Intermittent Fasting Do’s And Don’ts | Episode 91

This week, we’re going to do a deep dive into intermittent fasting. This is something I talk about every day in my practice and something I use in my own life, so I’m excited to dive in with you all. 

Before I do that, though, I’m going to start with a clinical insight about post-partum depression. So much goes on in the body during pregnancy and each time, you’re a different person. Even if everything has gone perfectly, every new child turns your world upside down and massive imbalances take place. Between pregnancy and delivery, you’ll end up with dysfunction in your HP Access. That’s why the first thing you want to support after you give birth is your adrenal system. The two things I use most are Drenamin and Adrenal Tonic, which you can get by contacting Balance Health Studios at (850) 231-9288 or info@balance30a.com. Both of those, you can take while nursing, and as always, make sure you’re consulting with your doctor. 

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You can also use these supplements if you’re experiencing perimenopause. In that time, your body is just less able to adapt to stress and you need to adjust. Taking these is a great way to support your body through that time. Your body recognizes that stress hormones are more important than sex hormones. Because of this, your body is always going to respond to that stress with a hormone deficiency of those sex hormones. 

Now, let’s jump into the fundamentals of fasting. We’ll start by talking about apoptosis and autophagy. This is the body’s way of getting rid of dead and damaged cells in order to make way for new ones. As we age, the process slows down and it creates zombie cells in our body that begin and accelerates the aging process. When we fast, we are increasing the hormesis that helps our bodies kill off these weak cells and increase the rate of autophagy. It’s literally an anti-aging formula. It can also clear up the leaky gut, IBS, Crohn’s, and many other issues and help with weight loss as well. In general, it’s a great way to get mentally and physically stronger. 

Let’s clear up the terminology. There’s “Time-restricted eating”, in which we’re restricting our eating into a specific block of time. There are also fasting-mimicking diets and keto, which are more styles of eating along with vegan, paleo, etc. There are very few circumstances in which I haven’t encouraged a 12 hour fast for most people. In an ideal world, that would only include water, black coffee, tea, and bone broth. But this is only if you’re fasting to improve blood sugars in the body. If you can manage blood sugar, you can manage the most significant worldwide disease. 

So many people end up worried about what will and won’t break their fast. I tell people to put MCT oil or coconut oil or butter in their coffee. Does it technically “break your fast”? Who cares? The benefits often far outweigh the small blood sugar increase you may experience. In addition, it can make you more comfortable to fast for more hours than you would’ve. Now, if I have a hardcore candida or yeast case, I may have them hunker down a little tougher. But in general, we’re all about Health Made Simple! (Hey, that would be a good name for a show!) Just don’t eat food! 

As always, the best doctor is the human body, so you may have to experiment with what does and doesn’t work for you personally. A 12 hour fast is a fast and it’s a great place to start. That starts with your last caloric intake (Yes, that includes wine!). It may seem easy, but if you’re used to that snack before bed, it can push you back to late morning or even midday. Women and men are different, and women are much more sensitive in the starvation world. The female body has different and more sensitive alarms to feeling like it’s in starvation. The key is allowing your body to adapt to longer periods of time without food. Starting at 12 hours for a minimum of a week or two is a solid place to start. Women tend to do well between 12-16 hours. Now, all of this has an asterisk if you’re in perimenopause because your body doesn’t adapt well to stress. For men, it’s 12-18 hours, but only as you allow your body to adapt.  

Now, your fasting should never be white-knuckled. You shouldn’t be eating by the clock and counting down the seconds until it’s feeding time. You shouldn’t be depleting yourself and then overindulging. Your body has over 200 different mechanisms to manage starvation. Your body has 0 mechanisms to manage overconsumption. If your fasting is leading you to eat an extremely large meal, it will trigger insulin and increase your appetite. 

Now, even if you’re doing all of this, at some point, you have to have some kind of caloric restriction or deficit. One of the beautiful things about intermittent fasting is that it will shrink your stomach, As long as you’re not overeating or emotionally eating, you won’t be able to eat as much in a sitting anyway. 

Another big mistake people make is not eating out of God’s Garden. They’re hitting 0 on the countdown and going nuts at the gas station, filling their bodies with toxins. How you’re breaking your fast is as important as how you’re fasting. It’s essential that you’re taking a holistic approach to your fast, taking your entire health into account. Getting good rest is another component because otherwise, you’ll end up trying to out-eat your exhaustion level. 

We’re going to grab some questions on the subject too.

1. I will soon be attending a dance workshop weekend. It’s Thursday to Sunday and we use lots of energy. Is fasting ideal, or should I be snacking throughout the day?

If you’re used to the intermittent fast, you can do it and you might find another level. You may need to eat, but don’t eat for energy, eat to fuel the system. You are the motor, the good food you eat is just the fuel. It’s not with the intent of increasing your horsepower, it’s just about fueling the engine that’s already in you. 

2. How much butter or coconut oil do you put in your coffee?

A little MCT oil may be the best option. A teaspoon of butter or coconut oil will also work. 

3. Is there any other way to know you’re in ketosis besides a finger stick?

Not really. That’s the gold standard. 

4. Does sleep time count in fasting?

Yes, it makes it go a lot faster too!

5. Should we fast at the same time every day or switch it up?

Absolutely, you need to be switching it up. You need to have feast days as well where you’re doing something different. I make sure I have two very long fast days a week, most others, I’m closer to 14-16 hours. If you don’t switch it up, your body will believe it’s in starvation mode and you’ll stop losing weight and you may even start gaining weight. 

A couple more things to close on…

• For pregnant women, it’s mostly a no-no, if you’re going to, 12 hours max. We just want you feeling good and we don’t want you clock watching.
• Herbs should become your best friends. Ashwagandha, echinacea, Rhodiola, etc, these are essentials.
• Drink lots of water. It’ll help you figure out if you’re hungry or bored. 
• There are some downsides. When you start fasting, you’re going to pee a lot and you may be deficient in some places. You need to make sure you’re restoring your trace minerals. I use Cataplex B, four first thing in the morning. Lastly, you definitely need to watch your electrolytes. Use sea salt with your meals. I also use E-Z Mg for that.

And last but not least, this week’s action we can take to become superhuman is…

Delay, not deny

Fasting is not punishment! I eat from God’s Garden and enjoy the full gamut. Too often, we feel like we’re in food jail, but it doesn’t have to be like that. We can look at it as a time-out and have fun with the different strategies. 

What’s Next?

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Dr. Bart Precourt

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