Fasting Has Been Practiced by Cultures for Thousands of Years

Many religious groups and global cultures have practiced fasting since ancient times. Today, intermittent fasting is putting a new twist on the ancient practice of managing one's daily dietary intake. Medical researchers are currently investigating whether intermittent fasting can play a role in treating and preventing chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis. People who should not consider fasting as a viable strategy for maintaining their health and wellness include those with eating disorders like anorexia as well as women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

• The 16/8 Fast - If you choose the 16:8 method of fasting, experts recommend picking an eating window that allows you to finish your daily meals fairly early, because your body is less efficient at managing blood sugar later in the day.
• Skip-a-Day Diet - With an Eat-Stop-Eat fasting method, you can fast from breakfast to breakfast, lunch to lunch, or dinner to dinner with same results.
• 5:2 Fasting Method - The 2 Days-Per-Week Diet requires people to eat 500 (women) to 600 (men) calories for two days each week while healthy meals are consumed the other five days.
• Time-Restricted Feeding - This simple style of fasting allows people to skip meals when they are not hungry but eat when they are. It offers a more natural feel but it is still important to eat healthy foods at mealtime.

Fasting should be the icing on the cake of an overall healthy lifestyle. Nonetheless, different fasts require different disciplines during the feasting window. For the most part, simply eat nutritious whole foods, get a good night's sleep, drink plenty of water and manage food intake intelligently. Alternate-day and whole-day fasts have been shown to reduce body fat in overweight people as well as lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, it boosts the repair process where cells replace damaged proteins with new ones. The biggest drawback is some irritability when getting started.

*NOTE: Due to a difference in hormonal makeup, women have special considerations when fasting. Intermittent fasting is not a good idea for women under 18 years of age, those with a lean body profile, or those with medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism or a history of eating disorders. Ask your physician about an appropriate fasting protocol for you.