 21 June 2017.


10. Dixon J.B., et al. “Adjustable Gastric Banding and Conventional Therapy for Type 2 DiabetesA Randomized Controlled Trial.” JAMA. 2008;299(3):316-323. Web. 21 June 2017.


11. “Bariatric Surgery.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed 21 June 2017.


12. Taylor, Roy. “Type 2 Diabetes: Etiology and Reversibility.” Diabetes Care, Volume 36, April 2013. Web. 21 June 2017.


13. “Fasting diet may help regenerate a diabetic pancreas – National Library of Medicine – PubMed Health.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 21 June 2017.


14. Lim, E.L. “Reversal of type 2 diabetes: normalisation of beta cell function in association with decreased pancreas and liver triacylglycerol.” Diabetologia. 2011 Oct; 54 (10): 2506-14.Web. 21 June 2017.


15. Anderson, J.W., Ward, K. “High-carbohydrate, high-fiber diets for insulin-treated men with diabetes mellitus.” Am J Clin Nutr. 1979 Nov;32(11):2312-21. Web. 21 June 2017.


16. Pan, An, et al. “Red meat consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Aug, 10. 94(4): 1088-1096. Web. 21 June 2017.


17. Barnard, Neal, Susan Levin, and Caroline Trapp. “Meat Consumption as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes.” Nutrients 6.2 (2014): 897–910. PMC. Web. 21 June 2017.


18. Vlassara, H., et al. “Inflammatory mediators are induced by dietary glycotoxins, a major risk factor for diabetic angiopathy.” Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 26;99(24):15596-601. Web. 21 June 2017.

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How a 3-Day Fast Resets Your Immune System

The benefits of fasting are many and various. Fasting supports good health by promoting a healthy body weight, encouraging normal cognitive function, and even facilitating detoxification. Now, research has also shown that fasting may help reset the immune system.

How Does Fasting Reset the Immune System?

Like every other system in the body, the immune system is subject to wear and tear. Aging, aggressive medical therapies, oxidative stress, environmental toxins, and the like can all accelerate the degradation of immune cells.^[1, 2, 3] When immune cells are weak and frail, they’re not as effective as they should be in protecting your health. This is where fasting can help.

When you fast, your body looks for nourishment everywhere it can. It goes after stored fat, but it also recycles malfunctioning or inactive cells, like those old, worn out immune system cells.^[4] This cell recycling process, known as autophagy, makes room for your body to create fresh, new immune cells. It’s similar to spring cleaning, in that you declutter your body and end up with a rejuvenated immune system. Many people, especially those whose immune system is compromised, make a concerted effort to fast for a few days once or twice every six months to reset and reboot their immune system with fresh, strong cells.^[5]

How to Perform a 3-Day Fast

Forty-eight hours appears to be the minimum duration to see benefits to the immune system, but it may take a bit longer for the desired effect. A three day fast is a long enough duration to see some of the benefits, but short enough that most people wont need professional supervision.

If you’ve never performed a fast before, start small. Going a full three days without eating can be emotionally and mentally stressful if you’re not prepared for the side effects. Start with intermittent fasting, a pattern of eating that involves alternating cycles of fasting and eating. Try extending how long you go between meals. Slowly increase the amount of time between meals until you can go most of the day without eating food.

If you tolerate this well and aren’t under the care of a health care professional, you can try alternate day fasting. When you feel ready, you can embark on an extended water fast to boost the immune system even further.

Have you tried fasting to improve your immune system? What was your experience like? Leave a comment below and share your insight!

References (5)

1. Simon, A. Katharina, George A. Hollander, and Andrew McMichael. “Evolution of the Immune System in Humans from Infancy to Old Age.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282.1821 (2015): 20143085. PMC. Web. 10 July 2017.


2. Campisi, Judith. “Aging, Cellular Senescence, and Cancer.” Annual review of physiology 75 (2013): 685–705. PMC. Web. 10 July 2017.


3. Cheng, Chia-Wei, et al. “Prolonged Fasting Reduces IGF-1/PKA to Promote Hematopoietic Stem Cell-Based Regeneration and Reverse Immunosuppression.” Cell stem cell 14.6 (2014): 810–823. PMC. Web. 10 July 2017.


4. Longo, Valter D., and Mark P. Mattson. “Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications.” Cell metabolism 19.2 (2014): 181–192. PMC. Web. 27 July 2017.


5. Hine, Christopher, and James R. Mitchell. “Saying No to Drugs: Fasting Protects Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Chemotherapy and Aging.” Cell stem cell 14.6 (2014): 704–705. PMC. Web. 10 July 2017.

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The Stages of Fasting: What Happens To Your Body When You Fast?

While fasting is nothing new, it is experiencing a resurgence in popularity as many discover its potential health benefits. If you are planning your first fast or looking for ways to improve your next one, there are a few things you should do to prepare. The first step is learning about the different stages of fasting. This knowledge helps you mentally and physically prepare for what happens to your body when you fast.

The stages of fasting outlined below are based off a water fast, a traditional fast in which you abstain from any food and only drink water for 12-48 hours or longer. Personal experiences can vary depending on the type of fast, age, or health of the individual, but these should give you a general idea of what to expect when you fast.

Stage 1: Day 1-2

Stage one lasts for the first couple of days of the fast or about 12-48 hours from your last meal. Usually, it is a good idea to put some planning and preparation into how and when you will start a fast. Try selecting a start day and time and then make preparations in your schedule for the duration of your fast.

How You Feel: Hungry

This stage is when your body transitions into fasting mode and, for many people, it’s the most challenging part of their fast. This stage is where you start to feel the hunger pains as you skip your regular mealtime routine. Most first time fasters start to feel a reduction in their energy levels. These effects can induce a negative mood or irritability for most fasters. It’s wise to prepare yourself for the possibility of being short on patience during this stage.

