Is Intermittent Fasting For You?

Food and drink keep us alive and functioning, through the chemical processes of metabolism in our body. Metabolism involves many chemical reactions, to break down food to use as energy for life processes and to create building blocks for the building and repair of body tissues. 

 

Our metabolism shifts between storing and releasing energy in response to our body being fed or fasted. After we have eaten, our body enters a fed state, lasting for about 4 to 8 hours after eating, when our body actively digests food and absorbs nutrients, using glucose for energy. The raised glucose in our blood triggers the release of insulin in our pancreas. After a few hours without eating, when we have finished digesting and absorbing food, we enter a fasted state. This is when our body has a rest from digesting food. Insulin levels drop and our body uses stored glycogen or fat burning for energy. 

Fasting acts like a metabolic switch, when accessible glucose from food runs out and insulin levels drop significantly, stored body fat becoming more accessible for energy. Frequent snacking, common in the modern world, creates a constant fed state, when we rely on glucose for fuel. During fasting, when glucose is no longer available as a source for energy, the body draws on the body’s stored energy reserves. 

Fasting activates the vital process of cellular breakdown and repair, initiating the body’s natural cleaning process through breaking down and recycling old and damaged cell parts. This process, known as autophagy (meaning literally “self-eating”), is the body’s protective spring cleaning process. Damaged cell parts are removed and recycled into new building blocks and energy, protecting the body against some disease states. 

There is no single or “right” way to fast. A range of approaches fall under the umbrella of fasting, and may be described as time restricted eating or intermittent fasting. These fasting approaches are increasingly recognised as more than a diet for weight loss, with the potential as a tool for wellbeing suited to your lifestyle and linked to your health goals. 

 

A fasting window is created when you eat during a number of hours a day and fast for the remaining hours, such as eating during 8 hours (for example between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM and fasting for 16 hours (including overnight sleep). 

 

An intermittent fasting pattern is based on eating “normally” for five days a week and restricting calorie intake to 500-600 calories for two nonconsecutive days during the week. 

 

A Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) is a form of periodic fasting developed by Dr Valter Longo. The 5 day FMD has been designed to “trick” the body into entering a cellular fasting and regenerative state while allowing precisely calculated amounts of food. 

Other approaches are more extreme, such as one meal a day or periodic fasting for more than 24 hours. 

 

Whatever approach is chosen, safe fasting practice depends on keeping hydrated and eating nutritious food during the eating window. 

Research shows that there are a number of key areas of health which may benefit from fasting, including: 

 

 

Recent research suggests that fasting may also benefit mental clarity and brain health. 

Fasting is a powerful tool that is not suitable for everyone. Fasting should not be undertaken if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have a history of an eating disorder. 

 

If you have diabetes, are taking medication affecting blood sugar or blood pressure or you have an underlying health condition, you should seek medical advice before considering fasting. 

Safe fasting is about reconnecting with your body's natural rhythms, for health benefits such as weight loss, blood sugar balance, cellular repair and heart health. It isn't about deprivation—it’s about giving your digestive system a rest and allowing your body to focus on repair and renewal. Whether you start with a simple 12-hour overnight fast or explore a more structured intermittent fasting pattern, your goal should always be a sustainable, healthier you. It is vital to listen to your body and it is recommended that you consult a health professional before beginning fasting.