What is Fasting?

Fasting can be beneficial to us in terms of mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.

Fasting essentially it involves not eating for a period of time. Intermittent fasting involves a period of time without consuming food, and then a window where food is consumed- either daily or alternate days. Water fasting involves a length of time consuming nothing but water- no food, just lots of water, herbal teas and even an opportunity for restoration and recovery.

So why would I do this?

Well there a lots of benefits to implementing some form of fasting into your lifestyle. It gives the digestive system a break from utilising energy in order to break down everything we consume- this then allows the body systems to slow down and there is energy available for other functions- like restoration and regeneration.

Fasting, namely intermittent fasting has become somewhat en vogue in the past few years, however fasting has been practiced therapeutically since since the 5th century.

Personally I think I’ve been practicing this since I was a child, I mean eating usually by 7pm and then not until 7am. Lately I have been looking into this a little more. My health took a little nose dive last year- and intuitively I believe my body knew it needed to recover and so I was doing some juice fasting and water fasting- without even realising it. My dietary habits have changed hugely over the years, I’ve tried many fads and many supplements… most were a waste of time and money. The way I fast now is totally different and suits me, I love fresh fruit and vegetables, so I combine this with juicing, water, raw fruit, herbal teas and I use fulvic acid to ensure I am getting sufficient nutrients. I now really like to leave a gap of around 16 hours between eating- it gives my body a chance to restore itself, and I’ve really noticed a positive difference in my energy levels! I don’t plan in my fasting- I listen to my body and eat/ drink intuitively, but its taken me a while to get to this point.

The Benefits of Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) has been shown to improve gut health in the long term, reducing age related conditions and enhancing the function of the gut wall.
IF has demonstrated an improvement with asthma related symptoms, reduced oxidative stress and enhanced quality of life in overweight adults who consumed just 20% less calories on alternate days.
Not eating for 10–16 hours, encourages your body to utilise fat stores for energy, and fatty acids (ketones) are released into the bloodstream. Not only does this protect your memory and cognitive function, it slows brain related conditions.
IF has been shown to have a positive impact upon multiple cardiovascular risk factors
There is also some evidence indicating that fasting may help lower the risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer.
People who eat their dinner before 9pm or wait at least 2 hours before going to bed have a 20% decreased risk of breast and prostate cancer.
Fasting will cause a reduction in inflammation, a factor in all dysfunction and dis-ease has also been demonstrated. We know that by reducing inflammation you can reduce oxidative stress and hormones such as cortisol. Leading to a positive impact upon insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance. It has even enhanced wound healing in diabetics.
Reducing the sympathetic nervous system activity (fight/fight) though IF can support hormonal health can have a positive impact on PCOS, reducing stress and enhancing physical and mental wellbeing.
IF also affects parathyroid hormone secretion and which beneficial in improving bone health.
There have been demonstrated effects upon autophagy, which is a natural cellular process that protects cells form stressful conditions- and is basically anti- ageing!
Additionally our mental health can be positively impacted by IF, namely a reduction in feelings of worry and low mood.

My overall views on fasting- it has benefitted my wellness and supported my body through recovery and restoration of health, and certainly improved my vitality and energy.

Disclaimer:

Fasting isn’t for everyone- before embarking on any changes to your current practices please consult with a medical practitioner/ primary health care physician.

All information, content, and material herein is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.

Any products detailed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.