The Lies About Fasting That You've Never Been Told! - Why You Should Make Fasting A Daily Habit

Introduction

Over the last decade, nutrition has become a very controversial topic with the likes of supermarkets & the food industry as a whole being exposed. It's now coming to light which foods you really consider should consider as a staple in your diet.

I hear a lot of people say "fasting is bad for you" but what they fail to realise is that our bodies designed to withstand prolonged periods without food. Before the world became the civilised place we know today. Our ancestor sometimes had to wait 1-2 days without a meal. The biggest difference is that we've been programmed to eat frequently, which plays with a hormone in us called insulin.

There's propaganda everywhere like "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day"  and "you should eat 3 times a day" which doesn't help towards the average persons knowlegde about nutrition. Not only is there propaganda but we've also become addicted to sugar in 1st world countries which causes more underlying problems than people realise. Without further ado, let me explain the truth about fasting. 

Autophagy explained - What is autophagy?

Autophagy is consumption of the body’s own tissue as a metabolic process occurring in starvation and certain diseases. Fasting has been linked to a wide range of health benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and enhanced cellular repair processes. Many individuals also report experiencing increased mental focus, heightened energy levels, and a greater sense of overall well-being during and after fasting periods. Autophagy can only be acheived after about 24-48 hours with food. Your body begins to turn it's natural defense mechanisms against the bad cells that lie within it.

Research suggests that fasting may also have anti-aging effects, as it can stimulate autophagy, a process in which the body removes damaged cells and regenerates new ones. Additionally, fasting has been shown to promote the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports brain health and cognitive function.

Blood sugar & Insulin - How to control it properly. 

The standard diet today contains lots of processed carbohydrates that mess around with your blood sugar levels creating an insulin resistance. What this does is tells your body to store energy for when it's needed but if it doesn't get used it becomes stored as extra body fat. 

So how do you control this? So there's WHAT you eat & HOW you eat. When you break the fast, you should aim to break it with fats & proteins mainly, the reason for this because most carbs are high on the glycemic index.Which raises your blood sugar very quickly after consumption, for example if you have orange juice or coffee with sugar in the morning, you may notice you tend to get quite sleepy or fatigued in the afternoon time. 

Meal frequency is also a huge factor that seems to slip under radar. Everytime you eat your body releases insulin, so if you eat 4 times you a day you've just asked your body to release insulin 4 times. Whereas if you have 2 big meals all day you've asked for insulin twice resulting in less work for your body to do. Late night snacking is where most people lose the plot. 

Retaining muscle mass - Do you actually lose muscle?

There is a common misconception that when you fast you will lose the muscle that you have previously gained. However this is incorrect because when you fast for a prolonged period your body also releases HGH(Human growth hormone), which is repsonsible for holding onto the muscles mass. Your body will use fat as energy before it uses muscle mass to keep you going, so you may notice a decrease in your body fat levels. You will lose a weight during a fast but it's not muscle mass, it will mainly visceral fat & water weight which is why it is so important to keep on top of your hydration & electrolyte intake. Please play video below from 8 mins 15 secs