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Why would anyone FAST??

A quick look into the benefits of FASTING




It usually doesn't take much convincing to get people on board with eating clean, exercising, detoxing, etc... but when I mention the idea that fasting from time to time, or intermittently fasting basically every day, I lose people.

I don't claim to be an expert on any topic, as there is always things to learn and improve upon.  I just read and listen to those who have devoted their lives to researching such topics, and with an open mind I tend to adhere to things that simply make sense.

That being said, I'll mostly talk about intermittent fasting, as opposed to prolonged fasting (days toooo many days..) as it is something I would recommend to anyone to try if they are committed to attaining their full potential. And it's something that I've personally experimented quite a bit with and can personally attest to.


The Basic idea behind fasting or intermittent fasting is that it not only gives your gut time to heal and re-establish an optimal environment, but gives EVERY system of your body the ability to rest, heal, and divert energy to other systems to aid in these processes.  The point of any lifestyle change should be in effort to attain the highest level of health possible.  Health is defined by your bodies ability to HEAL, and any interference to these processes will only diminish your body's ability to do so, hence creating a state dysfunction and disease.



  • Hormonal balance
  • Energy system balance
  • Immune system 
  • Nervous system and accompanying neurotransmitters 
  • Bacterial biome normalization 


This is not just something for the chronically ill, or physique obsessed.  I believe anyone could benefit from giving their gut and body time to rest and heal.  How often, duration, and the best way to go about it is an individualized matter.


I've tried alllllll sorts of different diets, eating patterns, adopted various eating philosophies, but intermittent fasting is one that has stuck with me for quite some time now.  I grew up thinking eating breakfast was  a MUST to keep a high metabolism, carbo load the night before games, have some protein and carbs before and after a workout, whole grains are good, chocolate milk was great to have after a workout, low fat diets help lose fat, cholesterol is bad, etc etc etc... I've heard it all and tried many of it.  Now that I've seen the unbelievable results physiologically, physically, mentally, emotionally... I wouldn't dream of turning back.  Approaching health in a logical way, the benefits are undeniable.


There has been a lot of buzz around the topic, and it has helped many people, so why not discuss it?




Why?




IGNITE your inner Physician


  • ~~Increase~~
    • Energy
    • Immune system functioning 
    • Mental clarity 
    • Detoxification systems and 
    • Cellular repair and turnover
    • Fatty acid oxidation
    • Growth hormone and testosterone release 
    • Maintain or gain lean tissue
  • ~~Improved~~
    • Hormonal balance and responses 
    • Lean muscle
    • Healthy Tissue
    • Detoxification 
    • Nutrient absorption and assimilation 
    • Immune system health
    • Stem cell regeneration 
    • Appetite control
    • Blood sugar glucose 
    • Neural functioning and plasticity 
    • Gut functioning and repair
    • Influence on particular genes, turning on and off 
    • Convert from predominantly sugar burning to fat burning 
    • Just through all these you could imagine all the other benefits
  • ~~Decreased ~~
    • Abuse on the gut
    • Cravings and hunger swings
    • Circulating blood lipids (in particular triglycerides and LDL cholesterol) 
    • Inflammation
    • Cancerous growth
    • Oxidative stress
    • Immune responses to certain foods (Sensitivities, even ones you may not be fully aware of) 
    • UNHEALTHY weight
SOOOOO why isn't everyone intermittent fasting??


Well actually a lot of us probably get pretty close the way it is.  Many proponents of IF say that going 12 hours is sufficient.  Others contend that to reap the full benefits, one should go about 16 hours everyday, or most days of the week in a fasted state.  Others will say that just doing a 24 hour fast one day of the week will give you all the same benefits of fasting everyday.  I think it's whatever you can handle, stress free and what works the best with your physiology.


Would someone be able to notice these other benefits without adopting an IF plan?  Of course, by controlling the quality of your food and the quality of your other lifestyle choices.  IF is just another tool for YOU to consider when deciding what is going to provide the results to get you HEALTHY. 

Before anyone decided to adopt an IF regimen, or dive into a full blown fast, I would sincerely recommend cleaning up other areas of your diet and lifestyle first.  Fasting can be an extremely helpful mechanism to bring your health to the next level, but when other areas of your life are not sound, fasting will just be another fad dieting scam that you'll say doesn't work.  IF may work for the time being, but being able to sustain the positive benefits and continue to progress your health in the right direction will greatly depend on the habits that you form outside of just fasting.

