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Any chit chatter ever practised this? I need to shed a good few pounds but would never dream of it without consulting my GP. I was thinking of fasting one day per week thinking my body will then resort to feeding on the spare fat I have. I did some research online and it seems to have pluses and minuses...
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Fasting: health benefits and risks
Last updated Mon 27 July 2015 By Honor Whiteman
Fasting is commonly associated with the month of Ramadan. As you read this, billions of Muslims around the world are engaging in this declaration of faith that involves abstaining from food and drink from dawn until dusk. While fasting for Ramadan is down to spiritual beliefs, many of us choose to fast with the belief that it benefits our health. But does it?
Place setting
A number of studies have suggested intermittent fasting has numerous health benefits, including weight loss, lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol.
In recent years, numerous studies have suggested that intermittent fasting - abstaining or reducing food and drink intake periodically - can be good for us, making it one of the most popular diet trends worldwide.
One of the most well-known intermittent fasting diets is the 5:2 Fast Diet - a plan that involves eating the recommended calorie intake for 5 days a week but reducing calorie intake to 25% for the remaining 2 days - to 500 calories a day for women and 600 a day for men.
According to Dr. Michael Mosley - author of The Fast Diet books - this eating plan can not only help people lose weight, but it offers an array of other health benefits.
"Studies of intermittent fasting show that not only do people see improvements in blood pressure and their cholesterol levels, but also in their insulin sensitivity," he adds.
In June 2014, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting periodic fasting - defined in the study as 1 day of water-only fasting a week - may reduce the risk of diabetes among people at high risk for the condition.
Another study, conducted by Dr. Valter Longo and colleagues from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, found longer periods of fasting - 2-4 days - may even "reboot" the immune system, clearing out old immune cells and regenerating new ones - a process they say could protect against cell damage caused by factors such as aging and chemotherapy.
But what are the mechanisms underlying the suggested health benefits of fasting?
The potential benefits of intermittent fasting
Since the body is unable to get its energy from food during fasting, it dips into glucose that is stored in the liver and muscles. This begins around 8 hours after the last meal is consumed.
When the stored glucose has been used up, the body then begins to burn fat as a source of energy, which can result in weight loss.
As well as aiding weight loss, Dr. Razeen Mahroof, of the University of Oxford in the UK, explains that the use of fat for energy can help preserve muscle and reduce cholesterol levels.
When the body has used up glucose stores during fasting, it burns fat for energy, resulting in weight loss.
"A detoxification process also occurs, because any toxins stored in the body's fat are dissolved and removed from the body," he adds, noting that after a few days of fasting, higher levels of endorphins - "feel-good" hormones - are produced in the blood, which can have a positive impact on mental well-being.
As mentioned previously, the study by Dr. Longo and colleagues suggests prolonged fasting may also be effective for regenerating immune cells.
"When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged," Dr. Longo explains.
In their study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the team found that repeated cycles of 2-4 days without food over a 6-month period destroyed the old and damaged immune cells in mice and generated new ones.
What is more, the team found that cancer patients who fasted for 3 days prior to chemotherapy were protected against immune system damage that can be caused by the treatment, which they attribute to immune cell regeneration.
"The good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the system that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting," says Dr. Longo. "Now, if you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system."
With the potential health benefits of fasting widely hailed by nutritionists worldwide, it is no wonder many of us are putting our love of food to one side in order to give it a try.
But intermittent fasting isn't all bells and whistles, according to some researchers and health care professionals, and there are some people who should avoid the diet altogether.
The health risks of fasting
According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), there are numerous health risks associated with intermittent fasting.
People who fast commonly experience dehydration, largely because their body is not getting any fluid from food. As such, it is recommended that during Ramadan, Muslims consume plenty of water prior to fasting periods. Other individuals following fasting diets should ensure they are properly hydrated during fasting periods.
If you are used to having breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between, fasting periods can be a major challenge. As such, fasting can increase stress levels and disrupt sleep. Dehydration, hunger or lack of sleep during a fasting period can also lead to headaches.
