The Complete Guide To Fasting

by Jason Fung

The underlying cause of obesity turns out to be a hormonal, rather than a caloric, imbalance. Insulin is a fat-storage hormone. When we eat, insulin increases, signaling our body to store some of this food energy as fat for later use. It’s a natural and essential process that has helped humans survive famine for thousands of years, but excessively and persistently high insulin levels result inexorably in obesity. Understanding this leads naturally to a solution: if excessive insulin is causing obesity, then clearly the answer lies in reducing insulin. Both the ketogenic diet (a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet) and intermittent fasting are excellent methods of reducing high insulin levels.

We simply aren’t meant to be eating as much or as often as we do in modern culture,

As patients, we’re often told that drugs are the only way to get our cholesterol down so we won’t have a heart attack, and yet here is a totally drug-free method for lowering cholesterol.

Starving and fasting should never be confused with each other, and the terms should never be used interchangeably. Fasting and starving live on opposite sides of the world. It is the difference between recreational running and running because a lion is chasing you. Starvation is forced upon you by outside forces. Fasting, on the other hand, may be done for any period of time, from a few hours to months on end.

I think the hardest thing about fasting is deciding to do it. Getting it in my head that I can begin and make it through is very tough, but once I start, that block dissolves and it becomes easier.

Lowering insulin also rids the body of excess salt and water because insulin is well known to cause salt and water retention in the kidneys. This is why low-carbohydrate diets often cause diuresis, the loss of excess water—in fact, much of the initial weight lost on a low-carb diet is water. This diuresis is beneficial in reducing bloating and helping you feel lighter. Some may also note a lower blood pressure.

Other vitamins and minerals: The daily use of a general multivitamin supplement will provide the recommended daily amount of micronutrients. A therapeutic fast of 382 days was maintained with only a multivitamin with no harmful effects on health. In fact, this man felt terrific during this entire period.

not afflicted with these metabolic disorders. This book focuses on one particular facet of traditional eating patterns that is virtually forgotten in today’s society: intermittent fasting.

Foods should be recognizable in their natural state as something that was alive or has come out of the ground. Boxes of Cheerios do not grow in the ground. If it comes prepackaged in a bag or a box, it should be avoided. If it has a nutrition label, it should be avoided. Real foods, whether broccoli or beef, have no labels. The true secret to healthy eating is this: Just eat real food.

Muscle gain or loss is mostly a function of exercise. You can’t eat your way to more muscle. Supplement companies, of course, try to convince you otherwise. Taking creatine and drinking whey protein shakes do not build muscle. That’s wishful thinking. Exercise is the only reliable way to build muscle. If you are worried about muscle loss, exercise more. It’s not rocket science. Diet and exercise are two entirely separate issues. Don’t

This is natural. This is normal. This is the way we were designed.

There are two main types of nutrients, micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamin and minerals that are provided by the diet and are required for overall health. Macronutrients are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

The longest fast recorded lasted 382 days, and a simple multivitamin prevented any vitamin deficiencies.

Fasting: Improves mental clarity and concentration Induces weight and body fat loss Lowers blood sugar levels Improves insulin sensitivity Increases energy Improves fat-burning Lowers blood cholesterol Prevents Alzheimer’s disease Extends life Reverses the aging process Decreases inflammation

Fasting is the oldest dietary intervention in the world. It is profoundly different from all other dietary strategies. It is not the latest and greatest but the tried and true. It is not something to do but something to not do. Because it differs from conventional dieting in many important ways, fasting carries many distinct advantages.

Fasting is free. In fact, not only is it free, it actually saves money because you do not need to buy any food at all! There are no expensive foods. There are no expensive supplements. There are no meal replacement bars, shakes, or medications. The price of fasting is zero.

There is no time spent buying groceries, preparing ingredients, cooking, and cleaning up. It is a way to simplify your life. There is nothing easier than fasting, because fasting involves doing nothing. Most diets tell you what to do. Fasting tells you not to do anything. It doesn’t get easier than that.

Sure, you might be able to swear off desserts for six months or a year, but for life? And would you really want to? Think about it. Imagine the joy of savoring the cake and champagne at your best friend’s wedding. Do we need to deny ourselves that little bit of pleasure forever? Enjoy a birthday salad instead of birthday cake? Thanksgiving kale chips! All-you-can-eat Brussels sprouts! Yes, life just got a little less sparkly. Forever is a long time.

Have you ever heard the phrase “The proof is in the pudding”? The original version was actually “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” It means that to really judge whether something is successful or not, you must look at the end results. Just because you think something will work does not necessarily mean it will.

there are two distinct ways energy is stored in the body: as glycogen in the liver and as body fat. When we eat, our body derives energy from three main sources: glucose (carbohydrates), fat, and protein. Only two of these are stored for later use, glucose and fat—the body can’t store protein, so excess protein that can’t be used right away is converted to glucose. Glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen, but the liver’s capacity for storing glycogen is limited. Once glycogen stores are full, excess calories must be stored as body fat. Dietary fat is absorbed directly into the bloodstream without passing through the liver, and what’s not used is stored as body fat.

To prevent the body from adapting to the new weight-loss strategy and maintain weight loss requires an intermittent strategy, not a constant one. This is a crucial distinction. Restricting some foods all the time differs from restricting all foods some of the time. This is the difference between failure and success.

All of the benefits of bariatric surgery are also seen during fasting. Simply put, bariatric surgery is surgically enforced fasting.

A little starvation can really do more for the average sick man than can the best medicines and the best doctors. —Mark Twain

There is one simple, natural measure that lowers cholesterol: fasting.

Interestingly, I’ve seen the highest success rates with husbands and wives who try fasting together: the mutual support is a big help and makes fasting far easier.

All types of tea are excellent choices, including green, black, oolong, and herbal. Green tea is an especially good choice during a fast: the catechins in green tea are believed to help suppress appetite. Teas can be blended together for variety and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg add flavor.

While we often think of the Mediterranean diet as healthy due to the type of foods in it, the timing of meals in the Mediterranean may also play a role.