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| Best Ever Pumpkin pie made with coconut oil |
In a few days I will have been intermittent fasting everyday for two years and I have gained the benefits of it. It is so easy to do. I am particularly pleased with the result of less muscle wasting or maintaining the muscles I have while I exercise less than I did before (sparing my adrenal function) and now do about three hours a week. I have a flatter belly too.
You can see from the photo that I eat well not just on special occasions but everyday. If you are curious the recipe for this easy Paleo, dairy free pie is here.
If you have hypoglycemia or other signs of insulin resistance or high blood sugars, or are needing to lose weight you should consider not only what you eat but also when you eat. You should consider intermittent fasting. With one exception, those with adrenal failure, and in this case you should discuss intermittent fasting with your doctor.
We as a society are eating too frequently. Fasting seems to be a natural detoxifier and also has the job of cleaning up our bodies of damaged cells. This process is called autophagy.
Intermittent fasting sounds scary before you try it but it's really easy compared to the alternatives. Find your starting point which might only be 9 hours of fasting and work your way up to 14 to 15 hours of fasting. Find the style that works for you. For me skipping breakfast works. Some people skip supper. If you get really hungry eat some coconut oil right off the spoon or in some hot water, clear tea or "black" coffee.
Dr. Mercola explains what's so great about intermittent fasting here. Read the whole thing, because intermittent fasting could change your whole life. Below is an excerpt:
We as a society are eating too frequently. Fasting seems to be a natural detoxifier and also has the job of cleaning up our bodies of damaged cells. This process is called autophagy.
Intermittent fasting sounds scary before you try it but it's really easy compared to the alternatives. Find your starting point which might only be 9 hours of fasting and work your way up to 14 to 15 hours of fasting. Find the style that works for you. For me skipping breakfast works. Some people skip supper. If you get really hungry eat some coconut oil right off the spoon or in some hot water, clear tea or "black" coffee.
Dr. Mercola explains what's so great about intermittent fasting here. Read the whole thing, because intermittent fasting could change your whole life. Below is an excerpt:
Peak Fasting May Be the U-Turn You've Been Looking For (my comments in blue and my highlight of important findings)
The vast majority of Americans are overweight and most would therefore benefit from intermittent fasting for a period of time. (Adrenal-fatigued individuals are perhaps an exception to this rule). When done correctly, you will inevitably lose weight and your insulin and leptin receptor sensitivity will be optimized, which is really important for optimal health. Fasting also:
-Decreases the accumulation of oxidative radicals in your cells, thereby preventing oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids associated with aging and disease.
-Raises human growth hormone. Research7 has shown fasting can raise HGH by as much as 1,300 percent in women, and 2,000 percent in men, which plays an important part in health, fitness and slowing the aging process. HGH is also a fat-burning hormone, which is another reason why fasting is so effective for weight loss.(in my opinion nothing works better than intermittent fasting to elevate human growth hormone levels and I have tried other remedies with little sustained results)
-Inhibits the mTOR pathway, which plays an important part in driving the aging process by increasing mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis.( and the end result is to prevent muscle wasting, which is important at any age, but especially if you are over 65. And anti-aging)
If you decide to attempt intermittent fasting, be sure to pay careful attention to hypoglycemic signs and symptoms, and if you suspect that you're crashing, make sure to eat something, like coconut oil. I do not recommend fasting if you're living with chronic stress (adrenal fatigue), or have cortisol dysregulation. Pregnant or nursing mothers should also avoid fasting, as your baby needs plenty of nutrients during and after birth, and there's no research supporting fasting during this important time.
The vast majority of Americans are overweight and most would therefore benefit from intermittent fasting for a period of time. (Adrenal-fatigued individuals are perhaps an exception to this rule). When done correctly, you will inevitably lose weight and your insulin and leptin receptor sensitivity will be optimized, which is really important for optimal health. Fasting also:
-Decreases the accumulation of oxidative radicals in your cells, thereby preventing oxidative damage to cellular proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids associated with aging and disease.
-Raises human growth hormone. Research7 has shown fasting can raise HGH by as much as 1,300 percent in women, and 2,000 percent in men, which plays an important part in health, fitness and slowing the aging process. HGH is also a fat-burning hormone, which is another reason why fasting is so effective for weight loss.(in my opinion nothing works better than intermittent fasting to elevate human growth hormone levels and I have tried other remedies with little sustained results)
-Inhibits the mTOR pathway, which plays an important part in driving the aging process by increasing mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis.( and the end result is to prevent muscle wasting, which is important at any age, but especially if you are over 65. And anti-aging)
If you decide to attempt intermittent fasting, be sure to pay careful attention to hypoglycemic signs and symptoms, and if you suspect that you're crashing, make sure to eat something, like coconut oil. I do not recommend fasting if you're living with chronic stress (adrenal fatigue), or have cortisol dysregulation. Pregnant or nursing mothers should also avoid fasting, as your baby needs plenty of nutrients during and after birth, and there's no research supporting fasting during this important time.
To Your Health
Dr. Barbara
