Intermittent Fasting – and Insulin Resistance

Intermittent fasting is about changing habits, breaking insulin resistance and creating a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Intermittent fasting as it is known today is;

• Time Restricted Eating (TRE) or Time Restricted Feeding (TRF): a daily pattern of eating during an 8-12 hour window.
• Intermittent Fasting (IF): 1-3 days of non-consecutive fasting per week.
• Prolonged Fasting (PF) or Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD): is 4 or more consecutive days of water-only fasting.

Fasting is no fad and can treat the following;

People who require weight reduction, diabetes type 2, fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, sleep apnea, and in some cases cancer treatment prevention and neurological conditions, both under medical supervision.

New research shows profound benefits for weight, longevity and fighting disease with eating during only limited hours. (See the paper; A. Michalson, WSJ essay, Aug. 1, 2019).

The body identifies food through nutrient-sensing pathways. Three of these include IGF-1, MTOR and PKA. These pathways promote pro-growth and pro-ageing (amongst other) diseases. The resilience and protection from aging and disease that can come from fasting, can in turn reduce these nutrient-sensing pathways.

In some circumstances, fasting is done in 24, 36 or 42 hour blocks up to 5 days a week. This is known as Prolonged Fasting (PF). Although, for some, PF has proven successful, it is highly recommended you seek a medical practioner’s guidance and take into account your current health if wanting to try PF.

There are some online companies recommending 5 days of PF and 2 days of fasting.

I believe this to be risky and not the correct way of promoting health through fasting. We need to be extremely careful not to put our bodies into starvation mode. If our bodies are in starvation mode, then once eating again, the body will panic- store everything just in case it is starved again. Work with me and I can teach you how to access the benefits of fasting without the risks.

What is IF all about?

IF is the alternation of eating and fasting on a regular schedule. For example, the 5:2 fasting plan consists of two full days of fasting throughout the week, with the other five days as normal. Or alternatively, the 16:8 is the TRE/TRF, where you fast for a sixteen hour period, (sleep included) and have an eight hour eating window each day. We all fast when we sleep, hence the term ‘breakfast’ (break your fast), however, IF or TRE/TRF extends that fasting period, giving your body a longer period without food.

The 16:8 (TRE/TRF) benefits most. Although research shows that skipping breakfast can be detrimental to our health, some beg to differ. Importantly, we do not want to lose muscle mass. To avoid this, while still eating breakfast and eating without an 8 hour window, your day would look like this; breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12pm and dinner at 4pm. Ensuring all three meals are well-balanced and catered to your specific dietary and healthy needs. Working with me, Charmaine D, can assist you in knowing your individualised requirements. Additionally, how regularly you follow the 16:8 plan can also be personalised through consultation with me. For example, Monday through to Thursday may work for you, leaving the weekends open to a longer eating window. Alternatively, this may not suit someone preparing food for their family well after their eating window has closed. I can help you take all of these circumstances into consideration and make the perfect plan for you.

Here’s why we may fast:

Whenever we eat, our body converts carbohydrates into glucose (sugar). This glucose then activates the insulin from our pancreas and moves from our bloodstream into our cells. The rate at which our glucose level spikes is determined by the types of foods we are eating. A balanced meal means a more gradual and sustained rise, whereas a high-in-sugar and simple carbohydrates meal equals a rapid rise and subsequent fall in glucose. Our body converts this glucose into energy, therefore, a rapid fall in glucose means a rapid fall in energy and a need to eat more. During a period of fasting, when there is no glucose in your blood for your body to draw its energy from, it has no choice but to draw energy from the fat storage, hence the weight-loss.

IF, TRE/TRF isn’t just for weight loss. Other health benefits include regeneration of the immune system by your body being able to rid itself of damaged cells. A study done in The United States for The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows alternate day fasting and calorie restriction lowers the occurrence of cancer and heart disease in animals. This is likely due to the fact that these diseases thrive on sugar and through intermittent fasting your body is given periods of low to none glucose levels. As fasting means being in a low insulin state, evidence suggests during the eating window, your body’s sensitivity to insulin may improve too. Finally, IF, TRE/TRF has also been known to help with bloating, fatigue, sleep and mental clarity.

A new study pilot has revealed that eating within a time-restricted period and fasting for an extended period increased the fat burning and lowered levels of the hungry hormone, gherlin. Compared to those who ate the exact same meals over a 12 hour period (Obesity, 2019). During the eight week trial, 58 men and women were assigned to one of three groups; Group 1: TRE 3-7pm, Group 2: TRE 1-7pm and Group 3: no restrictions. The results showed that the participants in Groups 1 and 2 lost 3% body weight, reduced oxidative stress and a decrease in insulin resistance. (Michael JW, Emily NCM, Adena Z, et al. Ten-Houit Time-Restricted Eating Reduces Weight, Blood Pressure, and Atherogenever ic Lipids in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. Cell Metabolism, Dec 5, 2019).