Your body needs to be in a state that allows it to cope with the new stress that you are asking for it to endure.  Abiding to the nutritional, exercise, toxin, psychological principles that I live to talk about is first and foremost.  Once you are receptive to a fat burning state, intermittent fasting will only be easier, but you'll really notice the positive difference.  I'll save the concept of becoming a fat burner, rather than a sugar burner for a different post.  But basically eating real foods, cutting out the unnecessary carbs and sugar, getting plenty of healthy fats, switching to rightly sourced animal products, destressing, getting more active, avoiding toxic chemicals in our environment, etc, are all things that need to be addressed.  







Fasting, to me, seemed like a wild idea.  Why would you deprive yourself of vital nutrients when you're trying to get healthy??  Superficially, seems like a dumb idea, but you have to constantly remind yourself that creating true health requires having to approach healthy practices from the very root essentials.  Yes, eating the best of foods will inevitably only have positive outcomes, but the results may not be as drastic as you were hoping, or needing, or as quickly as desired if your body is not functioning as optimally as possible.

I will be the first to say that not everyone may benefit from it, especially kids and athletic, fit women.  But I think it would be a great thing to give a serious try for at least 3 weeks.  You may find it beneficial within the first few days, it may be a very gradual realization as your body may take longer to adapt.  And as with most things in life, we are all different and will respond differently when put in different situations. For most, including me, first attempting such a seemingly odd and backwards feat is daunting, possibly uncomfortable, and may go against your intuition as you have been poured into for years about the "necessity" of breakfast... Well get this notion out of your mind, free up your mind, and be ready to think and feel for yourself what your body responds to best!!


  • A) This begins with your nervous system.
    • You want this to be free of any interference as it directly and indirectly controls not just the functioning and healing of your gut, but the entirety of your body and every system that it's composed of.   A state of optimal functioning, healing and growth can only take place, at its greatest level, IF there is no interference between these processes and what is coordinating these processes.  Who's driving the car?And yes, that is why I'm going to be a Doctor of Chiropractic.  And yes, I would love to ramble about this, but will save that for a later post ;)
  • B) Then yer GUT
    • Which affects EVERY system in your body as well. 
    • Has its own self functioning nervous system (enteric) that is comprised of 100 million neurons, which is as many neurons as your brainstem!
    • A microbiome that consists of 10 times the number of cells in your body
      • With a gene pool that is 150 greater in unique, individual genes than the human genome 
    • A place of essential, physiological, neurological, and psychological processes 
    • Breakdown of essential macronutrients and processing of micronutrients 
    • Transport of these vital nutrients


The overused and abused phrase, "You are what you eat," cannot be 100% correct.  Obviously, yes, but there is so much more to nutrition than simply eating well.  That's where all the other essentials of health come into play and in a synergistic fashion, create health from the INSIDE-OUT.  Through the ability to digest, absorb, break down and process, transport, assimilate, and excrete.  Wayyyyy too much to control through outside-in approaches; living a healthy lifestyle will address all these factors.


Steps to take

As with anything that you try to change in life, you have to establish your purpose and big WHY, otherwise this just won't work.  This isn't a temporary diet.. this is your life, in which is affected by your lifestyle. 

Just because I can't help myself, I'm going to list out all sorts of things that everyone should get to, at some point. I'm not saying overnight, in the next week, or even over the course of an entire year. Implement what you can maintain and can incorporate into your everyday routine.  You may not do everything perfectly, but you'll be SOOO much better off even tackling some of these aspects.  

One important thing that will make you a much healthier person is to become very in tune with your body and what it is telling you.  Become cognizant of the things that make you feel energized, strong and sharp; then pay close attention to the things that don't.  This will definitely make you recognize the positive, or negative changes you experience as you journey through lifestyle changes and help you make them stick.


