We have always discussed how fasting is beneficial for your body if you do it the right way. But like most fads, new styles of fasting can be problematic, especially if people are following these fasting schedules blindly and without any research. Many people fast for about 16 to 20 hours these days even if they are hungry and that is not healthy at all.
Every coin has its flip side and so, we have to ensure a fast schedule that we choose should not be based on fads. Fasting the wrong way can have dire consequences on our body. Every individual is different and so, the nutrition and calorie requirements of each individual are different as well. The energy expenditure also, is totally different from person to person, and so we cannot follow the ‘one size fits all’ policy here. For example, a fairly active working woman can be comfortable with 16 to 18 hours of fasting but a pregnant or nursing woman, even if she is staying at home, should not follow this blindly as it may affect the nutritional requirement of both her and her baby.
Here are some fasting scenarios that may not be the best choice for anyone:
Many people have started using fasting as a way to compensate for their bad lifestyle. For example, they binge eat on a weekend and then fast for the next two to three days. But this is not correct, as our body will become more acidic and begin to have deficiencies. Our body has its own clock and memory to eat, sleep, and wake up. We cannot use fasting to compensate for a bad weekend and late-night parties.
People break their fast with tea or coffee assuming that they have fasted for so long and they now deserve that cup of tea or coffee. During the fasting window our body produces acids and to balance the pH of this acidic state we have to add an alkaline dose when breaking the fast. Breaking the fast with lemon water followed by fruits and nuts is ideal because tea or coffee are acidic in nature and may lead to stomach discomfort in the long run.
I have observed that a few of my clients fast at odd hours. For example, one day they start their fast after dinner, the second day after lunch, and the third day goes without a single meal. Fasting is best done in a proper cycle, which is aligned with nature as well as our body’s rhythms. If we do not follow the same, our body will go into stress mode due to this frequent change in timing and circadian rhythm. And when this happens, our stress increases, which also increases cortisol levels that in turn affects hormones and creates issues such as thyroid problems—as the adrenaline gland is exhausted pumping more cortisol into the body due to this untimely cycle. It is very important to not keep changing the time and hours of fasting. Have an early dinner and follow a 12-14-16 hours fast as per your body’s cue.
Everybody is fasting almost every day but that is actually not very useful. We do not have to fast every day; twice a week is fine or even twice a month is good, depending on your body. Plus, your body needs to replenish all the nutrients as well. So, eat well for five days and fast for two days a week and only fast with water consumption and nothing else for as many hours as your body is comfortable with.Fasting can be good for you, if you only put your mind to fasting properly.
Deepika Rathod
Chief Nutrition Officer, Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems.
The writer is a clinical nutritionist with a focus on healthy lifestyle choices.