 Does intermittent fasting really help? (0:08) Well, the simple answer is yes, but it does depend on how you do it. (0:12) And if done correctly, it does work as a fairly powerful treatment modality. (0:18) Most people will define intermittent fasting simply as restricted eating, (0:23) which it is, but that is not really where the value of intermittent fasting is.
(0:27) Its real value actually comes from keeping the stomach totally empty (0:32) for a period of 12, 14, 16 or sometimes up to 18 hours. (0:37) Now just try and understand, the stomach is a muscular sack (0:40) and as a muscle, it contracts and it expands. (0:45) It is actually when the stomach can fully contract itself, (0:50) which happens when there has been no food or other substances in it for a prolonged period of time, (0:55) that it regains its vitality.
(0:59) In that full contraction, it gets a chance to release all its toxins, (1:04) which are there in its surrounding layers and cells and hence cleanses itself of it. (1:10) As the muscle contracts, the surrounding organs, which is the liver, the spleen, the pancreas, (1:16) as well as the heart and the respiratory mechanisms, (1:19) also get a chance to release their toxins through the stomach and via the stool. (1:26) And this is where the real value of intermittent fasting really lies.
(1:31) Who should do it? For sure those who have a bad stomach, (1:36) they will benefit the most. And when I say a bad stomach, (1:40) what that really means is, if you feel a sense of heaviness after eating, (1:45) if you feel you burp, belch or fart too much, (1:52) if you feel that meals make you tired and almost you want to lie down, (1:57) or you have a sense of acidity and indigestion frequently, (2:01) then you don’t have a good stomach. And like I said, these organs that sit together (2:06) also tend to impact each other.
So a prolonged or chronically bad stomach (2:12) over a period of time will also then cause something in your liver or something in your pancreas (2:17) or something in your respiratory system or something in your heart. (2:21) So for all these organs to feel healthy, you do need an empty stomach every now and then. (2:31) There are only two things to keep in mind really when we are going to do intermittent fasting.
(2:36) One is the duration of the fast and the second is how we break the fast. (2:42) Now starting with the first one, mostly people do this between a 14-16 hour window and that is fine. (2:52) But it really does depend on what your starting point is.
(2:55) It also depends on whether you are using intermittent fasting specifically to treat a diagnosed condition. (3:02) But if that is not the point and you want general health benefits and a very healthy stomach (3:09) and also the surrounding organs which don’t really have a chronic disease, (3:13) then a 14 hour window is most recommended. (3:16) What this means is that for 14 hours, nothing other than water, (3:21) and this includes a lot of liquids that people sometimes misunderstand and keep having, (3:26) should go into your stomach.
(3:33) The other thing to keep in mind is actually the timing of the fast. (3:39) So what works best is if you stop eating the previous day, say around 7-7.30 (3:44) and then restart eating at about 9am or 9.30 the next day, (3:49) then it gives you the most useful 14 hour window to keep the stomach empty. (3:53) This also aligns well with the natural circadian rhythm of the body.
(3:58) So this timing of the intermittent fast is most recommended. (4:01) Now I do know of people who actually focus on the timing of it, (4:06) but they stop eating at 10pm the previous night and then restart eating the next day around noon or even later. (4:12) And it does still give you some benefits.
(4:15) But like I mentioned, if you align the timing also with the natural circadian rhythm of your body, (4:22) then you are bound to get maximum benefit out of it. (4:31) The third point to keep in mind when we are doing intermittent fasting, (4:35) and this is also the most crucial, is how you break this fast or how you come out of this fast. (4:41) Now, a lot of people sometimes break it with a stimulant, which is a tea or a coffee.
(4:49) And surprisingly here, coffee seems to work for most people. (4:53) And it is not actually that it works, it’s just that because coffee does not hit the stomach directly, (4:59) people don’t sense the discomfort that quickly. (5:03) If you did it with tea, the discomfort is more obvious and quick.
(5:07) But with coffee, because it bypasses the stomach, people often feel that coffee works during intermittent fasting (5:15) and hence they tend to break their fast next day with sometimes even black coffee. (5:20) I would highly advise against it. (5:23) These are both stimulants and this is not what your stomach needs when it has been empty for such a long period of time.
(5:30) The best way to break the fast is actually with the fruit juice. (5:34) And since we are also trying to tone the stomach more, carrot juice, orange juice or sweet lime juice actually works best. (5:43) If for any reason you find the citrus juices slightly more acidic, then please dilute them with a little bit of water and then have it.
(5:53) If you already have high sugar in the morning and are also trying to lose a lot more weight through this modality, (6:02) then eating a whole fruit will actually benefit you more. (6:06) Papayas work best, followed by apples and followed by raw carrots actually. (6:11) So you can decide on what is seasonal and also what suits you more when you eat it.
(6:17) But this would be the best meal to have as you are coming out of this fast on a regular basis. (6:23) So in terms of priority, there are really only three things to keep in mind. (6:28) How you break the fast is priority number one.
(6:32) The hours of the fast are priority number two. (6:35) And the timing, which is when do you stop eating the previous night and when do you start eating in the morning is actually priority number three here. (6:50) Who should do it? (6:52) As I mentioned earlier in the video, anybody who has issues with their liver, their lungs, their heart, their spleen, their pancreas or their respiratory system should do it.
(7:04) It is quite beneficial to tone these organs. (7:08) If you do have high morning fasting sugar or you are trying to cut weight, obesity or you have fatty liver, then intermittent fasting is especially helpful. (7:20) Who should not do it? (7:22) Well, the only people who should not do it is people whose starting point is actually deficiencies.
(7:27) So what I mean by that is if you have anemia or you have vitamin and mineral deficiencies, then the intermittent fasting modality is not for you. (7:38) You can actually end up with worse health outcomes after doing intermittent fasting if this is your starting point. (7:44) This is why I would also recommend that a basic blood test which checks for these things is advised, especially if you’re trying to do a prolonged fasting for about two to three to four to six months.
(7:57) Get that done and then you can try this for yourself. (8:01) If you’re trying to treat a chronic or disease condition, then I would recommend doing this under supervision. (8:08) You can get in touch with us.
(8:10) Our WhatsApp number and website are the best way of contacting us. (8:15) Both of these are available on the Insta page.