In the 1980’s I relied primarily on wisdom from the Health Food store for my natural approach to health for myself. Then I also found a Naturopathic Physician.
I went vegetarian. I did weekend and week-long fasts. I did yoga and karate and hikes in nature. I took herbs and vitamin supplements.
Fast Forward
A lot has changed in natural health since the 1980’s.
And I have learned a lot since then as well. Look at me – I AM a Naturopathic Physician and I have my nose in research and see patients in my office.
One of the biggest changes I see is scientific and clinical evidence backing up some traditional natural practices.
Another big feature of natural medicine today is the understanding of biological individuality and how women have different needs than men.
One area this is evident is in the ancient practice of fasting.
Fasting
My champions today for fasting are Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Mindy Pelz. They have advanced the traditional wisdom of natural medicine in the realm of fasting.
Dr. Fung has been a pioneer in the mainstream medical field applying fasting to patients in his specialty, kidney disease. But he is also known as the diet doctor because it applies to just about everyone.
Dr. Pelz has delved deep into the scientific literature and applied it to her fasting community to fine-tune fasting for women.
Her book just published is called Fast Like a Girl.
It is her vast wisdom gleaned from her fating community of how women need to fast differently. And she backs it up with current scientific studies. As well, she cross-fertilizes her ideas with other leading-edge health practitioners.
Weight Loss
Women often try extreme diets for weight loss. But these diets do not produce sustainable weight loss, causing frustration and more extreme measures.
Fasting may seem extreme, but it is a natural process. It works with our bodies instead of against them.
Most weight loss diets rely on calorie restriction. That will decrease your metabolism, cause havoc on thyroid function, and rebound to weight gain.
Instead of calorie restriction, fasting is time-restricted eating. It may be hard to fathom, but eating a good diet in a smaller time window has huge beneficial effects on your body.
This gives the body the opportunity to become metabolically flexible, better manage blood sugar, detoxify and repair. The end result can be weight loss with even better health.
Until now, women had no idea that we need to adapt fasting in our healthy lifestyle differently than men.
One of the fundamentals of women’s health is our monthly cycle. Even after menopause, we can honor the cycle of the moon in our health rhythms. Dr. Pelz show us exactly how in her book Fast Like a Girl.
Busting Fasting Myths
The first myth is that fasting will decrease your metabolism, and I just explained why that is not true. Dr. Mindy Pelz’s book shows you the science.
Then there is the myth that fasting will result in muscle loss.
It is true that fasting will break down muscle while it is pulling out its glucose reserves. But so does lifting weights. You need to look at the big picture.
By breaking down muscle, you give it an opportunity to build it up stronger when eating again, rebuilding with protein. The shrunken size of muscle in fasted state it is temporary, just as fasting and weight lifting is temporary. The muscle will power up on protein will build stronger and healthier afterwards.
Then there is the myth that fasting is not good for the microbiome. Recent studies on that were short-sighted. Again, we need the big picture. Other studies show that the microbes in your gut recover better and relocate to be more effective when food is introduced again after fasting.
Short and Long Fasts
From my 1980’s health food store wisdom, I believed that a fast had to be a week long before it did any good.
Today we understand the value of intermittent fasting with various lengths of eating windows. Short fasts have many benefits, and more hours of fasting just build on those benefits. For example,
- 12-hour fast: weight loss, clear brain fog, more energy
- 17-hour fast: detoxification, balancing hormones, improving brain function, immune system
- 24-hour fast: gut reset for the microbiome and starting to create stem cells for gut repair
Longer fasts can reduce inflammation, boost mood, and help budge resistant weight loss. They can help repair chronic conditions and musculoskeletal injuries and prevent disease.
However, this is something you work up to. After you can comfortably extend your fasting time from 12 to 17 to 24 hours, you are metabolically flexible enough to go for these longer fasts. With guidance.
Like a Girl
Yes. Because women need to fast differently, we need guidance. It is not optimal for cycling women to do even these shorter fasts on certain days of the month.
The week before your period is a time to nurture yourself and support your progesterone hormone. Fasting more than 12 – 13 hours can ruin that.
However, your estrogen in the first half of your cycle makes you powerful. Directly after your menstrual flow until ovulation is the best time to delve into longer fasts such as 17-hour, 24-hour and more when you are experienced.
This is all fine-tuned in the book with the 30-day Fasting Reset.
Your Turn?
I have personally experienced the benefits of fasting throughout my life. Lately, the last 5 years, I have played with short and long fasts for myself. And I have benefitted by Dr. Mindy Pelz’s wisdom. You can too.
And I can guide you to effectively create a fasting lifestyle for yourself.
Contact me at 928-649-9234 if you are ready to start a fasting lifestyle for your health.