Fasting can also cause heartburn; lack of food leads to a reduction in stomach acid, which digests food and destroys bacteria. But smelling food or even thinking about it during fasting periods can trigger the brain into telling the stomach to produce more acid, leading to heartburn.
While many nutritionists claim intermittent fasting is a good way to lose weight, some health professionals believe such a diet is ineffective for long-term weight loss.
"The appeal is that [fasting] is quick, but it is quick fluid loss, not substantial weight loss," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Weight Loss Management Center. "If it's easy off, it will come back quickly - as soon as you start eating normally again."
"My experience has been that [this] way of eating does not produce weight loss even in the short term," dietitian and author of Diet Simple Katherine Tallmadge told ABC News in 2013.
Some health professionals believe intermittent fasting may steer people away from healthy eating recommendations, such as eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Many fear fasting may also trigger eating disorders or binge eating.
In a blog for The Huffington Post last year, fitness and nutrition expert JJ Virgin wrote:
"The 'anything goes' mentality some experts permit during the feeding state could lead someone to overeat, creating guilt, shame, and other problems that only become worse over time. For someone with emotional or psychological eating disorders, intermittent fasting could become a convenient crutch to amplify these issues."
While Dr. Mosely says there is no evidence to suggest the 5:2 Fast Diet is associated with eating disorders, he stresses people who have eating disorders should not engage in intermittent fasting.
Other people who should not follow this diet include people who are underweight, individuals under the age of 18, pregnant women, people with type 1 diabetes and individuals recovering from surgery.
Could we reap the benefits of fasting without fasting?
While intermittent fasting may have health risks, nutritionists claim it can be good for us if individuals consult with their doctors before adopting such a diet and adhere to it correctly.
But could there be a way to reap the potential health benefits of fasting without actually having to fast? Dr. Longo believes so.
Woman eating healthily
Researchers say a fasting-mimicking diet could simulate the effect of fasting without the food deprivation and side effects.
Earlier this week, Dr. Longo and colleagues from USC published a study in the journal Cell Metabolism revealing how a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) triggered immune cell regeneration and extended the lifespan of mice.
What is more, on testing the diet in humans - who adhered to it for only 5 days a month for 3 months - they found it reduced a number of risk factors associated with aging, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and cancer.
The FMD is low in protein, low in unhealthy fats and high in healthy fats, according to the researchers. It stimulates markers linked to fasting, such as low glucose levels and high levels of ketone bodies, in order to mimic the effects of prolonged fasting.
Dr. Longo and colleagues say their diet could promote immune cell regeneration and longevity associated with fasting without the need for food restriction and the potential adverse effects that come with it.
"Although the clinical results will require confirmation by a larger randomized trial," they add, "the effects of FMD cycles on biomarkers/risk factors for aging, cancer, diabetes, and CVD, coupled with the very high compliance to the diet and its safety, indicate that this periodic dietary strategy has high potential to be effective in promoting human healthspan."
The team hopes that clinicians will one day have the ability to prescribe this diet to patients. "This is arguably the first non-chronic preclinically and clinically tested anti-aging and healthspan-promoting intervention shown to work and to be very feasible as a doctor or dietitian-supervised intervention," says Dr. Longo.
It may be a while before the FMD receives approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use. First, the team needs to put the diet through a rigorous testing process.
Further research is required to gain a better understanding of the exact benefits and risks the FMD poses, and this appears to be the case with existing fasting diets. One thing is clear, however; talk to your doctor before engaging in any form of fasting.
Any thoughts welcome.
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Fasting: health benefits and risks
Last updated Mon 27 July 2015 By Honor Whiteman
Fasting is commonly associated with the month of Ramadan. As you read this, billions of Muslims around the world are engaging in this declaration of faith that involves abstaining from food and drink from dawn until dusk. While fasting for Ramadan is down to spiritual beliefs, many of us choose to fast with the belief that it benefits our health. But does it?
