One lifestyle factor that appears to be driving not only obesity but also many chronic disease processes is exactly this: the fact that we eat too frequently.
Research reveals that a vast majority of people who live western lifestyles eat all day long. Most also consume a majority of their daily calories late in the evening, and this type of eating pattern is a recipe for weight gain and metabolic dysfunction.
The reason so many struggle with their weight (aside from eating processed foods that have been grossly altered from their natural state) is because they rarely, if ever, skip a meal. As a result, their bodies have adapted to burning sugar as its primary fuel, which down-regulates enzymes that utilize and burn stored fat.
In addition, and as mentioned, our ancestors didn't have access to food 24/7, and biologically our bodies simply aren't designed to run optimally when continuously fed.
So if you struggle with excess weight? If you are showing signs of insulin and leptin resistance? If your fasting blood sugar is above 5.6mmol/L? If you are struggling to remember things or experiencing brain fog? If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, you may want to reconsider not only what you eat but when you eat as well.
Does this work however, and can you lose weight by fasting?
"The body converts food into glycogen — a form of energy that it can store for later use. Your body then squirrels away that glycogen in both fat cells and in your liver.
'If you're eating all day, the stores of glycogen in your liver are never depleted,' [neuroscientist Mark Mattson, Ph.D.] says.
On the other hand, after about 12 hours without food your liver runs out of glycogen, at which point your body starts drawing energy from the glycogen stored in your fat cells."
In a nutshell, your body was designed to:
a) run on fat as its primary fuel, and
b) cycle through periods of feast and famine.
By fasting you restore your body to a more natural state that allows a whole host of biochemical benefits to occur.
Fasting May Be the Answer You've Been Looking For
The vast majority of us are overweight and most would therefore benefit from fasting for a period of time. (Adrenal-fatigued individuals are perhaps an exception to this rule). When done correctly, you will inevitably lose weight and your insulin and leptin receptor sensitivity will be optimized, which is really important for optimal health.
Fasting also:
- Decreases the accumulation of oxidative radicals in your cells, thereby preventing oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids associated with aging and disease.
- Raises human growth hormone. Research has shown fasting can raise HGH by as much as 1,300 percent in women, and 2,000 percent in men, which plays an important part in health, fitness and slowing the aging process. HGH is also a fat-burning hormone, which is another reason why fasting is so effective for weight loss.
- Inhibits the mTOR pathway, which plays an important part in driving the aging process and by increasing mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis.
Fasting May Hold Key to Cancer, Ageing and Dementia Prevention
Besides normalizing your weight, fasting is also one of the ways by which you can significantly boost mitochondrial health and energy efficiency, which is important for chronic disease prevention - thereby cutting your risk for health problems like heart disease and cancer.
Inhibiting the mTOR pathway by fasting and therefore restricting calories in the form of carbohydrates and protein particularly, may powerfully inhibit cancer. Regularly consuming and overloading on carbs and protein have been proven to have a detrimental effect on health and aging.
This also plays an important role in autophagy, the process by which your body cleans out debris, including toxins, and recycles damaged cell components. A similar process is known as mitophagy, where damaged mitochondria are cleaned out and replaced with new, healthy ones, and this process is also largely regulated by mTOR.
By boosting your body’s autophagy processes, you therefore dampen inflammation, slow down the aging process, and optimize biological function.
Exercise is also one way by which you boost autophagy. Fasting is another. As noted in a 2011 study published in Molecular Cell Biology:
“In the past few years, a significant advance in our understanding of the regulation and functions of mTOR has revealed the crucial involvement of this signaling pathway in the onset and progression of diabetes, cancer and aging.”
Mark Mattson, Ph.D, at the National Institute of Ageing who has pioneered recent research on intermittent fasting in rodent models, has conducted animal studies showing that when mice, genetically engineered to develop Alzheimer's, are put on an alternate day fasting diet, they develop Alzheimer's around the age of 2 years, which in human terms is equivalent to being 90.
