Although I endeavor to live a balanced and healthy life, and generally manage to maintain what I consider to be a fairly good standard of vitality from day to day, I know that my physiological ‘Achilles heel’ is my gut. From having chronic IBS in the past, I know that my gut is always the canary in the coal mine when it comes to warning signs that my life may be slightly out of balance. And thus when I found myself experiencing sensations of bloating and poor digestion the other day, I knew that little warning signal was piping up and that I had better pay some attention. I ran through the mental checklist: excessive consumption of processed food? No. Too much alcohol? Nope. Antibiotic usage? Absolutely not. Stress? Not to my conscious knowledge! What I did realise, however, was that it had been some time since I’ve given my digestive system a break and it may be time for a fast to get me back on track.
Why intermittent fasting?
Your stomach is silently screaming!
Our digestive systems are under a tremendous amount of pressure in our modern age – the combination of poor diet, stress, chemical exposure, and chronic consumption of both legal and illegal drugs mean that our poor gastro-intestinal tract is pulverized from dawn to dusk (and often right through the night as well). From an evolutionary perspective, the consistent and relentless consumption of food that is ever available these days would not have been possible in the past. Mankind would have endured extended periods of caloric restriction when having to hunt and gather from the wild, and there is now much evidence that this ‘intermittent fasting’ has significant benefits for our health. Essentially, the process of fasting sends a stress signal to the cells of the body which prompts an adaptive response involving improved metabolic functioning and the usage of adipose tissue for fuel. So what are the specific benefits of intermittent fasting?
Reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease
Some powerful studies have demonstrated the benefits of intermittent fasting on CVD. Goldhamer et al reported on a study involving hypertension in which 194 patients were able to achieve a sufficient drop in blood pressure to eliminate the need for medication. Other studies have shown reductions in serum triglyceride values, atheromas, and total cholesterol, as well as increased ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol.
Weight loss, diabetes and blood sugar regulation
Intermittent fasting seems to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the need for diabetic medication in type II diabetics, as demonstrated in this study. Another study observed the weight loss outcomes of 107 overweight or obese women when comparing continuous caloric restriction with intermittent fasting, and found both approaches worked equally well for significant weight loss. Added benefits of fasting included a drop in c reactive protein (a marker of systemic inflammation), as well as a drop in reactive androgens. Intermittent fasting has become popular in the mainstream of late with the booming success of the ‘FAST’ diet, in which participants eat an unrestricted diet for 5 days of the week, and for the other 2 days eat one quarter of their normal recommended caloric intake.
Cancer
Although the evidence for reductions in cancer incidence in humans is relatively scarce, there are some fascinating animal studies that demonstrate this effect. This review gives some compelling evidence for further investigations in human trials for the anti-cancer benefits of intermittent fasting. One study demonstrated a 0% incidence of lymphoma in genetically predisposed mice after a regimen of IF, as compared with the non-intermittent fasted control group with a 33% incidence.
How to perform intermittent fasting
If using intermittent fasting to treat a particular condition, I recommend working alongside an integrative practitioner to ensure safe guidelines are adhered to and results are monitored throughout the fasting period. If, like me, you suspect your digestive system simply needs a break then I find the best approach is to fast for 3 days. Although some proponents of fasting will encourage only water consumption during the fasting period, I believe it is better to provide the body with nourishing vegetable juices to assist in health restoration (fruit should be avoided due to it’s ability to cause blood sugar spiking and insulin dysregulation). It may also be useful to assist the liver to detoxify the inevitable toxic milieu that is released from the cells during a fast with herbs such as Milk Thistle and Dandelion Root. Drinking plenty of pure filtered water is a must, and you should aim for at least 8 large glasses for each day of the fast. Make sure you fast during a period when you can take it easy and rest, as you will naturally experience a drop in metabolism and may inadvertently trigger a cortisol response if you push yourself too hard.
I hope this helps to put the health benefits of intermittent fasting in perspective, and gives you an easy way to implement an IF regimen in your life. I recommend performing a 3 day intermittent fast at every change of season, four times per year, in order to keep your metabolic machinery running smoothly.
In wellness,
James
