@Jasoncscs: And your degree in biochemistry is from where?

Check out practical zoology- plenty of animals benefit from a varied eating pattern. Why shouldn't it be studied in people?

swalve

@DEEESSEEE Actually I did RTFA.

Here's a fun quote: "Mattson adds that because complete fasting is difficult to study and there is little actual research comparing people who fast with those who don't, it's not clear whether complete fasting (water only) is also beneficial."

I think the fasting issue gets midly contentious because of what is mentioned in @CWW's post: "They get so accustomed to food that's laden with butter and sauce and meat that it's sometimes good to reset and regain the appreciation for simple flavors."

It just doesn't make sense. Eating in a way that isn't healthy in the long run peppered by not eating at all isn't really a healthy approach. It's like this thought of "oh I have been abusing my body for some time so I should quit eating entirely to allow it to rest".

So then we have to look at why the poor eating habit in the first place.

Eating in a way that is harmonious with your body's design will keep it healthy and functioning well your whole life.

And @DEEESSEEE you are right. I should have prefaced my post with the fact that I am a trainer and I see the world through that lens, and when I see people fasting because they need to "reset" I wonder why.

Why not nourish your body?

Why consume so much with so little nourishment and then switch to no nourishment at all?

Jasoncscs

For years, my family would do a quarterly fast (my parents probably still do, I don't live at home). I don't know if there was any purging of toxins or anything like that but it really did help me appreciate very basic food. For a few days after each fast, we'd eat really simply: rice porridge, steamed veggies, broth. And even now, those are some of my favorite meals. At the very least, it helps reset your taste buds. They get so accustomed to food that's laden with butter and sauce and meat that it's sometimes good to reset and regain the appreciation for simple flavors. (Which in the long run is probably good for your health.)

CWW

cayenne pepper, maple syrup, lemons, and water!

tedgotsoul

I'm all for fasting. There are a lot of studies that show consuming only water is a great was to purge toxins from the body.
I think it also gives people an idea of what it's like to be poor and go hungry for a day. It's not quite the same since you know you have food available, but you really know what it means to have an empty stomach.

A3sthetix

@Jasoncscs: Are you kidding? Did you even RTFA?

Where is the evidence?
"He points to studies where rats and mice were fed every other day.Compared with those fed normal daily diets, there was a reduction in disease among the rats that were severely restricted in their food intake."
"Proponents say small, short-term studies find that complete fasting lowers blood pressure and reduces cancer risk."

You base your whole post on the fact that fasting cannot be beneficial. Are you a doctor? Are you a scientist that experimented with fasting? Do you have a source to back up anything you say? NPR is a very trustworthy and unbiased source, don't you think they screen people before they let them on? Stop being so stubborn and ignorant and listen to the people that are more qualified than you.

My one problem with this article is it never mentioned how often one can fast without being unhealthy. Once a week, month, year, or decade makes a pretty big difference.

Deeesseee

What's funny is that some of these studies make it seem like all of these free radicals our bodies produce are destroying us and we are powerless to do much about it. We have an average life expectancy in the upper 70's and those people did not have the "benefit" of all this research to get them there.

While I am not a huge low carb kind of guy (although I do believe in moderating them), I found that when I did a low carb diet for a little bit, it completely killed off my sugar cravings. Eliminations diets can sometimes do the trick when used as a targeted strategy.

Kuz

Jasoncscs, good call.

I await the DIY article on changing electrical outlets and getting zapped to give the heart a rest. Those particularly adept at multitasking can simultaneously experience electroshock therapy. Just think how efficient you would be.

There'll be plenty of time for resting when we're dead.

xoted

I really hate the idea of fasting. Fasting is dumb. Since why does your digestive system need a break? Where is the evidence?

And jeezum crow, if you are concerned about diabetes then why the heck would you screw with your blood sugar like that? Diabetes and fasting, that is seriously asking for trouble.

NO unfortunately you still have to learn to eat properly. Which means you have to eat in such a way as you nourish your body. And since your body can only utilize a small amount of nutrients per feeding you will have to earn how to make choices that deliver high quality nutrition on at regular intervals several times a day.

Which is the exact opposite of fasting. Yes your body was designed to Survive a fast, but that will not aid you in Thriving. In fact it could screw you up.

