What’s all the fuss about Intermittent Fasting?

I’m getting asked more and more about intermittent fasting (IF) by both clients and non-clients. It was popularised across the UK & Australia in 2012 by Dr Michael Mosley and his famous 5:2 diet, but it is still somewhat of a hot topic. This is where we restrict our calorie intake to around 25% of normal 2 non-consecutive days each week. This is just one way of fasting intermittently.

When we eat, the body uses up a vast amount of energy to digest the food so the idea with fasting of any kind is to redirect this energy to other functions such as healing. The benefits of fasting include:

• ? Improved cognition, mood, mental acuity and emotional wellbeing
• ? Weight loss, especially the fat round our middle because we burn fat for energy when fasting
• ? Normalises blood pressure, improves blood lipid profile & reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
• ? Improves blood sugar control and reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
• ? Increases antioxidant levels in the body & reduces oxidative stress
• ? Reduces inflammation
• ? Increases energy
• ? Improves immune function
• ? Promotes optimal cellular function

Interestingly, everybody already fasts every day. Breakfast (the meal where we ‘break’ the ‘fast’) is the first food we eat after fasting overnight. The earlier we finish eating in an evening and the later we eat our next meal the following day, the longer the fasting period.

More About Intermittent Fasting

IF describes a cycle of fasting & non-fasting periods. It often involves time-restricted eating and 24-hour fasts. For example, the 16/8 method where we leave16 hours between your evening meal and the first meal of the following day without snacking and restricting the eating window to 8 hours. Other times IF can look like 24 hours without eating once or twice per week. Of course, the 5:2 model mentioned above also comes under the IF umbrella.

No matter which approach to IF we take, there are some key considerations that need to be factored in. Firstly, IF is not suitable for everybody and I would strongly advise against fasting of any kind for the following people:

• ? Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• ? Children, the elderly or somebody who is unwell
• ? Anybody taking medications
• ? People with severe liver, kidney or heart diseases
• ? Those with a history of or current eating disorder
• ? Anyone who is exhausted, burnt out or experiencing adrenal fatigue
• ? Diabetics – without close supervision of their doctor
• ?Fasting without the supervision of a trained professional is not recommended

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Side Effects & Getting Support

I would also highly recommend anybody interested in IF or fasting of any kind to work with a nutritional therapist to establish which approach is best for you and your goals, and to seek guidance on the length of time your ‘lead-in programme’ needs to be. Lead-in programmes are where we prepare the body for the fast. This can range from 3 days to 6 weeks depending on the person and the type of fast.

Additionally, guidance around possible side effects will be imperative. Toxins stored in the body (in fat cells) are mobilised and released into the bloodstream when we fast and need to be excreted effectively. Therefore, a nutritional therapist will work with you to ensure that your detoxification and elimination channels are working optimally to prevent toxins being reabsorbed and reduce side effects of fasting. These can include nausea, headaches, altered bowel movements, joint and muscle pain, furry tongue, rashes & spots, dizziness, fatigue, body odour, mood swings and darker urine.

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My Advice for IF

My advice for ensuring the best results of IF is:

• ? Work with a Nutritional Therapist to establish the best approach for you
• ? Undertake any recommended lead-in programmes to reduce side effects
• ? Ensure adequate hydration throughout
• ? Reduce stress as much as possible on fasting days & prioritise sleep
• ? Be mindful when planning fasting days/initiatives and choose days where you’re not expected to go out for dinner or attend social engagements which will make it more difficult
• ? Avoid intensive exercise when fasting, opt for walking instead
• ? Track your progress to see whether it is working for you or not (e.g. if you’re goal is to lose weight, keep a note of key metrics such as your waist circumference and body fat % from beginning to end)

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Let me know what you thought of this week’s Nutrition in 5 or what topics you want covered next!

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