What’s Happening With Your Body: Battery Save Mode

Several things happen at the cellular level that cause hunger and fatigue during this first stage. When you’re eating regularly, your body breaks down glucose to get the energy it needs to function properly. While you’re fasting, your body needs to produce sugar for energy, so it begins a process called gluconeogenesis. During gluconeogenesis, your liver converts non-carbohydrate materials like lactate, amino acids, and fats into glucose. As your body goes into “battery save mode,” your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, becomes more efficient and uses less energy. This power saving process includes lowering your heart rate and blood pressure. At this stage, you may feel drained. However, if you stick it out for a little longer, some of that lost energy will return.^[1]

Benefits: Mental Strength and Heart Health

Fasting these first few days can be difficult, but there are mental and physical benefits. Mentally, the act of fasting is an excellent way to exercise your willpower. Similar to the strength runners might feel after pushing their body to run that extra mile, people who choose to fast can feel strength as they fight through those natural urges to eat. Physically, there are incredible cleansing and heart health benefits taking place, too. As BMR lowers, fat in the blood starts to disappear as it’s metabolized for energy. This process promotes a healthy heart, and for some, improves cholesterol levels by boosting HDL levels.^[2]

Stage 2: Day 3-7

Stage two starts around the end of day two and lasts until day seven. A lot of changes begin to happen at this stage, and you may start to notice changes in your physical appearance, as well as how you feel.

How You Feel: Less Hungry and More Energetic

By stage two, ketosis has begun. Ketosis is a critical phase of the fast where your body starts to burn stored fat as its primary power source. As the processes of ketosis are carried out inside your body, you might stop feeling hungry and tired. The practice of putting your body into ketosis has a growing movement behind it. It is ideal for weight loss, balancing blood sugar, and more. Best of all, you don’t even have to fast to put your body into ketosis. Eating the right foods at the right time can be enough to start this fat burning process. There are even vegan ketogenic diet plans available so you can still eat health-promoting foods to stay in ketosis.

What’s Happening With Your Body: Fat Burning Mode

When you consume a typical diet of carbohydrate rich foods, your body breaks down sugars and starches into glucose. Glucose is the primary source of energy for the body. However, when you fast or go into ketosis glucose becomes limited, and your body must turn to fat stores for the energy it requires. Your body breaks fat down into glycerol and fatty acids. The liver synthesizes ketones using glycerol. The glycerol is broken down by the liver for additional glucose, and finally, those ketones are used by your brain as glucose becomes less available.^[1]

Benefits: Weight Loss and Cleansing

Burning fat has several benefits for your health—the first being weight loss. Ketosis is a predictable way to target fat stores that otherwise remain untouched even with a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, getting rid of that extra fat has a detoxifying effect on the body. Your body’s natural defenses use fat stores to store toxic metals and other toxins so they can’t wreak havoc on your system. However, during ketosis, these toxic metals and toxins are safely expelled from your body as fat reserves get used up.^[3] This cleansing effect may temporarily alter some people’s complexion or cause other signs of a healing crisis.

Stage 3: Day 8-15

Stage three typically falls between day eight and 15. This stage includes dramatic improvements in mood and mental clarity and is the stage seasoned fasters look forward to the most.

How You Feel: Clear Minded

By the third stage a sort of “fasting high” begins. This boost happens when your body fully adjusts to fasting. While not everyone reaches this stage, those who do report a dramatic improvement in how they feel. These improvements include an elevated mood, increased energy levels, and a type of clear mindedness unique to fasting.

What’s Happening With Your Body: Healing Mode

During stage three, your body starts to enter into a “healing mode.” This healing process begins as your digestive system takes a rest from the common stressors and toxins it endures on a daily basis. As a result, your body has fewer free radicals entering the mix, and oxidative stress decreases.^[4]

On the flip side, fasting causes a stress that provides an added benefit. This is a kind of mild stress that is comparable to the stress caused by exercise, which ultimately makes you stronger and your immune system more resilient.^[5]

Benefits: Healthy Aging

When the cumulative effects of this stage add up, they can be the catalyst for significant health improvements. Anytime you limit free radicals and oxidative stress you are encouraging healthy aging and positioning yourself for fewer health complications.^[6] While less researched, this healing process seems to improve health for some.

Stage 4: Day 16 and Beyond

Stage four occurs sometime around day 16 and continues through the duration of your fast. While there may be some changes moving beyond this juncture, there is a daily balance that starts to set in.

How You Feel: Balanced

If you make it to stage four, you are at a place most have never gone. This stage, while doable, should only be attempted under close supervision from a trusted health care professional. For those that do make it this far, there are not any drastic shifts that occur in how you feel. Instead, a steady balance seems to set in.

What’s Happening With Your Body: Healing Mode Extended

Stage four is the extension and completion of the healing and cleansing processes that began during the earlier stages. The longer you fast, the more time and opportunity your body has to heal and cleanse itself.

Benefits: Personal Goals and Growth

If you make it this far, the benefit becomes personal. Fasting, especially beyond the first seven days, takes steadfast dedication. What you get out of the fast in these later stages can be a culmination of all the earlier stages or an accomplishment of a personal health goal. For some, it is weight loss, for others, it is a strategy to heal a particular health complication.

Stage 5: Breaking the Fast

Stage five may come sooner or later, depending on your fasting goal. While we don’t assign a specific target day, you may want to make breaking your fast a planned event you can look forward to and celebrate when it’s all done.

How You Feel: Accomplished

Whether you fasted for half a day or a full month, you should feel accomplished. Taking deliberate action to improve your health or testing your limits is something worth celebrating.

What’s Happening With Your Body: Easing Out of Fasting Mode

How you choose to end your fast is critical. Depending on how long you fast, you may need to ease your way back into eating solid food. Fruit juices, cooked vegetables, and broths can help acclimate your body and digestive system to eating as internal mechanisms come back online.

Benefits: Start Something New

With careful planning and thought, fasting can be an incredible springboard into a healthier lifestyle. One suggestion is to make plans before you even start your fast. Write down what you’re hoping to get out of it and what you want to accomplish. If done correctly, the end of a fast is the perfect time to begin a dramatically healthier diet and lifestyle.

Additional Fasting Tips

Bowel movements and bad breath are two subjects that most people usually avoid discussing, but when fasting, you need to be aware of both.

During stage one and two of the fast, your body will still be expelling toxins and damaged cells every time you go to the bathroom. Using an intestinal cleansing product, like Oxy-Powder® will help more thoroughly cleanse and detoxify your body.

Bad breath will be a concern throughout every stage of a fast. Slightly offensive breath is completely natural and part of the detoxing processes. If you are worried about your breath while you fast, I have created an all-natural solution. It’s called Fresh Mouth™, and it comes in a convenient spray bottle that fits in your pocket. Just a few sprays and your mouth will feel fresh and smell great!

Do you have any experience with fasting? Leave a comment below and share your insight.

References (6)

1. Fung, Jason, and Jimmy Moore. “The Complete Guide To Fasting.” 1st ed. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Publishing. Print.