Place setting
A number of studies have suggested intermittent fasting has numerous health benefits, including weight loss, lower blood pressure and reduced cholesterol.
In recent years, numerous studies have suggested that intermittent fasting - abstaining or reducing food and drink intake periodically - can be good for us, making it one of the most popular diet trends worldwide.
One of the most well-known intermittent fasting diets is the 5:2 Fast Diet - a plan that involves eating the recommended calorie intake for 5 days a week but reducing calorie intake to 25% for the remaining 2 days - to 500 calories a day for women and 600 a day for men.
According to Dr. Michael Mosley - author of The Fast Diet books - this eating plan can not only help people lose weight, but it offers an array of other health benefits.
"Studies of intermittent fasting show that not only do people see improvements in blood pressure and their cholesterol levels, but also in their insulin sensitivity," he adds.
In June 2014, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting periodic fasting - defined in the study as 1 day of water-only fasting a week - may reduce the risk of diabetes among people at high risk for the condition.
Another study, conducted by Dr. Valter Longo and colleagues from the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, found longer periods of fasting - 2-4 days - may even "reboot" the immune system, clearing out old immune cells and regenerating new ones - a process they say could protect against cell damage caused by factors such as aging and chemotherapy.
But what are the mechanisms underlying the suggested health benefits of fasting?
The potential benefits of intermittent fasting
Since the body is unable to get its energy from food during fasting, it dips into glucose that is stored in the liver and muscles. This begins around 8 hours after the last meal is consumed.
When the stored glucose has been used up, the body then begins to burn fat as a source of energy, which can result in weight loss.
As well as aiding weight loss, Dr. Razeen Mahroof, of the University of Oxford in the UK, explains that the use of fat for energy can help preserve muscle and reduce cholesterol levels.
When the body has used up glucose stores during fasting, it burns fat for energy, resulting in weight loss.
"A detoxification process also occurs, because any toxins stored in the body's fat are dissolved and removed from the body," he adds, noting that after a few days of fasting, higher levels of endorphins - "feel-good" hormones - are produced in the blood, which can have a positive impact on mental well-being.
As mentioned previously, the study by Dr. Longo and colleagues suggests prolonged fasting may also be effective for regenerating immune cells.
"When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged," Dr. Longo explains.
In their study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, the team found that repeated cycles of 2-4 days without food over a 6-month period destroyed the old and damaged immune cells in mice and generated new ones.
What is more, the team found that cancer patients who fasted for 3 days prior to chemotherapy were protected against immune system damage that can be caused by the treatment, which they attribute to immune cell regeneration.
"The good news is that the body got rid of the parts of the system that might be damaged or old, the inefficient parts, during the fasting," says Dr. Longo. "Now, if you start with a system heavily damaged by chemotherapy or aging, fasting cycles can generate, literally, a new immune system."
With the potential health benefits of fasting widely hailed by nutritionists worldwide, it is no wonder many of us are putting our love of food to one side in order to give it a try.
But intermittent fasting isn't all bells and whistles, according to some researchers and health care professionals, and there are some people who should avoid the diet altogether.
The health risks of fasting
According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), there are numerous health risks associated with intermittent fasting.
People who fast commonly experience dehydration, largely because their body is not getting any fluid from food. As such, it is recommended that during Ramadan, Muslims consume plenty of water prior to fasting periods. Other individuals following fasting diets should ensure they are properly hydrated during fasting periods.
If you are used to having breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between, fasting periods can be a major challenge. As such, fasting can increase stress levels and disrupt sleep. Dehydration, hunger or lack of sleep during a fasting period can also lead to headaches.
Fasting can also cause heartburn; lack of food leads to a reduction in stomach acid, which digests food and destroys bacteria. But smelling food or even thinking about it during fasting periods can trigger the brain into telling the stomach to produce more acid, leading to heartburn.
