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Most of us are at least familiar with fasting, and many of you have probably tried it. From intermittent fasting to water fasts, the concept of fasting is not new. It’s a way to reset the body, clear out inflammation, and most importantly, support longevity and our health from the inside out.
Fasting usually requires abstaining from food or drinks (aside from calorie-free beverages like tea, water, or coffee) to get the benefits. And there are so many ways people choose to go about it. Some may just extend their overnight fast a few hours past breakfast. Others may go multiple days as with water fasts. I know you might be thinking, WHY WOULD I DO THAT?! After all, you’re part of my community of food-loving people who believe in using food as medicine. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to deprive yourself of nutrients to gain health, but I’ll share how we can use fasting smarter and not as deprivation or punishment.
The idea of going hours to days without food or drinking nothing but juice or living on processed, less than palatable powdered foods created in a lab isn’t doesn’t exactly align with my food philosophy. And I’d be willing to bet that if there was a way to achieve those same fasting benefits without deprivation, most of us would jump at the chance.
Fasting is a powerful tool meant to clear the mind, rid the body of toxins, and promote cellular repair and regeneration. When done right, it’s also fantastic for weight loss, hormone balance, mental clarity, and more. The key is to get your calorie deficit, meal timing and macro balance just right.
A smart fasting protocol is a version of fasting where you can still eat. Sound counterproductive? It’s not. The idea is to eat low-calorie and lower-carb foods rich in plant proteins and healthy fats. It’s far from just cutting calories a few days a month because there is a big focus is on the types of foods you eat (and luckily, they also happen to be delicious). In other words, it’s actually a highly strategic approach that’s very intentional in its design. (Don’t have time to research and plan out every morsel of food you’ll eat? Don’t worry, I’ve got you.
Since you aren’t completely cutting out food as you do with longer fasts, your body won’t be under so much stress. This makes it easier for many of us to follow. But because of the adjustments in the type of food you eat, your body is still forced to positively adapt, giving you the same benefits as you would with typical fasts (yay for autophagy!).
Most research on this type of fast says you can still boost autophagy in your body (and turn on that cleaning crew) by eating foods that don’t trigger an insulin response. Insulin is released when you eat carbs to keep your blood sugar balanced, which is a good thing. But insulin also turns off autophagy. Side note: This is also why the ketogenic diet can boost autophagy—very low carbs mean no insulin response.
So, in theory, if you eat foods that keep your blood sugar low (think protein and fat), then autophagy can keep trucking along AND you don’t have to worry about when you are eating as you do with fasting. And, autophagy is an oh-so-critical piece for slowing down the aging process. It’s responsible for removing unwanted cellular junk to keep you looking and feeling your best, no matter your age.
The research behind this type of fasting protocol is pretty similar to other forms of fasting. Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, mental clarity, immune support, and more. Interestingly, studies suggest that using this type of fasting mimicking protocol a few days a week but eating normally for the other days can help with weight loss and disease prevention as much as following a daily low-calorie diet.
So, with this smart fasting protocol, you can essentially eat delicious, nourishing meals throughout the day and still reap all the benefits of fasting. Sounds like a win to me.
When I first incorporated fasting as part of my wellness practice, I started noticing outward signs of the benefits – clear, glowing skin, mental clarity, and a few stubborn pounds that seemed to slip off. And while these are all amazing, the true benefits of fasting are related to what’s happening inside our cells. Fasting turns your body into a cellular cleaning machine, getting rid of cells that contribute to aging and disease and making room for healthy, stronger cells.
This is why I created the ReBoot, a smart fast program designed to help you feel and look your best by feeding your body with whole, fresh foods that work in harmony with your body’s natural rhythms. This reset is designed to help you get back into alignment and nourish yourself from the inside out in just five days. You can do anything for five days right?
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