2. Qujeq, D., Bijani, K., Kalavi, K., Mohiti, J., Aliakbarpour, H. “Effects of Ramadan fasting on serum low-density and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations.” Ann Saudi Med. (2002): 297-299


3. Chevrier, Dewailly, É. Ayotte, P. Mauriège, P. J-P Després, et al. “Body weight loss increases plasma and adipose tissue concentrations of potentially toxic pollutants in obese individuals.” International Journal of Obesity and Related Disorders; Hampshire24.10 (Oct 2000): 1272-1278.


4. Wright, E., J. L. Scism-Bacon, and L. C. Glass. “Oxidative Stress In Type 2 Diabetes: The Role Of Fasting And Postprandial Glycaemia.” International Journal of Clinical Practice 60.3 (2006): 308-314.


5. Collier, Roger. “Intermittent Fasting: The Science of Going without.” CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal 185.9 (2013): E363–E364.


6. Rahman, Khalid. “Studies on Free Radicals, Antioxidants, and Co-Factors.” Clinical Interventions in Aging 2.2 (2007): 219–236.

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Groundbreaking Study Shows Fasting Can Slow Aging, Rebuild, Immune System, Reverse Diabetes

Los Angeles, CA – Cutting edge research reveals that occasionally adopting a diet that mimics the effects of fasting may provide dramatic health benefits.

“Fasting flips a regenerative switch essentially regenerating the entire immune system. It gives the OK for stem cells to go begin proliferating and rebuild the entire system,” said Prof Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and the Biological Sciences at the University of California.

A study, led by USC’s Dr. Valter, revealed that a “cycles of a four-day low-calorie diet that mimics fasting (FMD) cut visceral belly fat and elevated the number of progenitor and stem cells in several organs of old mice — including the brain, where it boosted neural regeneration and improved learning and memory,” according to USC News.

The initial tests on mice were part of a three-tiered study on the effects of periodic fasting — testing yeast, mice and humans — which was published in Cell Metabolism on June 18, 2015.

According to a report from USC News:

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Mice, which have relatively short life spans, provided details about fasting’s lifelong effects. Yeast, which are simpler organisms, allowed Longo to uncover the biological mechanisms that fasting triggers at a cellular level. And a pilot study in humans found evidence that the mouse and yeast studies were, indeed, applicable to humans.

Bimonthly cycles that lasted four days of an FMD which started at middle age extended life span, reduced the incidence of cancer, boosted the immune system, reduced inflammatory diseases, slowed bone mineral density loss and improved the cognitive abilities of older mice tracked in the study. The total monthly calorie intake was the same for the FMD and control diet groups, indicating that the effects were not the result of an overall dietary restriction.

In a pilot human trial, three cycles of a similar diet were given to 19 subjects once a month for five days and decreased risk factors and biomarkers for aging, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer with no major adverse side effects, according to Longo.

Dr. Longo notes that strict fasting can be difficult for people to adhere to, and also has the potential to be dangerous, while pointing out that a fasting mimicking diet is much safer and easier.

“Strict fasting is hard for people to stick to, and it can also be dangerous, so we developed a complex diet that triggers the same effects in the body,” said Longo, Edna M. Jones Professor of Biogerontology at the USC Davis School of Gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute. “I’ve personally tried both, and the fasting mimicking diet is a lot easier and also a lot safer.”

The fasting mimicking diet cuts a person’s daily caloric intake over the fasting period down to 34 to 54 percent of their daily average, with a specific balance of micronutrients, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

In previous groundbreaking research, Longo has shown how fasting can protect immune and other cells from chemotherapy toxicity, while simultaneously starving out cancer cells. Fasting for seventy-two hours protected cancer patients against the toxic impact of chemotherapy:

“Chemotherapy causes significant collateral damage to the immune system. The results of this study suggest fasting may mitigate the harmful effects of chemotherapy,” said co-author Tanya Dorff, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Hospital.

“We are investigating the possibility that these effects are applicable to different systems and organs, not just the immune system”, Longo said.

“The good news is the body got rid of the parts in the system which might be damaged or old and inefficient parts, during the fasting. If you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system,” he said.

USC News reports that:

For 25 days a month, study participants went back to their regular eating habits — good or bad — once they finished the treatment. They were not asked to change their diet and still saw positive changes.

Longo believes that for most normal people, the FMD can be done every three to six months, depending on the abdominal circumference and health status. For obese subjects or those with elevated disease risk factors, the FMD could be recommended by the physician as often as once every two weeks. His group is testing its effect in a randomized clinical trial, which will be completed soon, with more than 70 subjects.

“It’s about reprogramming the body so it enters a slower aging mode, but also rejuvenating it through stem cell-based regeneration,” Longo said. “It’s not a typical diet because it isn’t something you need to stay on.”

“If the results remain as positive as the current ones, I believe this FMD will represent the first safe and effective intervention to promote positive changes associated with longevity and health span, which can be recommended by a physician,” Longo told USC News. “We will soon meet with FDA officers to pursue several FDA claims for disease prevention and treatment.”

Despite the plethora of health benefits associated with fasting, Longo warned against water-only fasting or attempting the fasting mimicking diet without seeking the consultation and supervision of a doctor.

Despite its positive effects, Longo cautioned against water-only fasting – noting that they should only be done in specialized clinics – and warned even about attempting the fasting mimicking diet without first consulting a doctor and seeking their supervision throughout the process.

“Not everyone is healthy enough to fast for five days, and the health consequences can be severe for a few who do it improperly,” he said. “Water-only fasting should only be done in a specialized clinic. Also, certain types of very low-calorie diets, and particularly those with high protein content, can increase the incidence of gallstones in women at risk.”

“In contrast,”  Longo added, “the fasting mimicking diet tested in the trial can be done anywhere under the supervision of a physician and carefully following the guidelines established in the clinical trials.”

Longo warned that diabetics should not attempt to undergo a fast or the fasting mimicking diet while receiving insulin, metformin or similar drugs and that subjects with a body mass index of less than 18 should not try the FMD diet.

Please share this important information as a means of undercutting the big pharma monopoly, and helping people regain control over their health naturally!

How to Fast Safely: Considerations Before Starting a Fast

If you haven’t done the research, you might find yourself wondering if fasting is safe. You may have heard from people who’ve never even tried it that it’s crazy, dangerous, or just pointless. And yet, for thousands of years, many cultures have embraced fasting wholeheartedly. This ancient practice leads to numerous health benefits for most people—when done correctly.

