Going WITHOUT Nutrition? The Revealed Benefits of Intermittent Fasting!
by Lani Muelrath, M.A. aka The Fitness DreamMaker
If you think IMF means "impossible missions force", then think again! If you think it means "international monetary fund", well, you might be right but actually not on this occasion!
It is the NEW acronym I've invented for what I call intermittent mini fasts.
I NEVER thought I'd say this, but….I have become a big fan of the intermittent mini!
WHAAT you say? Settle down! And I'll tell you all about it.
How it came up, what I learned, and what I did about it.
Taking Another Look
First, some personal history. Years ago, I dabbled in fasting as a weight loss tool. Horribly unguided, white-knuckle fasting that would pretty much go on as long as I could tolerate it. Then I'd try to "break the fast slowly" as all the experts advised, but I would run fast lane into binges and overeating. Stuff-starve at its worst!
Interestingly enough, over the past couple of years, as I am an avid reader and researcher of what's going on in the health and fitness fields, the idea of fasting seemed to be resurfacing as a health and longevity tool.
Because of my prior experience, and all the work that I had done to heal my relationship with food, eating, and my body, I dismissed and ignored all of these references. Did NOT want to go THERE! And as a foodie, someone who enjoys everything they eat (and won't eat anything I don't like, so there!) I was especially, shall we say, trepidacious!
However, references persisted, and I thought, OK Lani, let's take an objective look at see what this is all about. After all I am a new person, different from those years way back when. I've learned from experience, but I've also become able to look at things more objectively than ever before.
What Caught My Eye
As I began to let the material about fasting filter into my domain, I saw references that made me sit up and take attention. Particularly these phrases:
~ reduce inflammation
~ increase insulin sensitivity
~ decrease stress hormones
~ increase human growth hormone production
And of course:
~ reduce body fat stores without sacrificing muscle.
What? I'd been thinking since forever that fasting eats into our muscle mass. That it decreases your metabolism, and does all kinds of other things to wonk up our efforts to be trim!
NEW Research Proves "Fitness Fasting Mythology" Wrong!
There is lots of documentation out there that refutes these common beliefs about fasting.
But let me show you an easy place to find out a little bit for yourself.
The simplest, most direct presentation of this information is by my friend Brad Pilon, who has written a book about intermittent fasting called Eat Stop Eat. Brad is a nutrition researcher who did exhaustive, objective research on fairly recent studies done with intermittent fasting on a variety of subjects. It is all very well documented in his book, and it is an impressive collection, I must say!
Evidence To The Contrary
Here's what Brad found out.
First, many of the ill effects that we may associate with fasting occur after extended periods of fasting. Short-term fasts, as Brad details in his book, do NOT demonstrate negative effects and have been shown to improve many of the biomarkers as I have listed above. His documented research and "sciency" audio files available had me sit up and take notice!
Brad's "Fasting Files", as I call them, which are part of the Eat Stop Eat book, include all kinds of nuggets, such as this one: after several hours without caloric intake of any kind, there is a marked increase of fatty acids in the blood stream. If no food has been recently eaten to account for this, then where do the fatty acids come from? Possibly stores in the body?
The Benefits Are In The "Intermittent Mini"
In Eat Stop Eat, Brad promotes fasts of no longer than 24 hours. And only one or two times a week, depending on your goals. The beauty of this is you never go a day without eating! A common pattern is dinner to dinner, or lunch to lunch. So, if you ate dinner at 6 one day, your IMF would be until dinner at 6 the next day. And it is very flexible – you can work your way up!
I have found intermittent minis to deliver to me personally in many ways:
~ great energy on fast days
~ trimmer in my middle
~ PHENOMENAL returns for my clients who have been utilizing this technique themselves.
Great deliver in terms of gentle weight loss, good energy, improved relationship with food and
eating, appetite moderation (quite possibly the increased insulin sensitivity), and detected
decrease of inflammation in the system.
Now, you might be thinking – as I did – if you were to fast for the day up to dinner, that all you-know-what would break lose when it came time for dinner. C'mon, I know that's what you're thinking! Because I was certain of it.
But you know what? That didn't happen. And it hasn't happened for me during the several weeks that I have been enjoying the many benefits of the IMF. As I already, said, I never thought I'd say it, but….me likey!
Filed under ADD & ADHD, Allergies, Arthritis, Asthma, Cancer, Colon Health, Healthy Foods, Menopause, Migraines, Weight Loss by on Nov 3rd, 2008. 
