Intermittent fasting is a form of fasting where the individual will fast for an interval of time, usually no more than 48hrs, and then eat normally for the remaining period of time throughout the week. The most common example of this is known as the “5:2” diet, where the individual restricts calories for 2 days, consecutive or not, and then eats normally for the remaining 5 days. Other daily fast to eat schedules include 14:10 (fast for 14 hours, then eat all your calories within 10 hours), 20:4, and 16:8; the 16:8 method is the most common because it fits into most modern working lifestyles in the US. This fasting method has been linked to a range of potential health benefits, including short-term increases in human growth hormone (HGH) and changes in gene expression. It is also said that other benefits of intermittent fasting include helping those who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, because it helps manage your sugar intake and lower your blood glucose. Many people choose to fast when they have diabetes and especially when they want to eventually stop taking medicine for it.
Religious fasting
Fasting as a way to regain or refocus spirituality is common in many religions. That’s right, Jesus was into a fast. Religions and philosophies that practice fasting include: Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Jainism, and Hinduism. Fasting can last for just a few hours or even a few weeks, usually with practitioners eating at night. Different religions may fast differently or at different times. For example, within Christianity, there are several different denominations that fast at different times. Catholics do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent, while Coptic Christians, the main form of Christianity in Egypt, fast for different durations for a total of 210 days throughout the year. They have eight main fasts, and each lasts for a different duration and restricts the diet in a unique way. For others, fasting is meant to bring worshippers closer to God through steady remembrance, reflection, and sacrifice. Daily fasting, combined with five daily prayers and extended evening prayers, challenges worshippers to focus on their actions, deeds, and thoughts, rather than on material desires and instant gratification.
Fasting is a reset for the mind, body and soul. Muslims are expected to show self-control and deeper spirituality during Ramadan. It's also a month of gratitude. By abstaining from food and water during the day, the faithful are reminded of those less fortunate. Each night during Ramadan, mosques and aid organizations set up tents and tables to serve free evening meals for the poor.
Keto Nutrition & Ketosis
Many of you will have heard of the keto diet which is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Ketosis lowers blood sugar and insulin levels and shifts the body’s metabolism away from carbs and towards fat and ketones. A ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight and lower risk factors for disease. There are several versions of the keto diet. The standard ketogenic diet (SKD) is the most researched and most recommended. This is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It typically contains 75% fat, 20% protein, and only 5% carbs. The diet can actually be so satiating that you can lose weight without counting calories or obsessing over your food intake.
Fasting Period
There is no single way to fast, meaning that the duration of your fasted state is up to you. There are different methods that exist. For example, the 5:2 pattern says to restrict your calorie intake for two days per week (500 calories per day for women and 600 for men). The 6:1 pattern is similar to the 5:2, but there’s only one day of reduced calorie intake instead of two. The “Eat Stop Eat” method is a 24-hour complete fast that you do 1–2 times per week. Last but not least, the 16:8 pattern involves only consuming food in an eight-hour window and fasting for 16 hours a day, every day of the week.
Liquids that don't break a fast
Unlike food, when you consume apple cider vinegar or coffee, for example, the fast is not broken, and the benefits of fasting can actually be enhanced. Both coffee and apple cider vinegar promote AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) within the body. AMPK is an enzyme that plays a role in cellular energy homeostasis by activating glucose and fatty acid uptake and oxidation when cellular energy is low. Many researchers studying the benefits of intermittent fasting in conjunction with consuming non-food products like apple cider vinegar believe that AMPK activations are extended, furthering the benefit of intermittent fasting. There are many vitamins in apple cider vinegar including vitamins B1, B2, B6, biotin, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C. It also contains minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. Together, these minerals and vitamins provide support to the body to strengthen the nervous and immune systems, while supporting overall health and body optimization.