As a Registered Dietitian, it's hard to go against all your practice. It's definitely harder to go against tradition. I was one of those dietitians that went with the flow. Unfortunately, I soon realized that in this situation, if we want to find a solution for the obesity and diabetes epidemic we are facing, going with the flow is NOT the answer.
The first time I learned about Intermittent Fasting, I, like other colleagues, didn't think it was the solution for any of our problems. It didn't make sense to recommend somebody to stop eating. For us, Fasting and starvation were about the same thing. We knew better. There are MANY complications involved with hunger. There is a complete experiment called the Minnesota Starvation Experiment in which it shows that starvation was not the optimal stage for a person.
But, there was something interested about IF... something that didn't make too much sense either. How were people doing IF getting the results they wanted? How were people with diabetes able to reverse their diabetes after 10, 20, or 30 years using insulin?
So, if that was the case, why would IF be any different than starvation? So, I decided to do what I know what to do... read, read, and read...
I read Dr. Jason Fung's work. I read his books. I read his story. I read people' experience. I read studies related to Fasting. And all of a sudden, everything made sense.
We have tried everything. We tried eating a high carbohydrate diet, but it didn't work. We tried eating five meals a day, but it didn't work. We tried eating less and exercising more, but once again, it doesn't work. So, what about Fasting?
There is a reason for Fasting. There is a scientific reason and a hormonal reason. In simple terms, your body only works in two states: fasted state and fed state. During your fed state, you are eating food and nutrients. You are giving your body food to be stored for energy for later use. During
As your body requires time to rest after a marathon, your body also needs time to rest after a meal. Fasting gives your body the time it needs to regulate blood sugar and hormone levels.
The best thing you can give your body is time to rest. But, it is not as simple as stop eating and everything will get better... There are things you need to consider. There are things you need to prepare for, and there are things you need to do before, during, and after fasting. For that reason, If you are thinking about doing IF make sure you consult your doctor and visit a Registered Dietitian. We are here to help you through this transition.