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Monday, June 13, 2011

Intermittent Fasting

Well, thanks to some thought provoking responses to my "Fat Fast" posts, I have started researching Intermittent Fasting ("IF").  I came across an article written by Dr. Mike Eades on his blog, promoting IF as a way to improve numerous aspects of your health (weight loss being the least of the positive results seen with IF).  Studies seem to indicate, at least in rodents and primates, that IF also, among other things, increases longevity, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces blood pressure, and increases the amount of a substance called BDNF, which "protects against stress and toxic insults to the brain".

 

So, my interest is piqued, and I seem to be in an experimental mood.  I've seen a lot of IF schedules out there.  Dr. Eades' and his wife, MD Eades, tried out IF for a week, and recommended the following schedule:

 

  • On Day 1 and odd # days: eat until 6 pm
  • On Day 2 and even # days: fast until 6 pm

 

The benefit of this schedule is that, while you alternate eating and fasting for 24 periods, you are able to eat either breakfast and lunch OR dinner each day.

 

So, what the heck.  I am going to give it a try.  Today is Day#1, the eat day.  I'll try it Monday through Friday, still eating low carb on eat days.  Then, I will eat normally on Saturday and Sunday. 

 

I'm going to give it a week.  As with the "Fat Fast", I will give this a fighting chance, but if it proves to be completely horrible, I will consider bowing out early.  If it proves to work out well, and improve my health, well, then maybe I will incorporate IF into my regular life. 

 

Tonight, I'll make sure that I have a huge, early dinner with lots of meat!!

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