While many nutritionists claim intermittent fasting is a good way to lose weight, some health professionals believe such a diet is ineffective for long-term weight loss.
"The appeal is that [fasting] is quick, but it is quick fluid loss, not substantial weight loss," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Weight Loss Management Center. "If it's easy off, it will come back quickly - as soon as you start eating normally again."
"My experience has been that [this] way of eating does not produce weight loss even in the short term," dietitian and author of Diet Simple Katherine Tallmadge told ABC News in 2013.
Some health professionals believe intermittent fasting may steer people away from healthy eating recommendations, such as eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Many fear fasting may also trigger eating disorders or binge eating.
In a blog for The Huffington Post last year, fitness and nutrition expert JJ Virgin wrote:
"The 'anything goes' mentality some experts permit during the feeding state could lead someone to overeat, creating guilt, shame, and other problems that only become worse over time. For someone with emotional or psychological eating disorders, intermittent fasting could become a convenient crutch to amplify these issues."
While Dr. Mosely says there is no evidence to suggest the 5:2 Fast Diet is associated with eating disorders, he stresses people who have eating disorders should not engage in intermittent fasting.
Other people who should not follow this diet include people who are underweight, individuals under the age of 18, pregnant women, people with type 1 diabetes and individuals recovering from surgery.
Could we reap the benefits of fasting without fasting?
While intermittent fasting may have health risks, nutritionists claim it can be good for us if individuals consult with their doctors before adopting such a diet and adhere to it correctly.
But could there be a way to reap the potential health benefits of fasting without actually having to fast? Dr. Longo believes so.
Woman eating healthily
Researchers say a fasting-mimicking diet could simulate the effect of fasting without the food deprivation and side effects.
Earlier this week, Dr. Longo and colleagues from USC published a study in the journal Cell Metabolism revealing how a fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) triggered immune cell regeneration and extended the lifespan of mice.
What is more, on testing the diet in humans - who adhered to it for only 5 days a month for 3 months - they found it reduced a number of risk factors associated with aging, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes and cancer.
The FMD is low in protein, low in unhealthy fats and high in healthy fats, according to the researchers. It stimulates markers linked to fasting, such as low glucose levels and high levels of ketone bodies, in order to mimic the effects of prolonged fasting.
Dr. Longo and colleagues say their diet could promote immune cell regeneration and longevity associated with fasting without the need for food restriction and the potential adverse effects that come with it.
"Although the clinical results will require confirmation by a larger randomized trial," they add, "the effects of FMD cycles on biomarkers/risk factors for aging, cancer, diabetes, and CVD, coupled with the very high compliance to the diet and its safety, indicate that this periodic dietary strategy has high potential to be effective in promoting human healthspan."
The team hopes that clinicians will one day have the ability to prescribe this diet to patients. "This is arguably the first non-chronic preclinically and clinically tested anti-aging and healthspan-promoting intervention shown to work and to be very feasible as a doctor or dietitian-supervised intervention," says Dr. Longo.
It may be a while before the FMD receives approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use. First, the team needs to put the diet through a rigorous testing process.
Further research is required to gain a better understanding of the exact benefits and risks the FMD poses, and this appears to be the case with existing fasting diets. One thing is clear, however; talk to your doctor before engaging in any form of fasting.
Any thoughts welcome.
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What the.....where am I....sorry I dozed off...
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It happens when you reach 85...
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Seems a bit daft doing without for one day a week so you can over indulge on 6 days. Portion size stewy. Reduce everything by 10%-barely noticable- and see how you go.
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You can make most diets work if you cut out the sugar.
Table sugar is made from beet or sugar cane, and is 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Sugar in fruit is fructose. Fructose is also manufactured from corn and is in most processed foods. Here's the rub with fructose, 30% goes straight to fat and doesn't tell your brain that you've had enough. That's why if you start on a box of say mince pies with 19g of sugar in each one, you're liable to eat the lot in one go, despite the high amount of energy in the form of calories you're eating. Cut out the sugar for a start, no more than 10 -15g per day. That might be enough to do the trick. If it isn't you'll have to consider a more specialised diet. |
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You make a good point Dr C as I have discussed with you previously but would I be right in saying that if I drank a can of beer for example which has no sugar in it the body turns it into sugar of some sorts?