That said, fasting is not for everyone. Even compulsory religious fasting excuses the sick, the young, and the elderly for their safety. For some people, certain health conditions make fasting inadvisable. Of course, there are many ways to plan and prepare to ensure that you fast as safely as possible. Read on to find out if fasting is right for you and what you should consider before beginning a fast.

Who Should Avoid Fasting?

You should only fast if you’re generally healthy. Some underlying medical issues might prevent you from starting one unless you’re under direct medical instruction or supervision.

You shouldn’t fast if you are on immunosuppressive drugs, currently very ill, or recovering from surgery or injury. Fasting ignites immune cell recycling, a remarkable effect that’s like a reset button for your immune defenses. It helps you replace damaged, old, or rickety immune cells with younger, more competent white blood cells once you start eating again. But if you already have a low white blood cell count, you’re better off not fasting to preserve your immune system, even in its weakened state.^[1]

Some people should avoid fasting, including:

• Infants and children


• Type 1 diabetics


• Hypoglycemics


• Pregnant and nursing women


• People recovering from a major surgery or serious injury


• Those who are underweight or undernourished


• Persons with a history of eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, or compulsive eating


• People with a history of malnutrition, such as alcoholics


• Anyone with a depressed or compromised immune system


• Those on certain medications, especially those that shouldn’t be taken without food


• People with nutritional deficiencies like low iron status


• People with heart issues


• Those who experience severe heartburn


• Those with very low blood pressure (hypotension)

Your body might not respond well to a radical change in diet, particularly if you have any of the health conditions listed above. Fasting is not a “one size fits all” approach to health. You might have an entirely different experience from a friend or family member—this is normal. Fortunately, there are many different types of fasts to choose from, so you can find the one that suits your body and health goals.

Top Considerations for a Safe Fast

Before fasting, know your limits. Fasting is not something you can just jump into without preparation and research. Your experience, health, nutrition, and personal relationship with food should all be evaluated before you decide to fast.

Experience and Duration

If you’re not an experienced faster, you shouldn’t embark on a 21-day water fast on your first go. Some online resources that advocate this kind of extreme change paint a rosier picture than you will likely experience. First, try going on a juice cleanse or partial fast like my ketogenic fast to acclimate yourself to a more restrictive diet. You can also try intermittent fasting and slowly work your way up to alternate day fasting. One of the primary reasons you should ease into fasting is to see how your body responds. If you know what to expect and what to account for, you’re in a better position to prepare yourself for a fast that’s longer or more challenging.

Health Status

Forget “feed a cold, starve a fever.” Focus on your general health status rather than your immediate health goals before deciding to go on a fast. If you’re trying to detox from a junk food binge, organize your diet plan before fasting. Always put your health first. Under certain circumstances, fasting can do more harm than good. Always speak with your trusted healthcare practitioner about your plans before making any radical changes to your diet.

Nutrition and Hydration

Nutrition during a fast? Yes, absolutely! Your body keeps a natural reserve of several key nutrients, like the fat-soluble vitamins, to help sustain normal cellular function when you’re not eating. But you should still supply your body with water-soluble vitamins and minerals to keep your electrolytes stable and your metabolism running as it should.

Water is arguably the most essential nutrient that your body needs. It’s responsible for transporting other nutrients and waste throughout your body, regulating temperature, and providing the medium in which all your metabolic processes occur.^[2] This makes water indispensable when fasting. Many fasters become dehydrated because they’re not getting the same volume of water they normally do from food, which means you’ll have to make up the deficit. Drink enough water so that your urine runs clear.

Your Relationship With Food

People with a history of eating disorders should avoid fasting until they’ve dealt with their food issues. It may seem like an appealing option, but it can reinforce unhealthy eating habits if you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.

If you have a history of abusing food to deal with stress or emotional trauma, you should first find healthier ways of dealing with negative feelings rather than turning to food for solace.

Fasting Safely

When you’re fasting, limit intense, strenuous activity so you don’t overtax your body. Fasting is supposed to be a restorative practice, so make sure you get plenty of rest. Nourish your body with plenty of water and water soluble micronutrients to keep yourself energized while you’re running off your energy stores. If you do decide to fast, always fast for the benefit of your health, not to make your body look a specific way. If fasting isn’t a healthy option for you, don’t subject your body to it. And if you begin feeling ill, break your fast immediately. Listen to your body—it’ll let you know if you’ve gone too far.

Do you have any tips for fasting safely? Share them in the comments below!

References (2)

1. Fasting Triggers Stem Cell Regeneration Of Damaged, Old Immune System. News.usc.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 5 June 2017.


2. Goodenough, Judith, and Betty McGuire. Biology Of Humans: Concepts, Applications, And Issues. 6th ed. Hoboken, New Jersey: Pearson, 2017. Print.

What Is Alternate Day Fasting?

Alternate day fasting (ADF) is a type of intermittent fasting in which you alternate between “fast days,” when you consume very few or zero calories, and “feed days” when you eat as much as you like. When done correctly, ADF is a powerful tool for weight loss and longevity.

How an Alternate Day Fast Is Done

The basics of alternate day fasting are relatively straightforward. You just eat every other day. On fast days, you consume only water or other zero-calorie liquids like tea and detox water. On feed days, you can eat whatever you want (within reason).

If zero calories seems like an impossible goal, many experts recommend a modified approach. In the modified form, instead of consuming zero calories on fast days, you consume about 25% of your normal energy requirements. Exact calorie requirements differ from person to person, but if we assume a 2000 calorie diet, that means you consume 500 calories on fast days. These calories should be consumed in a single meal between noon and 2 p.m.^[1]

Researchers theorized that people who ate only 25% of their calorie requirements on fast days would compensate by binge-eating 175% of their needs on feed days. Surprisingly, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Participants in the study only ate slightly more than normal on feed days.^[2] What that means is that their bodies absorbed fewer calories over the two-day period. This type of energy restriction means that you can lose weight while still eating what you want half the time.

Alternate Day Fasting vs Conventional Dieting

The standard type of weight loss plan is caloric restriction (CR). CR is simply reducing the number of calories you consume every day. You usually have to restrict your calories by 25-40% to achieve noticeable results. As a weight loss tool, caloric restriction seems to make sense. Take in fewer calories than you consume every day, and you have to lose weight. It’s basic math, right?

A concern with traditional caloric restriction is adherence. People just don’t stick to it for very long. Generally, dieters are very good about rigorously following their meal plan for a couple of weeks. However, there’s a dramatic drop-off after the two month mark. Eight weeks seems to be about the limit that most people can endure daily calorie restriction. What’s more, your metabolism doesn’t keep chugging along despite running a deficit. It starts to conserve energy where it can, meaning that your metabolism slows dramatically, and weight loss slows to a halt.