Normally, they develop dementia in half that time — around 1 year, equivalent to the age of 40 or 50 in humans. When he put them on a junk food diet, they developed Alzheimer's around 9 months! Mattson's research suggests that alternate day fasting can boost a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) by anywhere from 50 to 400 percent, depending on the brain region.
BDNF activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons. It also triggers other chemicals that promote neural health, and has been shown to protect brain cells from adverse changes associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Ageing affects every aspect of body function and is a major risk factor for several diseases – because defenses of an ageing body are lower.
Cognitive functions specially decline with age and ageing is strongly associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. To help keep these conditions at bay, interventions that postpone ageing and extend health-span and lifespan are constantly under the research scanner.
Dr Devika Garg, a PhD in neurosciences from the National University of Singapore, says that "fasting works to postpone ageing with little or no side effects, making it the preferred diet plan, because it claims multiple benefits."
Mark Mattson’s lab has further found that fasting:
- extends lifespan and health-span,
- protects against stroke damage,
- suppresses Parkinson’s-associated motor deficits and
- slows down cognitive damage in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease
- improves memory and mental acuity.
This mild stress also helps enhance mental acuity, especially learning and memory -when the body is hungry, the brain works extra hard to look for food, which essentially amounts to brain exercise. People who have tried fasting have therefore reported increased awareness and clear-mindedness.
It is also worth noting that many religions support occasional fasting for healing the body. In fact, fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for one month a year, and are encouraged to fast for two days a week to strengthen their faith. This is essentially intermittent fasting. In the Jewish tradition fasting is taken quite seriously and Jews believe fasting to be good for both the body and the spirit. Fasting is one of the most powerful spiritual disciplines in Christianity and also a very integral part of the Hindu religion. Jainism has also long proposed to eat only between sunrise and sunset.
How to fast
The most effective way is to avoid eating for 13 to 18 hours between meals. This strategy is quite aggressive and, as a result, you will tend to see results sooner. The specific time to break your fast can be based on your blood sugar readings or even listening to your body. This makes it really easy to comply with once your body has shifted over from burning sugar to burning fat as its primary fuel.
At that point, you cease to experience frequent hunger pangs, and can go for hours without a dip in energy. Fat, being a slow-burning fuel, is what allows you to keep going without suffering from the dramatic energy crashes associated with sugar.
In order to make this schedule work, you need to skip either one of your meals and increase the gap between the other two meals to anywhere between 13-18 hours. Which one to omit is up to you.
After that, all you need is a "maintenance program." Keep track of your markers, and if they start sliding, go back on the fasting program again for a few weeks. Alternatively, you could intermittently fast for say one month, once or twice a year, as a form of maintenance.
If you are new to fasting, it may take some time to work up to 13 - 18 hours, but once you start activating your fat burning system you will easily achieve this. The most effective way is to limit your net carbs (total carbs less fiber) to under 40 grams per day and do not exceed more than 1 gram of protein per kilogram of lean body mass.
Type1 Diabetics should not fast at all, while if you are Type2 Diabetic ensure that you only fast under strict medical supervision. According to Dr Mohamed Moosajee, a GP in Johannesburg who has been advising fasting patients from both the Muslim and Hindu community for many years, "it is important to consult with your doctor before you consider fasting if you are diabetic. Initially, he/she will most likely decrease your dosage of medication, depending on your individual condition. Subsequently, your blood sugar levels will be monitored on a weekly basis and doses adjusted accordingly."
What many are unaware of, is that fasting can also be an effective way of reversing Type2 diabetes. Even more effective than bariatric surgery according to some studies.
Renowned diabetologists Dr. Elliot Joslin, whom Harvard University used to name its world famous Joslin Center for Diabetes, wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal as far back as 1916 that he thought that it was "obvious" that fasting was helpful in reversing diabetes.
This, of course is quite easy to understand since Type2 Diabetes is essentially a disease of excessive sugar in the body - reducing intake of sugars and carbohydrates should therefore cause less disease.