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stewarty this is what happens.
Your liver switches to processing the alcohol, instead of sending its store of glucose to your blood. And your blood glucose level will drop. When this is going on your body stores the food you've been eating instead of burning it. You burn the alcohol instead. And then your low blood sugar makes you feel hungry into the bargain. That is why people who are diabetics shouldn't drink alcohol. The medication they are taking for their diabetes has already lowered their blood sugar, drinking alcohol lowers it even further and can result in hypoglycaemia. |
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Here's how our livers process glucose then alcohol followed by fructose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckN6WM6MeJI The really interesting stuff starts around 43 minutes in. |
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I can tell you from experience that fasting works. In 2012 I was 51 and weighed in at just over 20 stone (I'm 6ft 1 tall) and had tried just about every diet fad going, all with varying degrees of success, losing 1/2/3 stone but putting it back on once I got bored with whatever I was allowed to eat.
After being told about Michael Mosley's Horizon programme on the benefits of intermittent fasting I decided to give it a go and started eating only 600 calories every Monday & Thursday. I ate pretty much whatever I fancied on the other days, never counting calories but always being careful to not go totally overboard. By the end of 2014 I had lost 5 stone and reckoned I'd done ok and stopped fasting. In February this year I got on the scales and found I'd put a stone back on and weighed 16st 3lbs. I started fasting again and have been doing it since. This morning I weighed in at 13st 12lbs which I'm very happy with but will continue as I don't want to go back up again. I would say that for anyone who enjoys food and feels restricted by diets which have to be followed 7 days a week, fasting is the perfect way to go as you only have to restrict yourself 2 days a week. There is masses of stuff available on the internet about IF but Mosely's books are excellent and full of helpful information. |
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20 stone to 13st 12lbs? Very well done KKD. Just as a matter of interest were you ever close to becoming diabetic?
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KKD
well done i might try this again does wonders for diabetes test too |
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Absolutely Capt, but people with Stage 2 diabetes should be aware that while undergoing a fast, their blood glucose levels are unlikely to need bringing down as much. If at all.
Or if they do still need bringing down they certainly won't need as much medication to do it. With S2 diabetes it's better to under medicate than over medicate if you are unsure. In fact the well known American doctor John McDoogall, who claims that Stage 2 diabetes is reversible, says he takes all his Stage2 diabetic patients and those with pre diabetes off medication when he first books them in to his clinic. He says the diet he puts them on is usually enough to control their glucose levels. Take note, I'm taking about Stage 2 diabetes here not Stage 1. I'm sure our GPs would be horrified at reading this. |
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Thanks for the comments chaps, I've never been tested for diabetes so can't answer that. I know other things are a factor but I've never been a big sugar consumer, my weakness is savoury things and bread.
I did have slightly raised cholesterol levels but it's now ok. |
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I weighed in at 203lbs this morning. I will update in a month's time. My new diet will consist of porridge oats mixed with a chopped banana for breakfast (my only sugar for the day) followed by fish or chicken with broccoli or peas for lunch, and beans on toast for dinner.
As for the baked beans they will be drained of the sugar rich sauce before going on the toast. Most importantly I will be alcohol/lager free. I will have a Xmas dinner but instead of roast potatoes I will be having sweet potato wedges. If I stick to my plan I fully expect to be 190lbs or under on the 15th of January. GL to all who attempt to better their health. As in my case I'm not waiting to make a New Year's resolution. |
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Good luck Mr b. Porridge is an excellent way to start the day, low GI, very filling and gives you a nice Ready Brek golden glow before braving the cold weather
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** I forgot to add that there will be no milk involved in the making of the porridge or added to.