For many, alternate day fasting is a more manageable option than conventional CR. With feed days never more than a day away, the fast days don’t seem quite so bad. On a traditional restrictive diet, you must exercise extreme self-control and deny yourself any treats, and that can leave you feeling defeated, depleted, and frustrated. With ADF, you know that you can eat what you want tomorrow.

With this comforting knowledge, many people find alternate day fasting easier to stick to than conventional calorie restriction. In fact, studies have found that ADF has an adherence rate of about 87%.^[3] The first couple days are the hardest. Most people feel hungry during the first few days of the fast, but, eventually, their leptin and ghrelin levels stabilize and their metabolism adapts to the new schedule.

The Health Benefits of Alternate Day Fasting

Humans have known about the benefits of fasting for thousands of years, but conventional medicine has often ignored this knowledge. Fortunately, recent research now confirms much of what our ancestors already knew—fasting, when done correctly, can have a tremendously positive effect on the body.

Promotes Weight Loss

Multiple studies, both animal and human, have reported significant weight loss for ADF participants. The results? An average loss of about 8% of total body weight over an eight week period and a measurable reduction in belly fat.^[4]

What’s more, ADF preserves muscle mass more effectively than conventional dieting. After a successful conventional diet, about 75% of weight loss comes from body fat; the remaining 25% is lost from lean muscle. With ADF, studies show that approximately 99% of lost weight is in the form of fat. This makes for a much healthier body composition after the fast is complete.^[5]

Improves Insulin and Blood-Glucose Levels

ADF may have beneficial effects for individuals with type 2 diabetes. Studies have found that ADF reduces blood glucose levels in animals and improves insulin sensitivity in humans.^[6]

Supports Heart Health

In animal testing, ADF was found to reduce heart rate, decrease blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels. Further testing is necessary to determine if these results are replicable in humans.^[6]

Reduces Inflammation

Both human and animal studies have found that ADF reduces occasional inflammation. The fast even selectively protects certain organs like the liver and endocrine tissues.^[7, 8]

Encourages Longevity

Cells become stronger if you put them under mild stress and allow them the time to recover from it. That’s essentially why exercise works. Exercise stresses muscle tissue, which then grows back stronger after recovery. “There is considerable similarity between how cells respond to the stress of exercise and how cells respond to intermittent fasting,” says Mark Mattson, senior investigator for the National Institute on Aging. Intermittent fasting has been confirmed to extend lifespan in animal studies, but more research is necessary to see if this benefit carries over to humans.^[9]

Making the Most of Your Fast

Alternate day fasting has many benefits, but it needs to be done the right way. You must still make healthy decisions. All forms of dieting work best when paired with exercise. ADF is no excuse to skip hitting the gym, so find an exercise regimen that works for you. Likewise, if you spend feed days eating toxic, processed food, your health will suffer. Make an effort to eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and a reasonable amount of healthy fats.

Alternate Day Fasting Alternatives

While many people find the alternate day fast easier to follow than other dieting options, some may find it more difficult. In particular, frequent snackers and people who get irritable when they don’t eat regularly every few hours typically find the ADF difficult to adhere to. That’s perfectly fine. We are all unique individuals with different dietary needs, metabolisms, activity levels, and preferences. ADF is far from the only type of fasting regimen. If you are interested in different types of fasts, ADF can also be an excellent introduction to fasting in general.

Which specific nutritional plan you follow is less important than the fact that you have a plan. There are many other types of diets and fasts (like the ketogenic fast), each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Find a nutrition plan that suits your body and make it part of your healthy lifestyle.

Have you tried alternate day fasting? Any other kind of fast? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments below.

 References 

1. Wisby, Gary. “Krista Varady Weighs in on How to Drop Pounds.” UIC News Center. University of Illinois, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 June 2017.


2. Klempel, Monica C., et al. “Dietary and Physical Activity Adaptations to Alternate Day Modified Fasting: Implications for Optimal Weight Loss.” Nutrition Journal 9 (2010): 35. Web. 12 June 2017.


3. Varady, K. A., et al. “Short-term Modified Alternate-day Fasting: A Novel Dietary Strategy for Weight Loss and Cardioprotection in Obese Adults.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 90.5 (2009): 1138-143. Web. 12 June 2017.


4. Patterson, Ruth E., et al. “INTERMITTENT FASTING AND HUMAN METABOLIC HEALTH.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 115.8 (2015): 1203–1212. Web. 12 June 2017.


5. Bhutani, S., et al. “Improvements in Coronary Heart Disease Risk Indicators by Alternate‐Day Fasting Involve Adipose Tissue Modulations.” Obesity. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 06 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 June 2017.


6. Varady, K., and M. Hellerstein. “Alternate-day Fasting and Chronic Disease Prevention: A Review of Human and Animal Trials.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 86.1 (2007): 7-13. Web. 12 June 2017.


7. Traba, Javier, et al. “Fasting and Refeeding Differentially Regulate NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Human Subjects.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation 125.12 (2015): 4592–4600. Web. 12 June 2017.


8. Yang, W., et al. “Alternate-day Fasting Protects the Livers of Mice against High-fat Diet–induced Inflammation Associated with the Suppression of Toll-like Receptor 4/nuclear Factor κB Signaling.” Nutrition Research 36.6 (2016): 586-93. Web. 12 June 2017.


9. Collier, Roger. “Intermittent Fasting: The Science of Going without.” CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association Journal 185.9 (2013): E363–E364. Web. 12 June 2017.

The Fasting Diet: Tips for a Successful Fast

A fasting diet is a nutritional therapy involving either full or partial caloric restriction. It can be a challenge if you embark on one unprepared and unaware. There are many ways you can prepare yourself for a fast. In this article, I’ll give you the tips and tricks that’ll help you successfully reach your fasting goals such as healthy habits, nutrition, and hunger management.

Make things easy on yourself from the very beginning. First, make sure you do your research into fasting, especially if you’re aiming for a specific health benefit. Not all fasts have the same results, so choose your fast carefully to achieve your goals. Before embarking on your fast, speak with your trusted health care provider about your plans. They’ll be able to advise you if any medications or supplements you take will need to be adjusted for the fast.

Tips on How To Get Through a Fast

• Get a head start on any new projects before starting your fast.