Generally, it may be a good idea to measure your blood glucose about 12 hours into the fast anyway, weather you are diabetic or not. You can do this every half hour, and when it starts to dramatically rise, this is an indication that you need to break your fast and eat food.
Why? Because suddenly rising blood sugar when you haven't eaten is a sign that glucogenesis is setting in. By definition, glucogenesis refers to the production of glucose from a nonglucose precursor, such as protein. Once your body starts converting protein to glucose, you're breaking down your lean muscle mass, and this is NOT healthy by any means.
This is also why it is strongly recommend to avoiding longer complete fasts. Research shows you can begin to lose muscle mass if you fast for two days or longer! If you reach 16 to 18 hours and your blood sugar still hasn't spiked, feel free to eat if you want to.
While some intermittent fasting programs claim you can binge on whatever you want on non-fasting days, it is strongly recommended to pay attention to the quality of your food regardless of the program you choose.
The Ideal Diet? Think Low-Carb, Moderate-Protein, High-Fat
Anti-aging expert Ron Rosedale, M.D and Dr Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician who believes in treating the patient holistically and was awarded fellowship status by the American College of Nutrition (ACN), both believe ,"it's absolutely crucial, to incorporate a high-fat ketogenic diet, meaning a diet high in healthy fats, low in net carbs (total carbs minus fiber), and moderate amounts of high quality protein."
Such a diet, along with fasting can be easily integrated into whatever plan you decide to follow. Since you're eating less, you'll want to make sure you're getting high-quality nutrients from your food.
"Healthy fats are especially important, as intermittent fasting pushes your body to switch over into fat burning mode. If you feel tired and sluggish, it may be a sign you need to increase the amount of healthy fat in your diet."
Cutting net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) is equally important. Fructose is particularly troublesome as it causes your cells to accumulate fat and resist letting any of it go. If you're overweight, insulin-resistant, or diabetic, reducing sugar consumption is really key.
So, as a general rule — whether you're fasting or not, and regardless of the fasting schedule you're on — it's important to eat a diet that is:
- High in healthy fats. Many will benefit from 50 to 85 percent of their daily calories in the form of healthy fat from avocados, organic butter, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, and raw nuts such as macadamia, pecans, and pine nuts.
- Moderate amounts of high-quality protein from organically raised, grass-fed or pastured animals, i.e, beef, chicken, lamb, etc. Fish are a lean, healthy source of protein —and the oily kinds, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc, deliver those heart- and brain-healthy omega-3 fats you should be getting in your diet. You will likely not need more than 40 to 80 grams of protein per day. (It is recommended limiting protein intake to one gram of protein per kilo of lean body mass per day.)
- Unrestricted amounts of fresh low net carb vegetables, ideally organic. These include salads in unrestricted amounts, as well as veggies (accept for potatoes and rice) and sprouts that add a massive nutritional punch to your meal and are also critical for added fibre.
Lets Get Started
The toughest part of any fasting plan is getting through the initial transition, which can take anywhere from 7 to 10 days. Maybe even longer for some people, depending on how insulin-resistant you are, and other factors, like your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and if you are not consistent.
About 10 percent of people will report headaches as a side effect when they first start fasting, but the biggest complaint is hunger. It may be helpful to remember that part of why you're craving food is because your body has not yet made the switch from burning sugar to burning fat as its primary fuel. As long as you're running on sugar, which is a fast-burning fuel, frequent hunger pangs will be the norm. Fat is far more satisfying, as it's a much slower-burning fuel.
Remember, a diet high in carbohydrates severely inhibits your body's ability to produce lipase and use fat as an energy source. Lipase is inhibited because of high insulin levels, and your insulin rises in response to eating foods high in carbohydrates, so it's important to replace carbs with healthy fat in order to successfully make that metabolic switch-over and become an efficient fat burner.
