Trends in Fasting- Cleanse within!

Fasting is a process where you deliberately restrict yourself from eating during a specific time period. Although it’s been practiced for thousands of years by different cultures and religions, it has recently gained popularity due to its proven health benefits. This process can trigger various physiological responses that may improve your overall health. Insulin levels drop during periods of fasting, which forces the body to use stored fat as a source of energy. This can lead to weight loss and potentially improve metabolism. Fasting may also improve cognitive function by helping cells repair themselves faster. However, further research is required on this.

Types of Fasting:

Intermittent fasting: when you alternate between periods of eating and fasting. This type of eating is often described as “patterns” or “cycles” of fasting.

Some people find it easy to fast for 16 hours and confine meals to just eight hours of the day, such as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while others have a hard time and need to shorten their fasting window. It might take some trial and error first.

Some of the most common ways are:

• The 16/8 method: Only eating between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

• The 14/10 method: Only eating between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The twice-a-week method (the 5:2 method): This approach to intermittent fasting focuses on capping your calories at 500 for two days a week. During the other five days of the week, you maintain a healthy and normal diet.

It’s important to focus on high-fiber and high-protein foods to help fill you up and keep calories low when fasting.

Alternate day fasting: limit your calories on fasting days to 500 ― or about 25% of your normal intake. On non-fasting days, resume your regular, healthy diet.

The 24-hour fast (or eat: stop: eat method) : This method involves fasting completely for a full 24 hours. Often, it’s only done once or twice a week. Most people fast from breakfast to breakfast or lunch to lunch. With this version of intermittent fasting, the side effects can be extreme, such as fatigue, headaches, irritability, hunger and low energy.

Risks:

Intermittent fasting is not safe for some people, including people who are pregnant, children, people at risk for hypoglycemia or people with certain chronic diseases. People who menstruate, such as pre-menopausal females, should be cautious, too, as fasting can impact your hormones.

What can I eat while fasting?

Generally only water and zero-calorie beverages such as tea and coffee without sugar or milk are permitted during a fasting period. However, some fasting diets allow low-calorie meals to be consumed, as long as the total calorie intake for the day remains low. 

Tips for maintaining intermittent fasting:

• Staying hydrated. Drink lots of water and calorie-free drinks, such as herbal teas, throughout the day. This can help ensure you get enough electrolytes, sodium, and potassium chloride.

• Avoiding thinking about food. Plan plenty of distractions on fasting days to avoid thinking about food, such as catching up on paperwork or going to see a movie.

• Resting and relaxing. Avoid strenuous activities on fasting days, although light exercise such as yoga may be beneficial.

• Making every calorie count. If the chosen plan allows some calories during fasting periods, select nutrient-dense foods that are rich in protein, fiber, and healthful fats. Examples include beans, lentils, eggs, fish, nuts, avocado, and unprocessed meats.

• Eating high-volume foods. Select filling yet low calorie foods, which include popcorn, raw vegetables, and fruits with high water content, such as grapes and melon.

• Increasing the taste without the calories. Season meals generously with garlic, herbs, spices, or vinegar. These foods are extremely low in calories yet are full of flavor, which may help to reduce feelings of hunger.

• Choosing nutrient-dense foods after the fasting period. Eating foods that are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients helps to keep blood sugar levels steady and prevent nutrient deficiencies. A balanced diet will also contribute to weight loss and overall health.

Types of non-dietary fasting:

Dopamine fast:

To do a dopamine detox, a person identifies their overstimulating activities and replaces them with less stimulating ones, such as reading or gardening! Dopamine fasting involves temporarily reducing exposure to activities thought to cause significant dopamine release, with the aim of resetting the brain's reward system. This doesn't mean cutting out all sources of pleasure but selectively avoiding behaviors that lead to compulsive engagement and overstimulation.

Digital Fast:

The idea behind a digital fast is to voluntarily and deliberately stop using all connected devices – smartphones, computers, tablets, and so on – that plug you to the internet for a pre-specified amount of time. The abstention could be for as little as a few hours (say, from 7 pm until the next morning). However most digital fasts are at least a day long, and many span an entire weekend or even longer.

References: Cleveland clinic/Medical News/Healthline/Wikinews