• Complete any chores to make mornings easier.


• Don’t over-commit to social engagements for the duration of the fast.


• Prepare yourself emotionally for hunger and irritability.


• Begin fasting on Friday afternoon.


• Take a nap during lunch breaks.


• Go easy on your workouts.


• Go to bed earlier.


• Drink plenty of water or tea.


• Trying indulging in a hobby you don’t normally have time for to keep busy.


• Set clear boundaries before beginning.

Establish Clear, Measurable Goals

With any new routine or healthy habit, it’s important to set measurable goals, instead of vague, undefined objectives. Assign a number to the goal. Pick a percentage, duration length, or reading on a ketone strip. You’ll get a big boost in your sense of accomplishment once you make it. If not, you’ll be able to evaluate how close you got to it, giving a new milestone for next time. When fasting, your goal might be to go a set amount of time without breaking the fast, liver detoxification, losing body fat, cleansing your diet of particular foods, or experiencing the clear thinking associated with fasting.

Know Yourself

Despite the many benefits, fasting is still challenging. If you’re irritable when you’re hungry, expect to be the same on your fast—only slightly worse. For the first 2-3 days, you’ll likely experience some negative sensations, and your mood may suffer as a result. During the first day or two, intense hunger is normal, but this feeling quickly fades. You may find the mild physical discomfort of hunger pales in comparison to the effect on your mood. Some people report feeling shaky, weak, dizzy, or just generally out of sorts while their body adjusts. Prepare yourself mentally for these sensations.

These feelings can affect how you respond to adverse situations and interact with other people. Check in with yourself and your feelings. Are you impatient for a reason or are you just feeling a little irritable? Are you dealing with your challenges healthily, or are you letting them get the best of you? Be cognizant of your mental state and emotional disposition through your fast and do what’s necessary to steer yourself toward a more positive experience for yourself and those around you. When you speak with others, try to acknowledge that any crankiness is due to low blood sugar rather than the person or project you’re currently working on. Take a moment to compose yourself by breathing deeply or try meditating to reflect on your emotional state.

Get a Jump on Work

The first few days will be the toughest, so prepare yourself at home and work so that your days run as smoothly as possible. To compensate, try to get ahead on any projects that require intense mental effort in the days leading up to your fast. The best practice is preparing as though you’ll be slightly dazed for the first 2-3 days. Stress and fasting are not a good pair, so try to make up for any heavy mental lifting early by getting ahead. That way you can relax, and you’ll be able to dial it back a little and take the pressure off for the first few days.

Detox Your Diet

Two weeks before your fast, eliminate the food you crave the most. If you have a particular weakness for soda or fries, try eliminating these items from your diet before you begin fasting. Cravings for specific foods are normal, but while you’re fasting, you won’t be able to satisfy them. To dispel their power over you, try cutting these kinds of foods from your diet a week or two before fasting.

Tidy Up at Home

Losing your shoes, misplacing your keys, or not having something to wear are some of those daily frustrations that you can easily avoid with some timely preparation. When you’re fasting, these kinds of frustrations can feel a lot more frustrating, so plan for them to make mornings easier.

Before your fast, complete your chores. Pick up the dry cleaning, pay any bills due soon, wash and fold your laundry, make sure all the walkways in your home are clear of tripping hazards. As you fast, you might begin to feel floaty and euphoric, so try to be diligent about putting your belongings where they need to go.

Overcoming Obstacles While Fasting

Now that you know what to expect, here’s a little primer on overcoming the obstacles that arise while you’re fasting.

Drink Water to Manage Hunger

Cravings are one of the most significant obstacles when you’re just starting your fast and it may begin to feel like an uphill battle with little incentive to keep going. You may notice that your sense of smell is heightened when you’re fasting. Fortunately, you’ll only feel cravings for the first 72 hours.

Hunger and thirst are often confused, and while this might not be the case on day two of your fast, filling up on water can help alleviate some feelings of hunger. You could also try an appetite suppressant like Slimirex® to quell your cravings. Warm, fragrant herbal teas are another excellent option to quiet a grumbling stomach. If you’re not on a strict water fast, you can also have some clear broth or thinned juice to keep your energy up.

Keep Your Fast to Yourself

Of the many potential challenges that stand in your way is the people around you. Scientific research on fasting is not well-known among the general populace, so you’ll likely meet with vehement resistance if you tell anyone that you’re fasting for health purposes.

Your friends and family might not approve, especially if they’re unfamiliar with fasting. Most people equate fasting with starving and immediately dismiss the merits of the practice. Of course, you could show your naysayers studies and articles on the benefits of fasting, but chances are you won’t be able to change their mind. Your best bet is only telling the people who need to know. This list includes your partner, your health care provider, and maybe your immediate supervisor.

Start Your Fast Before a Weekend

Since the first 2-3 days are the toughest, try timing your fast to begin on a Friday after lunch. This way the most difficult days will be on your own time when you don’t have to deal with getting ready for work, traffic, or the scent of donuts wafting from the break room.

Get Plenty of Rest

Expect to feel tired, initially. Your body is adjusting, and you’ll likely feel drained both emotionally and in terms of energy. Treat yourself to a good night’s rest.

Go Easy at the Gym

Take it easy on your workouts. Fat metabolizes much more slowly than carbohydrates and protein, so your best bet to spare muscle while fasting is an easy walk or a restorative yoga class.^[1, 2]

Coping With Boredom

Without all the meal prep, cleaning, and meal times, you might find you have some extra time on your hands. To avoid giving into that initial gnawing hunger, try picking up a new hobby you don’t normally have time to do. Something that keeps your hands busy is a better option than idly sitting and watching tv. Knitting, sewing, reading, woodworking, journaling, video games, or another hobby are effective ways to keep your idle hands from reaching into the pantry. Find something you look forward to doing to keep your mind off eating.

Take a Nap

Meal times might be difficult, so don’t hesitate to skip out and take a power nap. If you’re at work, try taking a short siesta in your car or a quiet room. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready instead of stuffed.

Remind Yourself of Your Goals

If you find yourself trying to rationalize breaking your fast earlier than you planned, reflecting on why you wanted to fast to begin with will help you overcome this desire. That said, make sure to listen to your body. If you begin to feel ill or very weak, don’t put off breaking your fast out of stubbornness or competition. Don’t try to do more than your body can handle. Don’t worry, you can always try again.

