Your Guide to Fasting
WHAT IS FASTING
Fasting is a period of time when you are not eating or consuming any calories. People choose to fast for a variety of reasons, but it is most commonly practiced for health or religious purposes, which brings us to the benefits of fasting.
BENEFITS OF FASTING
Fasting can be an extremely powerful addition to a healthy lifestyle. It can improve metabolism, inflammation, digestion, blood sugar regulation, cognition, mood, and immunity. Fasting triggers autophagy, a metabolic process where your cells clean up and get rid of old, worn out parts. Think of it as a spring cleaning.
Fasting mimics the eating patterns of the hunters and gatherers. Before modern day agricultural practices and supermarkets, alternating between periods of fasting and feasting was the only option. A lot of chronic diseases that we experience today result from the constant overconsumption of processed, refined, and nutrient depleted foods. When we go back to eating seasonal, whole foods and fasting like our ancestors, we can take advantage of the self-healing abilities our bodies were designed to have.
WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN FASTING & WHO SHOULD NOT
Women who are experiencing difficulty losing weight, hormone imbalance, brain fog, or digestive issues are all good candidates for fasting. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should refrain from calorie restriction, as it could affect the baby’s development and mama’s milk supply.
HOW LONG SHOULD I FAST FOR
There are different types of fasts and the length of your fast will depend on your health goal.
Fasting for 12-16 hours is called intermittent fasting. Autophagy starts at the 17 hour mark. After 24 hours, your gut will begin resetting. At 36 hours, your body starts burning fat for energy. At 48 hours, your dopamine levels increase. At 72 hours, your immune system resets. For best results, you should vary the length of your fasts and fast according to your cycle.
WHEN TO FAST
You want your longer fasts to be when your estrogen levels are low. You can fast for 13-72 hours on days 1-10 and 16-19 of your cycle. On days 11-15, you should refrain from fasting longer than 15 hours, and fasting should be avoided completely the week before your period.
For additional support with implementing fasting, reach out to me. I’d love to help!
Brittany Upshaw, NTP
