Fasting has vast traditional history across cultures and has been well studied in modern research protocols. Fasting or any restriction of food intake should be used with caution, especially if your health may be vulnerable due to either physical or emotional factors. Always consult your primary MD, NP or RD if you’d like to explore how modifying your food intake may impact your health. With that precaution, humans have intentionally and safely limited food intake for physcial and psycho-emotional dimensions for millenia. The health benefits for limiting food intake include gut rest, and as science is able to reveal in published studies show:

Improved biomarkers of aging (e.g., oxidative damage, fasting insulin levels, core body temperature)
Improved cardiometabolic markers (e.g., C-reactive protein, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels)
Improved cognitive function
Improved glucose metabolism
Reduced risk of chronic conditions (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes)
Weight loss

Fasting: usually applied 1 day weekly, up to 4-5 days in a row monthly, best results with 250-300 kcal vitamin and mineral rich foods consumed throughout day, excellent summary and accessible research published here

Calorie-restricted: intake of 20-40% of your estimated needs, long term, best following a generally anti-inflammatory pattern as you’ll see in the table below

Intermittent: time restricted eating pattern applies to most or all days of the week, anywhere from a sensible 12:12 (hours fasting:eating), to 16:8 and 20:4 and various options, see table below

Beyond counting calories and hours, always remember that human metabolism does VERY WELL on a less-processed, and not-at-all-processed whole food, plant-based, mindful meal pattern. This should be your nutritional priorty and daily practice foundation.

Along with plenty of physical activity, radiance will ensue.

Not to say that changing how one eats, or eating the way we already know we should to feel better, is easy. Reach out if you’d like support with identifying a nutrition pattern to best support you, as this RD would love to guide you with food choices and supplements/herbs to elevate your healthspan, fine-tune health optimization and raise your wellness vibes.

Fasting, Calorie Restriction, Intermittent and more