Keep Your Energy Levels Up

Fasting can leave you feeling depleted in more ways than one. In addition to staying hydrated, you might also consider supplementing with B vitamins to recoup some of your energy. VeganSafe™ B-12 is formulated with methylcobalamin, the form of B-12 your body needs to keep you energized.

Breaking Your Fast

Breaking your fast properly is critical. The first foods you feed your body after fasting determine how successful you are at maintaining the progress you’ve made. Don’t undermine all the progress by breaking your fast with unhealthy starchy, greasy, or fried foods.

When you’re coming out of your fast, try to stay away from sugary foods. The ideal first meal would be something like watermelon or a small healthy mixed green salad with some healthy fats like walnuts and a drizzle of full-fat salad dressing. You can also try raw veggies with a little tahini or some olive oil with herbs. Avoid bottled dressings that are loaded with sugar, salt, and vinegar that may be a bit too sharp for your palate. This will help you refamiliarize your body with solid foods without overwhelming it.

Ideally, the foods you eat in the transition period between fasting and eating normally should be the kinds of things you would eat on a cleanse. This is going to be things like raw, fibrous vegetables, watery soups that don’t contain too much starch, nuts, seeds, and ancient grains mixed with raw or steamed vegetables. Start incorporating fruit back into your diet 1-2 days after breaking the fast. Fruits contain a lot of sugar, so try sticking with low-glycemic fruits like cherries, coconut meat, watermelon, avocados, and blueberries.^{[3, 4, 5, 6]}

Lasting Changes After Fasting

Think of breaking your fast as the chance to upgrade your lifestyle. Fasting is not only one of the best ways to activate your body’s self-healing process, but it also re-sensitizes your palate to subtle flavors. You’ll find that foods that were once bland or uninteresting are now bursting with flavor.

This is your opportunity to structure your diet around micronutrient-dense foods bursting with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are essential to your health. Eat the kinds of meals built around foods you usually aspire to eat—celeriac, kale juice, and smoothie bowls—all of those beautiful, healthy things you would eat if you only had the time and inclination.

If you want to learn more, read our guide to the different types of fasting to figure out which fast is right for you.

Do you have any fasting tips to contribute? Tell us about them in the comments below!

References (6)

1. Berg, J.M., Tymoczko, J.L., Stryer, L. “Biochemistry. 5th edition. New York: W H Freeman; 2002. Section 30.4, Fuel Choice During Exercise Is Determined by Intensity and Duration of Activity.” Web.


2. “Muscle Physiology – Metabolism Of Fatty Acids.” Muscle.ucsd.edu. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 May 2017.


3. “Cherries, Sweet, Raw Nutrition Facts & Calories.” Nutritiondata.self.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 May 2017.


4. “Nuts, Coconut Meat, Raw Nutrition Facts & Calories.” Nutritiondata.self.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 May 2017.


5. “Watermelon, Raw Nutrition Facts & Calories.” Nutritiondata.self.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 May 2017.


6. “Blueberries, Raw Nutrition Facts & Calories.” Nutritiondata.self.com. N.p., 2017. Web. 16 May 2017.

The Health Benefits of Water Fasting

While fasting has been part of human culture for thousands of years, only recently have we begun to investigate the therapeutic benefits of the practice. Interestingly, modern science has found a variety of verifiable positive effects fasting has on human health.

What Is Water Fasting?

Water fasting, also known as a water cleanse, is a type of fasting in which you consume only water for a set period of time. Many types of cleansing diets are referred to as fasts, but in water fasting, you take in zero calories. It’s distinct from caloric restriction in which a person’s daily caloric intake is reduced by 20–40%.

Of course, in the long-term, it’s impossible to live on water alone. Your body can’t function without calories and nutrients; they’re the batteries and building blocks of life. However, a carefully planned, short-term water fast can help reset certain biological processes and reinvigorate your health.

The most common question people ask about water fasting is “why?” Why would you voluntarily subject yourself to hunger and nutritional deprivation? There are many reasons to fast. Some people do it for religious or spiritual reasons; others to raise awareness for a cause. However, there are also well-established health benefits to fasting. Intermittent fasting encourages weight loss, reduces body fat, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, and may even reduce the risk of serious conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.^[1, 2]

In the early days of humanity, fasting was the norm. Before the invention of agriculture, we were all hunter-gatherers. We ate what we could, when we could. Grabbing a snack from the fridge whenever our stomachs rumbled was not an option. Survival required that we adapt to occasional food shortages.^[3]

Our ancestors incorporated fasting into cultural traditions long after the invention of agriculture ended our hunter-gatherer days. Many religions participate in ritual fasting to this day. Those of Islamic faith fast from dawn until dusk during the month of Ramadan. Many Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and peoples of many other faiths all take part in traditional fasting. Many great healers and thinkers, like Hippocrates, Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle have praised the benefits of fasting.

The Health Benefits of Water Fasting

Fasting isn’t just for times of need or a way to demonstrate faith and devotion. There are some legitimate health benefits to fasting as well.

Weight Loss

The fasting benefit that interests most people is weight loss. While it may seem obvious that not eating will lead to less body fat, let’s take a closer look at exactly how water fasting can help. Ketosis is the state in which your body begins taking energy from your internal fat stores instead of food. Water fasting helps your body reach ketosis more quickly than dieting. When you refrain from eating calories, your body is forced to burn fat cells for energy.^[4]

Slows Aging

While we know of no force on earth that can halt or reverse the aging process, it is certainly true that some people age more gracefully than others. Animal studies have found that intermittent fasting can extend lifespan by up to 80% over control groups. In humans, fasting has been found to reduce oxidative damage and inflammation.^[4]

Improved Cell Recycling

Autophagy is your body’s normal, natural process for recycling unnecessary or dysfunctional components. Water fasting forces your system into an autophagic state. With the severely reduced caloric intake, your body is forced to be more selective in which cells it protects.^[5]

This means that fasting can encourage your body’s natural healing mechanisms to actively destroy and recycle damaged tissues, which may have a positive effect on several serious conditions.

There is bountiful anecdotal evidence from people who claim that water fasting helped them overcome debilitating disorders. Current research backs up many of these claims. Animal studies have found that alternate day fasting caused a major reduction in the incidence of cancer and metabolic syndrome. Rodents placed on an intermittent fast had fewer incidences of neurological disorders including Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s disease.^[4]

Water, Cells, and Human Health: New Breakthroughs

Of course, your body needs water for hydration, but is there more to it than that? Yes there is, according to Dr. Gerald H. Pollack, a professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Pollack and his team have made some new discoveries that challenge our current understanding of water. They found that water behaves oddly within living cells. Close to the cell membrane, water organizes itself in a series of gel-like layers, rather than as a completely fluid solution.