Easy Ways to Approach Every Essential to YOUR Health


  1. Clean up your Life
    1. Food
      1. Throw out all the stuff I know most of you know is bad for you.  Most chances are, if you don't feel like it came from the ground or from something that got it from the ground.
      2. Now you can start looking at the SOURCE of your food and if it's organic produce (non-GMO, without the use of harmful pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, etc etc).  Meat-pasture raised, grass fed, organic feed, etc.    I have lots more on these topics in my blog
      3. Then you can take it to the biggest, yet possibly easiest and most fun step!  Going to the farmers market and getting what's in season, local, and exceptionally nutritious for you.
      4. Really cut out all sugars, along with most starches and grains.  Add lots of healthy fat, clean protein sources, and nutrient dense veggies. 
      5. I tend to stick along the lines of about a 70% raw foods, and 30% healthily cooked foods (cruciferous, starches, meats)
    2. Stress
      1. As we all know, it comes in all sorts of forms 
      2. As far as starting a new "diet" (moreso lifestyle) goes.... Don't fret too much. Slip ups will happen, a piece of deliciousness of sorts will come your way that you just can't avoid.  It's ok, by now your body is functioning better than ever and can rid itself of toxins more efficiently than before!  Annnnd then you'll feel the aftereffects and just avoid that delectable piece of cake the next time around... 
    3. Get your nervous system and spine checked
      1. and follow up with your adjustments and spinal health care
      2. This should be numero uno
    4. Exercise
      1. Preferably high intensity, short interval training for maximal benefits for EVERY system of your body. 
      2. Be active with other things that you truly enjoy to do.  Going for hikes, bike rides, walks, yoga, etc.  
      3. Exercise as an Essential
    5. Detox practices
      1. The food you eat will aid in this big time
      2. The way in which you exercise will aid in this big time
      3. Removing obvious toxins from your everyday life
        1. Beauty products
        2. Household cleaners
      4. Dry brushing
      5. Oil pulling
      6. Epsom salt baths
      7. Moderate sun exposure
      8. Grounding
      9. Spending time outside
      10. etc etc etc.  
      11. ill have a post on this eventually
    6. Sleep damnit
  2. Get use to not snacking after dinner.
    1. Sip on some herbal tea, fermented drinks, lemon water. 
    2. Then start to eat breakfast later and later in the morning. Take notice of your hunger levels, if you're not hungry, then why eat?  Most people have more will power in the morning, and less cravings, especially once you've given up grains and sugar, so fasting through the morning really isn't a huge challenge.  
    3. If you start to get a little dagger in the stomach, sip on some tea, lemon water, fermented drinks, or take a scoop of coconut oil.  
  3. Get use to working out from a fasted state
    1. If you're anything like me... you probably always thought it was good to have some type of fuel source in the system before a workout.  Wellllll this is just a theory, it's not a proven thing.  There's actually a lot of scientific support for fasting before exercise, check er out below.  
    2. Guarantee you will enjoy it once you get over the mental barriers and transition into this mindset.  Better performance, energy, and recovery.  
    3. Every once in a while I'll do a little coffee or tea before hand.  
  4. Become aware of your energy levels throughout the day, then adjust to this
    1. If you get tired after a meal, you may not be eating the right things.   Although you should be in a relaxed state after consuming a meal (parasympathetic state), food should provide energy and not be the cause of grogginess. 
    2. Although you may feel uneasy about not stuffing your face right away in the morning, you may notice that your energy is so much greater, so eventually you'll get over this mind battle and become accustomed to enjoying this mental clarity.  Many times I avoid eating just because I'm on this high!  
    3. Notice the adaptations that your body goes through. 


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What does a typical day look like?

Just as an example...


