Nutrition & Diet Fasting and Health

[Music Platter]

I was watching a Michael Mosley documentary on Nova the other day, which discussed the effects of fasting (not all the time, just for two days of the week) on health. The documentary linked this type of fasting with longer life and a lower risk for health problems, such as cancer and mental problems, when your older. While I know that I personally will not try this out right now, I thought it was an interesting idea, and one that deserved some attention.

Here's a pretty good summary of the video:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/feast-famine-controversial-fast-diet-weight-loss-plan/story?id=18613821

And here's the video, if you feel like watching it.
http://video.pbs.org/video/2363162206/

 

[Amy SF]

People are willing to try every diet they can think of to lose weight, and they may work in the short term, but I don't think they work in the long term. And eating whatever you want as much as you want for 5 days and then fasting for two days? Doesn't seem like a good idea to me. My mantra is "everything in moderation". If you eat a healthy, balanced diet 7 days a week, get enough calories for your BMI and don't overdo it, and get 30-60 minutes of exercise every day, you should be fine. That's just my opinion.

 

[ledboots]

The other day I had an overweight pregnant woman ask if fasting was a good way to lose weight while pregnant.

 

[PTree15]

The other day I had an overweight pregnant woman ask if fasting was a good way to lose weight while pregnant.

Yikes, that's a little scary. I like the idea of fasting occasionally, but I'm not sure I could make it through the day.

 

[KLS52]

Yikes, that's a little scary. I like the idea of fasting occasionally, but I'm not sure I could make it through the day.

Same here! In the rare occasions I do, I always feel pretty good afterward.

This thread reminds me...it's time to schedule my dreaded every-five-years colonoscopy.

 

[PTree15]

LOL! Me, too, as a matter of fact.

 

[Scorpius]

This thread reminds me...it's time to schedule my dreaded every-five-years colonoscopy.

The prep for that made me SO SICK. Apparently, my body sucks at fasting (which is kind of funny, seeing I've had a restricting-type eating disorder for over a decade). I get very nauseous (probably from GERD) and dehydrate very easily.

 

[Envy]

I'm trying the method of eating during a certain window of the day, but I may just quit it because I'm not really checking any eventual weight losses anyway.

 

[ledboots]

The prep for that made me SO SICK. Apparently, my body sucks at fasting (which is kind of funny, seeing I've had a restricting-type eating disorder for over a decade). I get very nauseous (probably from GERD) and dehydrate very easily.

The prep is *horrible*. The IV valium, not so bad.

 

[thefadedone]

IMO, I don't think fasting is a good or safe idea

The other day I had an overweight pregnant woman ask if fasting was a good way to lose weight while pregnant.

That's terrible. Also kind of enraging that she would even think about endangering her unborn baby like that.

Apparently, my body sucks at fasting (which is kind of funny, seeing I've had a restricting-type eating disorder for over a decade). I get very nauseous (probably from GERD) and dehydrate very easily.

Same here.

 

[Music Platter]

People are willing to try every diet they can think of to lose weight, and they may work in the short term, but I don't think they work in the long term. And eating whatever you want as much as you want for 5 days and then fasting for two days? Doesn't seem like a good idea to me. My mantra is "everything in moderation". If you eat a healthy, balanced diet 7 days a week, get enough calories for your BMI and don't overdo it, and get 30-60 minutes of exercise every day, you should be fine. That's just my opinion.

I think the science behind it has to do with how your body is constantly creating new cells, leaving more opportunities for cancer to slip in and mess up your body. According to this documentary and Michael Mosley (whom I am a fan of, BTW), doing the fasting helps put your body into a different mode, where it is not focusing on creating new cells. Of course, whatever you eat during the five non-fasting days would probably be represented in your health, especially nutrient-wise.

IMO, I don't think fasting is a good or safe idea

I always used to think that fasting was something that only religious people did on holidays. Seeing this made me think of it differently.

 

[SummerRain]

As far as I understand, isn't all the science that suggests fasting will make you live longer based on rodent studies? I didn't think there was any human-based evidence. But I might be wrong it's not something I've looked into a great deal.

 

[ledboots]

IMO, I don't think fasting is a good or safe idea



That's terrible. Also kind of enraging that she would even think about endangering her unborn baby like that.
.

This newly pregnant woman was very overweight, so she thought she would be helping the baby by being thinner. She just didn't have a clue, but she's seeing a nutritionist starting this week.

 

[Scorpius]

The prep is *horrible*. The IV valium, not so bad.

It didn't make me fall asleep during the procedure.

 

[ledboots]

It didn't make me fall asleep during the procedure.

Well that is sick. At least they could have given you something with it to take away the memory of the procedure.

Sorry you had a bad time of it and hope you can get your digestion cleared up pronto.

 

[Music Platter]

As far as I understand, isn't all the science that suggests fasting will make you live longer based on rodent studies? I didn't think there was any human-based evidence. But I might be wrong it's not something I've looked into a great deal.

They did have tests done to compare Mosley and the the fasters, and also to compare Mosley before and after the tests, which I believe showed a general improvement, at least in his heart health. I don't remember all the specifics, I would have to look at the video again.

 

[Catherine1]

lol i never..