Dr. Pollack calls this “exclusion zone” (EZ) water, and it’s not the H2O we’re familiar with. EZ water is actually H3O2—three hydrogen atoms bonded to two oxygen atoms. So what does this mean for water fasting? Well, the reason this is called the exclusion zone is because it excludes things—things like contaminants and impurities. EZ water holds a negative charge and pushes contaminants away from itself. This discovery may have serious implications for cell signaling and detoxification, but more research needs to be done before we fully understand the connection.^[6]

How to Perform a Water Fast

When fasting, planning is crucial; don’t skimp on it. If you’ve never done a fast before, you shouldn’t just start a 30-day water cleanse this afternoon. There is a right way to do any cleansing diet. Fasting is not usually dangerous, but it can do more harm than good if done incorrectly. I recommend consulting with a trusted health care provider before performing any fast.

Drink High-Quality Water

When performing a water fast, it’s more important than ever to only consume fresh, clean, high-quality water. The effect of any contaminants in your water will only be magnified with no food in your gut to help dilute the effect. I recommend you drink only distilled water during your fast. You can also drink filtered water if you have a very good filtration system, but distillation goes further than filtration and removes all harmful organisms and chemicals.

The most crucial step in any fast is to arrange your schedule. If possible, take time off work for the duration of the cleanse. Choose a length of time for your water fasting diet. Fasts can be done for any length of time up to about a month, but 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10-day water fasts are the most common. Start small. If this is your first fast, try a 24-hour or a 3-day fast.

If you perform any fast longer than five days, or you’re fasting to alleviate serious conditions, consider a supervised water fast. Many people choose a supervised fast because it offers a controlled environment, a team of professionals to make sure all goes well, and fellow fasters for emotional support. A fasting clinic can do tests to find the best fast for you, monitor your health during the fast, and help ease your transition back to solid foods after the fast.

Before we get started, let’s go over a few precautions. You should not perform a fast if you are pregnant or lactating. A developing child is just too sensitive to nutritional deficiencies. Likewise, anyone with type 1 diabetes should choose a different type of detox diet. Fasting works best for people who are 20 lbs or more overweight. If you’re less than this, you can still try fasting, but plan a shorter duration for your first fast.

What to Expect During a Water Fast

Fasting is a time for rest, not exertion. Don’t plan on running any marathons during your fast. You shouldn’t even go to the gym. Your body will want to sleep more than usual—let it. Listen to your body; you may need 12 hours or more of sleep each night, and naps during the day. Do not be alarmed; this is part of the process. Relax and embrace it.

Drink 2-3 quarts (or liters) of water every day. Don’t drink it all at once. Space it out over the course of the day to keep yourself properly hydrated and increase satiety.

I won’t lie; the first couple days are going to be tough. You will likely experience some unpleasant symptoms like hunger, irritability, headaches, or disorientation. Fortunately, your body is resilient and should quickly adapt. You should start feeling better around the third or fourth day. Many people even report a feeling of euphoria at this point.

Water Fasting Tips and Tricks

Here are a couple fasting tips that can make your experience go a little more smoothly.

Read

Books are a faster’s best friend. When fasting, it’s important to both rest your body and keep your mind occupied. Now would be a good time to catch up on your reading. Reading is a fantastic low-energy way to keep your mind engaged.

Set Realistic Goals

Be realistic about your goals. Why are you doing this cleanse? To help a particular health issue? To lose weight? Set simple, clear, achievable goals.

Meditation

Meditation reinforces willpower and promotes a healthy connection between body and mind. Many people find that meditating can be a great way to help control cravings and strengthen resolve. Others report that feelings of hunger distract them from mediation. Find what works best for you.

Lemon Juice

Remember, in a water cleanse, you drink only water. No food, no smoothies, no juices. There is one exception, sort of. Some people find the taste of plain water underwhelming. If you’re of a similar mind, you can add a small squirt of lemon juice into your water. Let me be clear; this isn’t an excuse to drink sugary lemonade. A small squeeze of a lemon slice can add some flavor without adding much in the way of calories. Likewise, you can add a spoonful of raw organic apple cider vinegar to add a little flavor and some probiotics.

After the Fast

After the fast, you must resist the urge to overindulge, especially in the first few days. While you may dream of gorging yourself at the taco truck, your rebooted digestive system simply cannot handle it yet. At this point, rich food would cause you severe discomfort, or possibly serious complications.

Instead, break your fast slowly. Start by drinking only juices and detox waters, then broths, and gradually add in solid foods. You can do this over the course of a day if you performed a very short fast, but for fasts of 3-7 days, wait at least 24 hours before reintroducing your system to solid foods. Breaking the fast can be a multi-day process for fasts longer than that.

Fasting is a great way to reset your system and experience some fantastic health benefits, but it’s not a way to cheat basic biology. Don’t expect to live a life of overindulgence and let the occasional water detox cancel out the damage.

Rather, fasting is just one part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Other lifestyle choices you must make include eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, exercising regularly, getting plenty of rest, effectively managing stress, and avoiding environmental toxins. Use your fast as an opportunity to abandon bad habits and add new healthy habits to your routine.

Finally, if you decide that fasting isn’t for you, that’s fine. There are many different ways to detox. Find a method of deep cleansing that suits you and make it part of your healthy lifestyle.

References (6)

1. Bair, Stephanie. “Intermittent Fasting: Try This at Home for Brain Health.” SLS Blogs/ Law and Sciences Blog. Stanford Law School, 9 Jan. 2015. Web. 12 May 2017.


2. Wu, Suzanne. “The Benefits of Fasting.” USC Dornsife College News RSS. University of Southern California, 10 June 2014. Web. 12 May 2017.


3. Secor, Stephen M., and Hannah V. Carey. “Integrative Physiology of Fasting.” Comprehensive Physiology (2016): 773-825. Web. 12 May 2017.


4. Longo, Valter D., and Mark P. Mattson. “Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms And Clinical Applications.” Cell Metabolism 19.2 (2014): 181-192. Web. 4 May 2017.


5. Rubinsztein DC, Mariño G., Kroemer G. “Autophagy and aging.” Cell. 2011 Sep 2;146(5):682-95. Web. 4 May 2017.


6. Pollack, Gerald H. “Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life a New, Unifying Approach to Cell Function.” Seattle, WA: Ebner & Sons, 2001. Print.