  • Morning workout (usually at 6am) 
    • Lots of water upon waking up. 
    • Scoop of coconut oil or coconut butter.
    • After not eating since the previous night's dinner
    • May have a little coffee or unsweetened, organic tea (types that aid in detoxification-dandelion), warm lemon/ginger/apple cider vinegar water. 
    • Lots n Lots of water. Over half a gallon by mid morning. Don't OVERDO it either.  
    • Make sure to rehydrate effectively after a good workout as well. NO sugary drinks. 
    • Thoughts on Coffee
  • 10 to 1:: First meal
    • Typically a smoothie or chia seed pudding
    • Keep it relatively low sugar/carb, with good fats, easily digestible protein (whey, raw egg), greens, and other antioxidant foods (cacao) 
    • Smoothie Time
  • Mid day.  
    • Lots of RAW foods 
    • Typically in the form of a salad
    • May snack on some Nuts n Seeds
  • Evening (Ideally around 6-7)
    • This is where we get a little heavier with things that require more resources and energy to digest. 
    • Rightly sourced meats
    • Raw, grassfed cheese
    • Cooked  and raw veggies
    • Starches, like sweet potatoes or squash (Occasionally)
      • (Research provided below on why I consume my Carbs later in the day)
    • Fruits (Occasionally) 
  • Snacks 
    • If I'm eating right, and I have a consistent schedule, I typically don't snack a whole lot
    • If i do... 
      • Nuts, nut butter, my own trail mix
      • Small amount of low glycemic fruit (rarely)
      • Veggies
      • Raw cheese 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I would keep the protein intake relatively lighter than you're use to, or hear recommended.  You don't NEED it at every meal.  It tends to be difficult to digest and an energy sucker..  Everyone is different, but I tend to eat animal flesh products at night, maybe, then typically only grassfed whey protein with my shakes, and maybe an egg or two earlier in the day.  I've only gained muscle since adopting this philosophy.  Basically what it boils down to is working with your bodies energy systems and nervous system. You're in a better state to digest heavier, higher energy requirement food later in the day/evening.  You burden the system with these foods earlier in the day because it requires so many different systems to digest and process.  


From everything else I've seen, there is no one best way to go about this.  Some people take completely different approaches with equally  beneficial results, just depends what works best for you!


Ways to Reap the Benefits of 
FASTING

  • Shoot for 12-16 hrs everyday 
    • Ladies-- maybe on  the shorter end
    • Dudes-- Best benefits with at least 14 hrs. 
  • Fast for over 24 hrs once/twice a week
  • Long Fasts every other day
  • Restricted calorie days (2-3 days/week)  of  <500 calories
    • Other days are re-feed days
  • etc

So give er a try and do some self experimentation!

Mimick a longer fast



Supplements??

~~And of course, I think it is vital to make sure you are providing your body with what it needs, at the very best quality.  There is no other way to approach health!  I truly believe supplements can play a key role in establishing health, but when only utilized in the right way. An individualized way. As we are all unique.  From only the very best raw, organic, non GMO, unadultered sources... at a price that can't be found on ANY store shelf. Take your free assessment, even if it's just for fun, and let me know if you have any questions. I live to guide :)















Intermittent Fasting

http://www.mercola.com/infographics/intermittent-fasting.htm



Why fasting bolsters brain power


After fasting for 10-12 hours, the glycogen stores in your liver have been used up, which forces the body to convert to burning fat to produce ketone bodies. 

   Articles worth taking a look @

Ketogenic Diet

http://drjockers.com/2014/02/programming-ketogenic-diet/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qn68fSYqYQs

http://eatingacademy.com/
-Dude that takes this to a whole new level... 

 http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/ketosis-advantaged-or-misunderstood-state-part-ii

 https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes

 http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/06/22/scientists-discover-that-fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration-fights-cancer/

Ketone bodies mimic the life span extending properties of caloric restriction


Dear Mark: Post-Workout Fasting

"The metabolic response to fasting involves a series of hormonal and metabolic adaptations leading to protein conservation. An increase in the serum level of growth hormone (GH) during fasting has been well substantiated."

Everything You Need To Know About How To Use Amino Acids For Muscle Gain, Appetite Control, Injury Repair, Ketosis And More





Waiting to consume carbs later in the day: 
Weightloss, hormone balance, muscle gain, etc

 2011 Oct;19(10):2006-14. doi: 10.1038/oby.2011.48. Epub 2011 Apr 7.

Greater weight loss and hormonal changes after 6 months diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner.



"Greater weight loss, abdominal circumference, and body fat mass reductions were observed in the experimental diet in comparison to controls. Hunger scores were lower and greater improvements in fasting glucose, average daily insulin concentrations, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)), T-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were observed in comparison to controls. The experimental diet modified daily leptin and adiponectin concentrations compared to those observed at baseline and to a control diet."

 2013 Aug;23(8):744-50. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2012.04.008. Epub 2012 Aug 14.

Changes in daily leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin profiles following a diet with carbohydrates eaten at dinner in obese subjects.


