Fasting (Google definition): “…abstinence from food or drink or both for health, ritualistic, religious, or ethical purposes”
It seems poignant to write about Fasting in the Holy Month of Ramadan as fasting as it has long been part of every religious tradition. Yet another example of ancient wisdom still holding true now!
It is quite remarkable actually to consider how popular and relevant the topic of Fasting is in our modern technology ridden age. This is all to say, that the next few paragraphs are not the end be all about fasting, as I only just got back into it recently. I have, however, taken a deep dive into the current research about it.
and from what I understand, and have personally observed in myself, the benefits are threefold.
One, the purposeful denial of our own mind and its perceived desire to eat, creates a new space for you to grow a new relationship with food. Wherever you summon this discipline from an Intention to be closer to God, the universe or better health, you’re probably right.
The second main reason for Fasting is insulin regulation. Everyone is aware of the obesity epidemic, and its origins start with insulin and not sugar. When you Fast, the lack of food coming into your body forces insulin levels to go down and ironically, hunger in general. Because the solution is so easy, I am hopeful that the epidemic will end soon the success of the new diet drug Semiglutide, which works on the Saiety or “fullness” the individual feels to drop the weight. This is accomplished by acting in the G.I. system first to give the brain a signal to stop eating. We can do this directly with Fasting.
Finally, withholding food from the digestive system, and by extension, cardiovascular, neurological, and every system, Body is given a chance to “reboot” if you will.
Starting with the G.I. system because it no longer has to deal with all these toxins, sugars, heavy metals, nitrates, etc. inside the digestive tracks can heal, absorption of nutrients, is more efficient, healing ulcerations, new villi etc. and allowing itself to be replenished with hopefully with some new flora (“the biome”).
This process alone, if repeated periodically has the potential to heal many G.I. illnesses. The Cardiovascular system, is one step away from the G.I. system, because almost everything that we consume will end up in our circulation.
This type of reset happens to varying degrees very early in the Fast, in the first few hours (6-10). Longer hours seem to go deeper, causing even DNA changes. In fact, there are published studies of ongoing cancer research showing cancer regression
With extended day Fasts!
This reaffirms what we have always suspected, that our bodies are stronger than our diseases! This idea is no crazier than our current paradigm for treating cancer, which is to “ destroy all fast growing cells”!!
The purpose of the following is not to convince you to start fasting, but a rationale to why I advocate it for a lot of my patients lately
The next question is usually how do we do it?
Well, most people look at it as a challenge to be conquered and I really discourage this. A challenge means you do it once and you’re done or if you somehow “fail“ not eating for a few hours the experience gets filled away in your brain as another “stressor” preventing you from starting a potentially lifelong healthy habit.
You should ease into it.
To do the fast, you should also have a clear Intention of why you are doing it and good idea of what type of food you want to transition to. I obviously advocate the Mediterranean diet, guidelines are always better than “diets“. The nutrition guide/pyramid that I shared earlier is a decent starting point. There are many.
Drink water based on your thirst. Probably a lot! Everyday.
Day 1: The first thing you should do is create a stop-eating-time, say 6 PM. You should also have a firm time for stopping caffeine intake also. So nothing by mouth after 6 PM sips of water are OK but you really don’t need it just wind down and go to bed at your usual decent hour.
Day 2: Easy. Just skip breakfast. This is likely the way we were supposed to eat anyway, but the grain industry likely invented this habit so here we are. You can have your usual coffee the way that you like it Joy. If you need more “caffeine” just drink tea till the allotted time. Eat your usual food or something healthier if you like, just stop at 6 PM
Day 3: Usual coffee if necessary, tea if necessary and SKIP breakfast and lunch feel free to have a SNACK later if you’re hungry before dinner.
Day 4: Repeat day three, hopefully less coffee, and eat DINNER! Congratulations, that’s 24 hours and you feel great, hopefully.
Extend past it if you can, wish or enjoy the “challenge”.
Just kidding. Go by feel!
When you start eating normally again, you can inject an “intermittent fast” here and there as needed and periodically to help reset your body.
Starting from our birth, our relationship with food has been a complicated one. A fundamental need, a coping mechanism for survival for us as infants and an energy source and parts-store for our bodies while simultaneously being a potential poison. It makes sense then to take a break and examine ourselves without the drive to feed.
Hunger. The discussion of hunger is always expected when talking about fasting. Yes hunger is real but No is also true. Suffice to say, that hunger is created by the mind more frequently than the body. Just try to listen to both during the Fast and follow only one. Our bodies have the same sense of hunger whether we are fasting or not, our mind however, has other uses for food so it’s always crazy hungry!
After doing this a few times I noticed that the food I do eventually eat is so much more delicious that I remember and other things taste weird. The last time I had a Dr Pepper (my favorite), all I could taste was the metal. I guess I’ll have to find something new to love!
Ca suffit!