If you really want to treat your digestive system well then you can start by eating breakfast and then making sure that you are eating similar sized meals, with a similar nutrient profile, at regular intervals throughout the day.

My Blog post about "The Cleanse" fasting diet (worst diet ever) is here: www.trainerdirect.com/?p=37

Jasoncscs

@Deeesseee: Seriously? You are giving Jasoncscs a hard time because he is not a doctor because he questions a study that has a pretty flimsy piece of "evidence" that not eating is good for you? Or Swalve questioning where he got his degree in biochemistry from?

Here is the crux of my problem with these fasting plans: why would you want to put your body in a state of catabolism where your muscle is being used as fuel? How can that possibly be a benefit? If you have issues with insulin sensitivity and such... oh, I dunno... cut out sugars for a while?

Kuz

A great way to purge your body of toxins is to stop eating foods with toxins in them. Stick to local, organic and fresh foods and you'll probably be a lot better off. Fasting, then going back to your normal diet is not going to help you.

dognose

Jasoncscs is incorrect, Kuz -- there is a growing body of evidence that intermittent fasting is healthier -- and actually ANABOLIC, rather than catabolic -- than "several small meals throughout the day." Yes, it's counter-intuitive, hard to believe, but the actual evidence proves that eating one meal a day builds more muscle and burns more fat than eating several small meals during the day. It's also less inflammatory.

Go to PubMed, search on "intermittent fasting", and read how repeated fasts builds muscle, burns fat, and protects against diabetes, Alzheimers, heart attacks, and hypertension.

And keep in mind that virtually everything that is "obvious" to people about diet is untrue.

That Bastid

@THAT BASTID

I am not incorrect. As the science of intermittent fasting still does not produce a reliable result.

There's a great analysis of the studies here:

[tinyurl.com]

Jasoncscs

Why are you guys even arguing the point? The animal studies provide pretty strong support and combine that with real world cultures that live on essentially reduced calorie diets by avoiding the excessive consumption of food that seems to plague America that have longer healthier lives it seems pretty trivial to argue that an occasional fast would harm you.

JFitzpatrick

@Kuz: I'm not sure what you're talking about. Every healthy person has enough stored fat to live a day without consuming ones own muscles for fuel. They probably have enough food still in their gut from the day before to sustain them without ever having to go to fat storage... And you way misstate what catabolism is.

[en.wikipedia.org]

@Jasoncscs: Why hide behind tinyurl? The linked article is to a commercial website for a guy selling a book, and probably other things too. "stoking the metabolic furnace" isn't a scientific concept, it's meathead muscleman speak.

swalve

@A3sthetix:

Please provide a single peer reviewed study showing that fasting (AKA starving) removes "toxins". Additionally, please provide definition of said "toxins" (i.e., wtf are you talking about?).

Nothing irks me more than the stupidity of an argument validating removal of "toxins", i.e. starvation ("fasting"), enemas ("colonics").

Welcome to Idiocracy.

gobytrain

@Jasoncscs: Well said Jason, this is bunk. I'm disappointed this "story" was published by LH.

uselesscamper

@SWALVE about the commercial website - Um, we're on a commercial website. Does that somehow make it less valid?

Also a note to all: I drew a line in the sand when I jumped on this post, and I just wanted to thank all commenters for the dialogue. It has informed me and expanded my knowledge base and I am looking forward to more exciting comment boards.

Jasoncscs

Hey @swalve I was not hiding behind a tiny url the permalink was huge so I used tiny url to do what it was designed for - make a big url (72 characters) small.

Also I wanted to make sure the link went straight to the article not his main page.

And did you read his post?!

An excellent look at the experiments done on intermittent fasting with some valuable conclusions especially for people looking to make a decision about fasting.

And you just shot yourself in the foot by throwing down that "meathead muscleman speak".

The endeavors of that "muscleman meathead" are quite valid, comprehensive, critical, and well educated. And I think it would benefit you to read that article. Because he agrees with you that stoking the metabolic furnace is not a scientific term. Although if you use google scholar to look up scientific papers on "Thermic Effect of Feeding" you will get some interesting results that prove it is real.

I also think it would benefit you to read the wiki that you referenced to @Kuz because it states at the end of the second paragraph that he is right - Catabolism is the breakdown of muscle tissue.

