Hello friend, and welcome back. This September our group topic of the month is Intermittent Fasting for Health & Longevity. If you are part of our Optimize Your Health group sessions, then you’re going to learn all about intermittent fasting (and if you’re not, what are you waiting for?) but first let’s learn the basics. 

Should you care about Intermittent Fasting? 

If you are someone who is looking to improve insulin resistance, manage blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, or lose weight, then it’s time to learn about Intermittent Fasting. 

Intermittent fasting (IF) encompasses various patterns alternating between calorie restriction and unrestricted eating, where individuals may choose to restrict or completely abstain from calorie-containing foods and drinks.

Intermittent fasting is not recommended for: those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those with a history of eating disorders and who are underweight, those with insulin-dependent diabetes, low blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, HPA axis disorders, metabolic syndrome, or type 2 diabetes (or other conditions). If you are unsure if intermittent fasting is right for you, it is best to consult a healthcare professional before starting. 

If you’re interested in intermittent fasting, it’s important to note that multiple fasting methods exist, with some of the more prevalent ones outlined below:

• Time Restricted Feeding (TRF): Eat during a specific daily time window, like 8 am to 4 pm.
• Alternate Day Fasting (ADF): Alternate between fasting days with limited calories (usually 600 or less) and regular eating days.
• Modified Fasting: Reduce calories by 10-20% or limit to 600 calories on certain days.
• Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD): Follow a low-calorie, low-carb ketogenic diet for five days once a month, potentially improving body composition and lowering blood pressure after three cycles

There are many considerations when fasting, but the most important thing to remember is that intermittent fasting is just a tool that, when used correctly, can help you optimize your health. It’s not ideal for everyone and when working with complex health problems, it needs to be navigated carefully. If you would like to learn even more about intermittent fasting and what it can do to enhance your health and longevity, join our Optimize Your Health group sessions.