Fasting for health

Fasting is a very simple and effective way of restricting calories and to avoid insulin resistance. For people who are interested in starting their journey of better health, water fasting is one of the first and most important places to start. It is also the “low hanging fruit” of living a better lifestyle.

We realize that everyone is different and people need to find what works best for them. Though we understand that most people think of fasting as some tedious pastime in which you are dying of hunger. Doesn’t have to be so.

Fasting can be as simple as eating late in the morning or early in the afternoon.

Intermittent Fasting

• Some people take well to intermittent fasting.

• This is a fasting routine that is simple to implement and highly effective over time.

• There are many methods to start an intermittent fast and the duration depends on the individual.

Guidelines to an intermittent fast:

• Finish your last meal of the day no later than around 4pm or 6pm (the earlier the better)

• Eat nothing until late morning or early afternoon daily (coffee or tea is ok, avoid juices and drinks with sugar)

• Some people find it effective and doable to eat only one meal a day (you can build up to this over time)

Fasting hours vary from anything between 15 to 20 hours

Examples: 4 pm - 10 am = 18 h / 6pm - 10 am = 16 h / 4 pm - 12 pm = 20 h

See how simple a fast can be while still being beneficial for your health.

Extended fasts

Once you are comfortable with intermittent fasting and your body has adjusted sufficiently to eating less and less frequently, you may be ready for an extended fast. Many people can easily extend their fasting time to that of 36 to 72 hours safely. If you are unsure then consult a professional to guide you through an extended fast. It all depends on what works for you and with what you are comfortable with. It also depends on your health. Some people simply need fasting more than others though everyone can benefit from skipping a meal.

Few points on extended fasts:

• Starting an extended water fast is simple enough. Best to eat more whole foods approaching an extended fast of a few days. Always consult your doctor if you have any health concerns or on medication before you attempt to fast.

• During the fasting process many things may arise as your body goes through all your glucose and glycogen reserves. You may feel agitated, emotional or even get stomach cramps. Remember to breathe deeply, stretch and move your body to ease through these uncomfortable moments. They will pass.

• Tell close family members and people you work with that you might be a little grumpy so that they don’t get too worried about you and can be there as support as well.

• Going to bed at a reasonable time and getting plenty of sleep is also very important. It will make the fasting process much easier.

• Drink plenty of water. Some people prefer a little coffee or tea in the morning. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon and evening as it will hinder a good night’s rest.

Breaking a fast is the most important part of any fast. There are a few things people prefer to break an extended fast with. Here are a few examples:

• Fruit: Eat a fruit by itself. It takes under an hour for a fruit to digest. Eat it slow and remember to chew well.

• Broth: Either bone broth or vegetable broth are one of the best ways to break a fast. Nice and hot and very nourishing.

• Vegetable soup: Comforting grandmother's recipe. Always a winner. Eat the soup alone without added bread for now.

Eliminate cravings

• Fasting is a great way to “reset” one’s appetite and to cut out foods that are not healthy for us, such as foods with added sugars and foods that are high in calories.

• As you implement an intermittent fast you help reduce cravings for simple sugars and easy carbs.

• Once we have cravings for food under control and we start eating smaller portions with healthier ingredients, we start to notice positive changes physically and mentally. Our energy levels increase and we start losing excess fat.

There are many sources to find information regarding fasting. Our suggestion would be to find what works well for you and stick to that.

Couple of tips:

• Eat real food. Stay away from shakes and other processed foods even if they promise to provide protein and low carbs. You can easily feed your body with regular food you can buy at any supermarket. Stay away from processed foods because they tend to be high in added sugar and or sweeteners, plus high in added salt.

• Eat smaller portions. After fasting it can be tempting to dish up another serving. Rather drink some black coffee or herbal tea and go for a long walk in nature. Your cravings for more food will ease off and you will be glad you had the discipline to keep your portion small. Food swells in the stomach after all.

• Do not eat too many carbs. Look up the carb count for different ingredients. Stay away from potatoes for example and rather eat a nice pickle.

• Stay away from dairy that is “low fat” “skimmed” “fat free” etc. If you want to use dairy, use whole milk and only use greek yogurt made from whole milk.

• Combine your foods better. Animal protein with greens and non starchy vegetables and the more starchy vegetables with greens. Complex carbohydrates are always a better choice than simple carbs such as bread, cookies and pastries.

• Rule of thumb: the less amount of processing that went into the raw ingredients the better. If it needs to be peeled, that is generally better than if all you need to do is heat it up. Buy raw ingredients and learn how to prepare them.

Timelines for intermittent fasting: 16/8, 18/6, 20/4

• 16/8 intermittent fasting limits eating and avoiding calorie-containing beverages to a set window of eight hours p/d and abstaining from food for the remaining 16 hours. 18/6 Eating within a six hour window and fasting for 18 h. The same goes for 20/4

• Morning: Drink some hot water with a little lemon or herbal tea. Some people prefer to drink black coffee to help them extend their fasting time.

• Remember that this ‘morning time’ is the perfect time to hydrate and flush those kidneys while you have an empty stomach to drink ample water. Never drink loads of fluids while digesting food. It dilutes the digestive juices.

• Brunch/Lunch: Extend your fasting time a little further each day to where you are comfortable. You will see how easy it becomes to eat later in the morning or in the afternoon as your body and stomach will adapt.

Fasting is a way for your body to clean-house. The benefits are becoming very popular in medical science due to something that happens in our body called Autophagy. Autophagy means ‘ to eat itself’. When you fast your body starts to utilize all the stored glucose in your blood and glycogen in your liver giving substantial relief to your body and organs as it switches to metabolize fat instead. Fat and anything else that the body no longer needs. The body thus starts to eat away (autophagy) all the old and build up waste in your organs, tissues and even brain cleaning debris that would otherwise have caused havoc on your health in the long run.

We hope this helps to set you well on your way to explore the marvelous world of fasting and bringing about change and easy yet long lasting solutions.