Clean Foods by Rebecca

I’m sure most of you have heard about intermittent fasting by now, but may be wondering if it is right for you. Fasting has been done for thousands of years beginning with our first ancestors. Food was not always readily available and our bodies are designed with coping mechanisms to thrive during those famine time periods. This ancient and natural process actually has important healing benefits. Our bodies are not meant to be constantly digesting food. Giving our gut at least twelve hours to rest each night activates many beneficial mechanisms in the body and increases your metabolic flexibility. Being metabolically flexible means your body is able to go back and forth from using sugar or using fat as a fuel source depending on your body’s needs and environment.

Fasting is such a powerful tool if you are having trouble losing weight, as it decreases inflammation and leptin resistance, according to fasting expert, Dr. Will Cole. Leptin is a hormone released from our fat cells that tells us we are satiated or full. If we are leptin resistant we will overeat because there is nothing to signal that we are full. Intermittent fasting also restores gut health, has anti-aging benefits for skin and joints, boosts immune health, lowers breast cancer risk, improves brain function, recharges your metabolism, improves hormone sensitivity and improves cellular health. My experience with fasting for the last few years has been very positive – I no longer get shaky and “hangry” in the mornings before eating and I believe it helped tremendously with weight loss.

There are a few basic rules of intermittent fasting. You are going to abstain from eating and increase your water intake (room temp water is best for your body) during the fasting window. Drinking a full glass of water when you are feeling hungry in the morning is a great way to trick your body into thinking it’s full until your body adjusts. Make sure your water is not coming out of a plastic water bottle, which is releasing microplastics into your body and make sure your water is filtered to avoid all the contaminants in tap water. Black coffee or tea is fine on a fast as long as you are not overdoing it on the caffeine or adding in milk or sugar. Once you start fasting for longer periods, you may want to add in 1 tsp of Himalayan pink sea salt to your water each morning, MCT’s, or a high-quality electrolyte supplement. MCT’s are medium-chain triglycerides that are a high-quality fat found naturally in foods such as coconut oil or grass-fed ghee. MCT’s have great health benefits such as improving brain health and memory, quick source of energy when feeling run down, support gut health, help you feel fuller, help with visceral fat loss, improve exercise endurance, reduce blood sugar imbalances and can deepen your ketosis (burning fat instead of sugar). But it is important to start slow with MCT’s or you may experience stomach cramping and diarrhea. Start by adding in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil or grass-fed ghee to your coffee or tea and slowly increase up to 2-3 tablespoons per day, according to Dr. Will Cole’s book, Intuitive Fasting. Exercising is also great to do during a fast, but listen to your body – you will likely need to increase the intensity of your workout slowly when starting a fasting regimen.

Now it’s time to eat! You definitely don’t want to end your fast in the drive-thru lane. Eat a balanced healthy meal with mostly high-quality fats (avocado, salmon, nuts, good oils), protein (grass-fed & finished beef, organic pasture-raised chicken, wild caught fish, lentils, beans) and only 5-15% from carbs (beans, sweet potatoes). Do not restrict your calories or overdo it with exercise and cramming in a million activities if you can help it. This high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate way of eating will restore your blood sugar balance, improve heart health and metabolic markers such as blood lipid levels. If you are having any negative symptoms you can always increase your healthy high fiber carb sources, such as beans, berries, sweet potatoes, carrots and lentils. And remember if this seems complicated, you can always ease into this slowly with a 12 hour fast and focus on eating more whole fruits and vegetables.

Now we know all the amazing health benefits, but is it right for you? Functional Nutrition expert, Dr. David Jockers explains that fasting is highly beneficial for most with the exception of some, such as the overly stressed menstruating female. Menstruating females need to be cautious when starting a fasting regimen due possible hormonal dysregulation. He says women should not fast for more than 14 hours the week before menstruation and during your ovulatory days. We don’t want to put too many stressors on the body, such as high-intensity workouts, fasting for more than 14 hours all while taking care of young children and working. Also, people with blood sugar imbalances, chronic diseases or autoimmune disorders should work closely with their doctor to slowly increase fasting periods. People with a history of eating disorders are usually advised to avoid any kind of fasting. The most important take away is to listen to your body and do what feels right. Fasting experts recommend starting with a simple 12 hour fast – stop eating at least 2 hours before bed and then wait a couple hours before eating in the morning. This is a great way to ease your body into fasting and establish metabolic flexibility. I like to make sure I’m done eating by 7 p.m. and then I don’t eat again until at least 7 a.m., with several days of the week I push that to 9 a.m. or later. Again, do what feels right and feel free to stay with the 12 hour fast, which is still doing wonders for your body.