Another factor that can trip you up during the transition period is purely psychological. If you're used to grazing throughout the day, it may take some time to break the habit. One trick is to drink more water. Oftentimes people mistake thirst for hunger.
If you decide to attempt intermittent fasting, be sure to pay careful attention to hypoglycemic signs and symptoms, and if you suspect that you're crashing, make sure to eat something, like coconut oil.
When breaking your fast I would recommend eating one date and a glass of water and wait for a few minutes before eating your meal. Dates are easily digestible and allows your body to make full use of its nutrients immediately. It also helps your body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats in the meal you are about to eat. All in all dates have numerous vitamins and minerals and are scientifically proven to be one of the healthiest foods in the world, provided its eaten in moderation because of its high fructose, which makes this little dynamite fruit ideal to start your meal with after fasting for 13-18 hours.
Dr Mercola does not recommend fasting if "you're living with chronic stress (adrenal fatigue), or have cortisol dysregulation." Pregnant or nursing mothers should also avoid fasting, as babies need plenty of nutrients during and after birth.
So overall, it seems that fasting maybe worth a shot if you need to lose weight, smarten up, prevent disease, and slow down ageing, as long as it is combined with a healthy nutrient-enriched food plan.
In Summary
-
- Fasting helps reset your body to burn fat for fuel, and helps optimize insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial health and energy production.
- Fasting involves cutting calories in whole or in part, either a couple of days a week, or even daily for 13-18 hours between meals. It’s one of the most effective interventions for weight loss.
- Fasting has a number of other health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, increased mental acuity, reduced cancer risk, gene repair, increased longevity , and dementia prevention.
A Sample Eating Plan While Fasting
Breakfast (Early morning)
1 X bowl oat bran / oat meal with added almonds / walnuts / macadamia / Brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds / sunflower seeds and drizzled with honey
NB: (stay clear of processed and boxed cereals such as cornflakes, rice crispies, bran flakes, etc as they are loaded with sugar)
2-3 X eggs (fried or scrambled in coconut oil)
1 X slice of cheese
Chicken / Fish (prefer salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna or other cold water fish / Beef or any other protein (limitcooking in vegetable oils if possible - try to use olive oil or coconut oil instead)
1 X banana (and any other seasonal fruit you enjoy)
Smoothie (3 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 table spoon plain high fat Greek yogurt, water, 1/4 avocado - add 2 eggs in and blend of you do not want to eat them separately)
Water (as much as required to hydrate)
Tea / coffee (limit to 1 cup)
Limit bread or toast to 1 slice a day and also avoid anything manufactured from flour, particularly white flour.
Lunch
Skip lunch
Dinner (Eat after 13 - 18 hours for optimum results)
1 medjool / 3 small dates (to replenish glucose - remember while dates are extremely beneficial they are also loaded with sugar, and therefore should be eaten in small quantities)
1-2 X bowls of chicken / veg / other soup or preferably bone broth (to replenish sodium and other essential nutrients)
Water as required (to rehydrate)
Chicken, Fish, Beef or any other form of protein (eat until you are full while trying not to overeat - remember to limit protein intake to one gram per kilo of lean body mass per day.)
Greek Salad (unlimited amounts - with olives and feta)
Veggies in unlimited amounts (to replenish vitamins, minerals and fiber - starches such as rice and potatoes should be limited to a palm size serving at most, and therefore included in your total carb count - remember ideally to limit your net carbs (total carbs less fiber) to under 40 grams per day.
Tea / coffee (limit to 3 cups)
Desert
1/4 avocado pear with cream or
Strawberries with cream (do not add sugar, rather opt for a drizzle of honey or some stevia or xylitol)
1 X handful of nuts (macadamias, almonds, walnuts, or other nuts)
Small piece of dark chocolate with at least 80% coco
Importantly remember to limit your sugar intake to 15-20 grams per day.
For more info or assistance contact:
Hussein Manack
Health & Wellness Coach
Email: hamanack@gmail.com
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