"We propose that a low-calorie diet with carbohydrates eaten at dinner can modulate daytime hormonal profiles. Taken together with our earlier results, we believe this diet regime may prevent mid-day hunger, better support weight loss and improve metabolic outcomes compared to conventional weight loss diets"


 2009 Jul;43(7):521-5. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2007.041970. Epub 2008 Jan 9.

The role of lactate in the exercise-induced human growth hormone response: evidence from McArdle disease.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18184755?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum


'Peak Fasting'--Dr. Mercola's version 
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2016/04/29/peak-fasting.aspx?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=facebookfitness_ranart&utm_campaign=20160907_peak-fasting

Intermittent Fasting and Exercise

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/08/24/intermittent-fasting.aspx
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/11/02/interval-training-and-intermittent-fasting.aspx
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17131/the-surprising-benefits-of-exercising-on-an-empty-stomach.html http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/17/intermittent-fasting-high-intensity-exercise.aspx?x_cid=20140817_lead_facebookdoc

Fasting-Mimicking Diet Promotes Ngn3-Driven β-Cell Regeneration to Reverse Diabetes

  • •
    Fasting mimicking diet induces prenatal-development gene expression in adult pancreas
  • •
    FMD promotes Ngn3 expression to generate insulin-producing β cells
  • •
    Cycles of FMD reverse β-cell failure and rescue mice from T1D and T2D
  • •
    Inhibition of PKA or mTOR promotes Ngn3-driven β-cell regeneration in human T1D islets



Your Gut

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14510/10-signs-you-have-an-unhealthy-gut-how-to-heal-it.html?utm_campaign=recommendation&utm_medium=popular&utm_source=feature
http://wellnessmama.com/5356/fix-your-leptin/
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14510/10-signs-you-have-an-unhealthy-gut-how-to-heal-it.html?utm_campaign=recommendation&utm_medium=popular&utm_source=feature
http://drjockers.com/2012/12/your-bodies-battle-for-enzymes/
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/10/26/the-brain-gut-connection-for-mental-well-being/

 http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/11/09/the-secret-killer-how-its-affecting-every-aspect-of-your-health-how-to-reverse-it/

This guy is great to listen to, but that may just be because of his accent.. 





Is fat bad? 
http://authoritynutrition.com/saturated-fat-good-or-bad/

Boosting testosterone 
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2014/08/29/phthalates-lower-testosterone-levels.aspx?x_cid=20140829_nonlead_facebookdoc

Other sources:
http://www.cell.com/cell-stem-cell/abstract/S1934-5909(14)00151-9
--prolonged fasting resets immune system
http://authoritynutrition.com/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting/

 2001 Jun;24(5):335-9.

Medically supervised water-only fasting in the treatment of hypertension

 2014 Feb 4;19(2):181-92. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008. Epub 2014 Jan 16.

Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications.

 2013 Jun 3;8(6):e66069. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066069. Print 2013.

Chronic intermittent fasting improves cognitive functions and brain structures in mice.

 2010 Jan 1;48(1):47-54. doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2009.10.003. Epub 2009 Oct 8.

Alternate-day fasting protects the rat heart against age-induced inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting oxidative damage and NF-kB activation.

 2005 Nov;19(13):1863-5. Epub 2005 Sep 8.

Calorie restriction protects against age-related rat aorta sclerosis.




Yale News

Anti-inflammatory mechanism of dieting and fasting revealed

http://news.yale.edu/2015/02/16/anti-inflammatory-mechanism-dieting-and-fasting-revealed

The naysayers... 

Skipping breakfast associated with hardening of the arteries

  • ... better read this more carefully... 
  • ""People who regularly skip breakfast likely have an overall unhealthy lifestyle," said study author Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, MACC director of Mount Sinai Heart and editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. "This study provides evidence that this is one bad habit people can proactively change to reduce their risk for heart disease.""
    • Bad habit?? Or is that not really the main issue??  
    • What if you lead a healthy lifestyle, make good choices (MOST of the time), apply all the essentials of health... but skip breakfast?  
    • lots of good research to support intermittent fasting.  Or fasting all together.  Don't let titles like this fool you. 
    • It's kinda like animal products.  Studies that show people who eat animal products have a reduced quantity, and quality of life..  but have they ever done a study on humans that led a healthy lifestyle, applied all the essentials, ate high quality animal products, reduced sugars and carbs, increased healthy fats, etc etc??? Nope. 
      • or... kinda. We have studied other cultures that naturally eat and live life this way. Whether they know it or not. And many have never heard of things such as dementia, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, autoimmune conditions, etc etc. 
    • It's all about perspective, and taking the whole picture into account. 
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