As regards the lager, everybody will most likely know it is just empty calories. That said, I would rather have a 330ml bottle of lager than a 330ml can of coke which has approx. 4-5 teaspoons of sugar in it. |
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Thanks KKD. You will find out my result on the 15th of January. Win or lose I will post the truth.
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Thats impressive KKD, very well done.
My only question about fasting is can it shift visceral fat ? I've found I can lose weight easily just by cutting back on carbs. But I can't shift the beer gut. I might give intermittent fasting a go, if it can make a dent in the visceral fat. What was your experience with that ? |
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Platini, the surest way to lose visceral fat is to put your body into fat burning mode.
Eat anything but carbs and sugar really. You eat as much fat as you like for energy. Losing weight is a breeze on a high fat diet. |
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Watch out for fruit though it's full of sugar.
Get your roughage from veg. Personally I wouldn't eat that diet for an extended period because I don't believe it's at all health. Which doesn't alter the fact that for fast weight reduction and removing stomach fat it really works, and you won't feel hungry while you're on it. |
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Here's another diet along similar lines:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=553HaQEYCrA |
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I made a huge pot of soup yesterday of which I now have in containers in my freezer. This will last us through the festive season. Six carrots, one turnip, one leek, five onions, half a bulb of garlic and broccoli put in with ten minutes to go as not to overcook it. Plus a load of pulses including lentils, yellow split peas and broth mix.
It doesn't get much healthier than that along with some wholemeal farmhouse bread with butter. |
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Platini, when I started this I carried most of my fat around my midriff and most annoyingly it seemed to be the last place it wanted to disappear from.
I've managed to reduce it quite a bit by doing sit-ups, planks and squats at random times throughout the day. I might do 90 seconds of exercises 15 to 20 times a day and that has helped to tone things up but I still have a very persistent roll that seems determined to stay with me come what may! Stewarty, the soup is a fine idea, I have soup most fasting day lunchtimes and then either a piece of fish with veg or a chicken/veg stir fry for dinner. I never eat breakfast on fasting days and I avoid all processed carbs, sugars and alcohol. All I will say is make sure you don't exceed the 600 calories - it really doesn't go very far. Be prepared for headaches and feeling the cold, I always have to wear an extra layer when fasting as the body isn't getting enough fuel to keep it warm and headaches can be because of dehydration, so make sure you drink plenty of fluids. |
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KKD, a good post which surprisingly is the only one on here to mention exercise! This is vital in loss weight imho. I have bought an exercise bike which I intend to use each day as my lifestyle is very sedentary mostly due to punting online if I'm honest. That said, that is no excuse. When I first went on it I managed about 15 minutes and was knackered after it burning about 40 calories. I suppose where exercise is concerned it's a case of baby steps for me anyway.
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I think each person needs to decide on their long term aims with regard to their weight.
Whether it's to slim down, then start piling it back on, only to start a fresh diet and do it all over. Or change their eating habits, and stick to that for the rest of their lives. For what good is a diet if it you can't keep to in the long term? You might as well not bother. |
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KKD, thats depressing (but not unexpected) news re the beer belly.
I'll still give the intermittent fasting a go for health reasons anyway, but the holy grail search to shift the belly goes on  |
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using a low carb diet (plus unlimited alcohol
 ) I went from 228lb to 153lb last year from April to December, Losing 75lb ( about 5.5 stone lost from 16.5 )Friends were amazed ( one even thought I'd got cancer ) Nobody was more amazed than me at the results and the fact that I stuck at it. The Unlimited alcohol helped enormously I found a six pack without exercising !? ( I walked for 1 to 2 hours a day, tried jogging once and gave that up literally 12 paces later ) I over shot my target of 11 to 11.5 stone purposely because I was aware of the bounce when coming off the diet and wanted to be in the 11-->11.5st range. 1 year later I find myself 3lb over where I want but hey ho. I've never ever tried any sort of dieting before, spent a few hours googling the science behind a low carb diet and the science looked good so I gave it a go. I've many flaws, one of them is the joy of gluttony so I didn't expect to last, but it was reasonably edible and I'd have a carb meal once a week. Brief Science: Body gets energy from fat OR carbs, but finds it easier to get it from carbs so will use those first and turn any unused into fat. If you reduce your carb intake enough to start a process called 'Ketinosis' ( or something like that ) Then your body starts burning body fat as well as some food fat. Apparently, eating fat will trigger your 'full' response hormones, and carbs never do, so you feel full on a smaller plate of low carb / medium fat food. IT'S NOT FAT THAT MAKES YOU FAT !! who knew? I certainly didn't P.S. from a scientific point of view, all these 'lite' low calorie product are a complete con, don't fall for the hype. |
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They call that the Keto diet Escapee.