Often misdiagnosed in older adults because of the mistaken belief that it is just a childhood disease, according to the American Lung Association, experts now think about 10 percent of the people with asthma are actually over the age of 65.
Some adults with asthma have dealt with the disease all their lives. Others may have had asthma as a child and experienced it again after many symptom-free years. But if you've developed breathing problems as an adult, you have lots of company. Lateonset asthma is becoming more common and is often triggered by a serious respiratory infection.
Women are more likely to be affected than men, possibly because of their smaller airways. Researchers think hormones may also play a part. They've found that women who are on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are 50 percent more likely to develop asthma than women who aren't on HRT.
Although asthma is a serious and potentially fatal disease, you can protect yourself by avoiding things that trigger an attack. Cigarette smoke, cold air, dust, and mold are a few examples of asthma triggers. And research shows that eating foods rich in certain nutrients may help reduce your asthma symptoms.
Nutritional blockbusters that fight asthma
Vitamin C. Researchers say antioxidant vitamins could play an important role in preventing asthma or controlling its symptoms. Vitamin C is the perfect example. Studies have found that vitamin C not only improves asthma symptoms, it helps you avoid the disease altogether. For top-notch asthma protection, mix up a fruit salad with oranges, pineapple, strawberries, kiwifruit, and papaya. Then pile your dinner plate with high-C vegetables like broccoli, red and green peppers, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and peas.
Vitamin E. Another antioxidant powerhouse that may cut your risk of asthma is vitamin E. A study in Saudi Arabia found that children who had the least vitamin E in their diets were three times more likely to get asthma. Research also shows that vitamin E helps protect you from developing this condition as an adult. For extra lung protection, sprinkle some vitamin E-packed wheat germ, almonds, peanuts, or sunflower seeds on a salad or in baked goods.
Vitamin A. This vitamin completes the asthma-fighting trio of antioxidants. Studies find that people who eat vitamin A-rich foods tend to have clearer air passages, which makes breathing easier. You'll find vitamin A in meat and dairy products, especially beef and chicken livers, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and egg yolks.
Lycopene. Think pink – or red – to help avoid asthma symptoms. Lycopene, the carotenoid that gives foods their pink or red coloring, may protect against asthma, according to a recent small study. Researchers gave people with exercise-induced asthma 30 milligrams of lycopene each day for one week. At the end of the week, more than half the people showed significant protection against asthma symptoms.
It's always best to get your nutrients from foods, and in this case, it could earn you double protection. Many foods that contain lycopene, such as tomatoes, pink grapefruit, and watermelon, are also high in vitamin C.
Magnesium and selenium. These minerals may be the dynamic duo of asthma-fighting minerals. Magnesium acts as a bronchodilator, which means it helps open up your airways, making it easier to breathe. Selenium's power against asthma may come from its antioxidant abilities. Studies show that people with low levels of selenium are more likely to have asthma. You'll find selenium in meats and shellfish and in vegetables and grains grown in selenium-rich soil. Food sources of magnesium include avocados, oysters, and beans. Broccoli is a good source of both minerals.
Water. A tall glass of water could be your ally if you're asthmatic. Researchers at the University at Buffalo (UB) discovered that the symptoms of people with exercise-induced asthma got worse, both before and during exercise, when they didn't drink enough water.
Frank Cerny, Ph.D., stresses the importance of drinking water, especially if you have asthma. "The message continues to be, `Drink fluids whenever you get the chance," says Cerny, chairman of the UB Department of Physical Therapy, Exercise, and Nutrition Sciences. "If you have asthma, dehydration may make it worse, particularly during exercise."
Your body needs water long before you feel thirst so don't wait until you're thirsty to wet your whistle. Make sure you drink at least six full glasses of water every day – more when you exercise.
Caffeine. Start your morning with a fragrant cup of coffee, and you may ease your asthma. Caffeine is chemically related to theophylline, a drug used to treat asthma. When you have an asthma attack, the muscles around your airways tighten up and your passages swell, making it difficult to breathe. Caffeine helps relax your bronchial tubes so your airways stay open. Research shows that caffeine can help improve symptoms for up to four hours.
HAVE YOU READ The ASTHMA Report?
Aaron Stanlich is an accomplished freelance writer and authors on a variety of subjects. You can learn more about Asthma by reading some Asthma Related Articles There is a great selection of various articles at http://www.upublish.info
Filed under Asthma by on Jun 23rd, 2008.
