Balance.
Harmony.
No matter what aspect of health we look at, these concepts are what we keep coming back to.
I’ve seen many articles that talk about everyone needing to fast.
Either recommending 4 day block fasts or jumping right into a 18 / 6 intermittent fast.
And yet other articles are all about how fasting is not a good way to go.
But when it comes to our health, things are typically not black or white.
Fasting, for example, is a fantastic healing tool.
Yet, when I start working with someone new, I generally can’t jump them into a full on fast.
Why?
Because many people have metabolic issues on a cellular level.
That means the body cannot shift info fasting mode properly.
That can then stress out the adrenals.
Especially for those of us who get hangry, there is healing that needs to take place.
BUT, this does not mean people shouldn’t fast.
It does mean we need to take healing steps that ease the body back into being capable of adapting.
We’ll first start tweaking their nutrition.
Adding in some healthy fats.
Focusing on healthier food choices based on their needs.
We’ll look at how often they are consuming calories each day (not how many, just how often)…
… and depending on what that number is, we’ll start reducing that number a bit.
We may start shifting dinner sooner and breakfast later to increase the time they are already fasting.
As we take those steps, a better understanding of the body’s signals usually starts coming along as well.
And for some of us (myself included), it is completely natural to not want breakfast.
For others, not eating breakfast would be the worst thing ever.
This is very individualistic and that’s fine as long as it is you listening to your body.
There are a lot of factors that go into who needs what and when.
That’s why learning to notice the cues your body sends you is really important.
And even when we’ve achieved health where fasting is a breeze, we still don’t want a regimented schedule of 16 / 8 or whatever ratio it may be.
Because variation is still important.
It is the body’s ability to adapt that makes us truly healthy.
And your body’s needs can vary from season to season, from day to day even.
But it’s never just eat this one particular way forever.
I do want to add, we do not attempt fasting during pregnancy.
Additionally, for women, fasting may not always be a good option during your period.
The body is doing a lot of work during our periods, so just in case, keep in mind that it’s ok if right now your body prefers not fasting during your period.
That was certainly the case for me several years ago.
So it all comes back to balance and harmony.
When to fast, and for how long, completely varies not only from person to person, but within one person depending on the day and the body’s needs.
Luckily, that variation is healthy for us anyway.