That's the same as I mentioned earlier. You have to be careful though, because your body still needs glucose and if your body isn't getting any, it can start breaking down your muscles and use that. So you don't want to cut back too far, same thing will happen if you fast. |
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I'd get the New Year out of the way before I started a diet.
Even then I'd only cut out sugar for a start. Sweets, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, crisps, ice cream. Give those the boot and the worst part is over. Simply eat your meals and no snacking in between. You want a diet that is manageable and you can stick to without feeling hungry all the time. |
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it can start breaking down your muscles and use that.
I can second that after speaking to my GP. I was under the illusion that if I fasted, (no food at all for one day) my body would revert to living off of any fat I had but no, as she told me it's also muscle tissue that gets 'eaten'. |
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Sugar is the main obstacle to any diet because it's addictive.
Sugar also bad for health, a waste product of digesting sugar is uric acid. Eating sugar can raise uric acid levels very quickly. Which is why so many gout sufferers don't get better after cutting out the booze and protein. They're unaware of the role that sugar plays in gout and need to reduce the sugar as low as possible straight away. Uric acid also inhibits an enzyme that lowers blood pressure. Sugar produces lots of LDL the bad cholesterol, unfortunately sugar is a carb and in studies carbs get the blame for this, but it's primarily down to the sugar. Sugar produces 30% fat and fatty acids which clog up the insulin receptors and cause insulin resistance, which is another name for diabetes. So there you have the cause of metabolic syndrome according to Dr Lustig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckN6WM6MeJI&t=3623s |
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if you are going to fast to lose a lot of weight then you probably need to take drastic measures and just a 1-day fast won't really show any noticeable benefits. you could see if you can do 3-4 days on just water. you will likely go out of your mind, though. you might be better going on a juicing fast and make raw vegetable and fruit smoothies and drink one of those 2-3 times a day. plus do exercise.
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Give it a month.
Nothing like cold and miserable weather to make a diet seem worse. Also, less likely to get hunger pangs if busy...outside....doing stuff....walks etc. Also, personally, I find that if I eat breakfast I am hungrier at lunchtime than if I don't. |
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Do you know much about 'leaky gut' theories, Dr Crippen?
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I know a little saddo.
Some say it's caused by gluten, other say animal products. The latest area of investigation I heard about is that emulsifiers are responsible. Funnily enough I heard about leaky gut syndrome many years ago, and when I mentioned it to my doctor he dismissed the idea. It hasn't been accepted a valid condition by UK mainstream medicine. And until a drug company comes out with a drug to treat it, they're likely to remain sceptical of its existence. |
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LGS theory is tied up with food intolerance.
If the foods that cause the symptoms are removed from the diet, the conditions that have been attributed to LGS generally vanish. That what I've come to believe anyway. |
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My brother took out nearly everything including gluten, he has rheumatoid arthritis and won't take meds. He was vegetarian when it struck and now he is vegan, and thinks it most likely that dairy could be his weakness. He has reintroduced gluten in no short measure and no problems with it.
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I told my foreign doctor that I want to be a faster.
He told me to start using an inhaler. |
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I am diabetic and drink 10 pints a day
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