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If you’re suffering from gut issues, chronic fatigue, or Type 2 diabetes, taking a few days off from eating now and then might help you rid yourself of those conditions for good.
Fasting is most commonly practiced across various cultures for religious or spiritual reasons, but it‘s a powerful technique that is often overlooked as a seriously effective healing measure. If you’ve never tried it, you may think it sounds crazy. However more and more studies are showing there are some incredible benefits in avoiding food for controlled periods of time under medical supervision.
In the west, we live in an overfed society. There is a burger joint on every street, a drive through on every corner, and a host of delivery people at the end of your cellphone just waiting to drop food off on your doorstep. We evolved from hunters and gatherers who often went extended periods without eating when game was scarce, so the wide availability of food (and often not the best quality of food) in the modern world is out of alignment with our innate requirements.
We are also a very sick society, with cancer and autoimmune disease rates climbing every year, providing generous profits to big pharma companies for the plethora of drugs they sell us to manage these diseases. Our healthcare system is actually a disease care system, where doctors and pharmacists are only taught about managing the surface symptoms of chronic conditions, rather than focusing on finding the cure for them. Many drugs we’re prescribed have side effects that need to be managed with yet more drugs, and all these chemicals can wreak havoc on our digestive system.
The most common type of fasting in the west is intermittent fasting. It involves alternating periods of fasting and eating, such as 18-20 hours of fasting followed by 4-6 hours of eating. Aside from weight loss, intermittent fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. It also promotes cellular repair and increases the production of human growth hormone, which plays a role in muscle growth and repair.
Prolonged fasting lasts for a full 24 hours or longer, depending on your goals, tolerance levels and medical advice. Before attempting a prolonged fast, you should do several weeks of intermittent fasting to acclimate yourself to the practice and mentally prepare yourself for extended periods without food.
It is important to consult a healthcare professional before starting any fasting regimen and to listen to your body's needs during the process. Here are some of the things that happen to your body while you’re fasting:
Autophagy
Autophagy is a process by which the body breaks down and recycles old, damaged, or unnecessary cells. It kicks in at around 24 hours of fasting and hits a peak at around 2 full days of fasting. Autophagy has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including improved cellular function, reduced inflammation, and increased lifespan.
Energy Consumption
After about 8 hours of fasting, the liver will use the last of its glucose reserves. At this point, the body enters into a state called gluconeogenesis, marking the body’s transition into fasting mode. Studies have shown that gluconeogenesis increases the number of calories the body burns. With no carbohydrates coming in, the body creates its own glucose using mainly fat. At around 18 hours after the beginning of your fast your glycogen stores have most likely been completely depleted, and your body has started breaking down stored fats (aka triglycerides) and proteins and converting them into energy.
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is a condition in which cells in the body become resistant to the effects of insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. This can lead to high blood sugar levels and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems. Fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of insulin resistance.
Digesting food takes a lot of your body’s resources, and when you give it a break from this task, it can accomplish so many other things. Your body was designed to heal itself, and under the right conditions this process can be extremely efficient. Learn more from the links below on how to introduce fasting to your daily routine for optimal health.
Sources:
https://www.nature.com/subjects/autophagy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxd8Zui3v5Y
https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/who-benefits-from-medically-supervised-fasting/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322065#what-happens-during-fasting
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