Jasoncscs

Quackwatch may have something on it, if you prefer a non-commercial site.
[www.quackwatch.org]

Johnay

I am officially freaked out by Lifehacker, as this has got to be the fifth time in as many months a post directly relates to a situation in my actual life. Get out of my brains!!!

In regards to this post, just last week, on a whim, I went on a pseudo-fast where for three days the only meal I ate was a light dinner (and water throughout the day). I have no research or scientific data, but I do know that I never felt excessive hunger, my traditionally turbulent stomach problems were (and a week later continue to be) non-existent and I now have renewed interest in foods I was previously bored with!

To me, my results were positive and I think that it, or even a 100% no-food fast, is something I'll try to do once a month as a sort-of Gastrointestinal Reset Button.

LastVigilante

Thanks for introducing me to Quackwatch, Johnay!

Did you see today's posting, ""Detoxification" with Pills and Fasting"?

Say no more.

gobytrain

There's fasting, and then there's not being a pig.

Low calorie diets have been shown to increase life span, in mice. However, a (medically) balanced low calorie diet is not the same thing as fasting and mice are not always the equivalent of people.

The lemon juice, honey, yada-yada is for hipster dopes.

gobytrain

Just wanted to echo @A3sthetix -

The impetus behind fasting esp. for "detox" seems to be some sort of belief that our bodies are somehow harmful to us, or that they are somehow poisoned i.e "toxic".

Most of that argument can be traced back to making a great sale on either a product or a belief that plays on fears, and sucker's wallets.

The human body is a wonderful, adaptable, self healing, miracle and should be gently encouraged to just "do it's thing". Namely stay alive and well.

Intermittent stresses definitely make the body stronger and healthier (like running or weight training do). And I am glad to see the post from
@LASTVIGILANTE resulted in a deeper connection to the body.

Jasoncscs

I just want to be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR that I did not just advocate fasting instead of running as a way to good health. I was pointing out that they have the same metabolic effect on your body's glycogen levels and hence your blood sugar and insulin (and glucagon) production. Running has numerous other benefits that fasting wouldn't.

CWW

@Jasoncscs: Yeesh, I think I was totally misunderstood. I didn't mean "reset" in the hard sense, I said reset your tastebuds. Seriously. I'm a biologist, I don't advocate fasting as a means to health until there's hard research. But fasting makes you hungry, hunger is a great spice and it makes plain vegetables taste phenomenal. Maybe it's me, but after months of eating meat and very rich dishes every day, a day eating something plain is sort of bland. But after a day of fasting, oh man, that stuff tastes great.

Also I wouldn't knock this study as much as you. It's not saying that fasting all the time is healthy. However, a day-long fast doesn't have to be harmful. Consider this. Your liver can store enough glycogen (assuming light exercise) to maintain your blood sugar for 36 hours or so before it starts needing to metabolize ketones and proteins. If you only ever fast for nine hours (the traditional overnight fast) your blood sugar never really dips (assuming a fully working metabolic system). The body has numerous homeostatic set points, one of which is blood sugar. If it's set too high, it's a burden on the beta-cells of your pancreas. Fasting and letting the blood sugar level dip may (I won't say will until I read the papers) help adjust that set point to a slightly lower (and possibly healthier) level. I won't argue that this is actually the case, but it's medically entirely possible. This is exactly the same effect as when you run a marathon, eat fewer calories than you burn for numerous days or go on an extremely limiting low-carb diet: you deplete your glycogen and reduce your blood sugar. As a trainer, you may not advocate fasting, but you can't really argue with running a marathon.

CWW

Thank you @CWW, great point. And just because I am a trainer doesn't mean I recommend running a marathon.

Most people forget that the term became legend because it commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C.

Legend has it that Pheidippides delivered the momentous message "Niki!" ("victory"), then collapsed and died.

Which should indicate to you how stressful it can be on a body. So that's my argument against running a marathon. I know lots of people do it every year and no one dies, but no one really talks about the damage that can be done. Marathon and fasting: two extremes.

No, my approach (if you have not gleaned it thus far) is much more moderate. Eat right for your goals, NOURISH your body, and stress it as much as you can recover from it with resistance and a more moderate approach to cardiovascular training.

Jasoncscs