07/22/2022
Easy access to an overabundance of food is so recent that our body hasn’t caught up with the changes and is struggling to cope with, and even dying from, the excess of food we feed it each day.
👉Our DNA has not evolved to handle the current cycle of eating that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner with snacks in between.
Our body is designed to expertly handle a scarcity of food and offers awe-inspiring systems that spring into action when food is in short supply — wise mechanisms that allow it to continue to function well until the next meal arrives. We are genetically programmed for metabolic rest for 12-18 hours overnight, which is why I am a fan of intermittent fasting (IF).Skip back to the previous post for my top reasons to try IF.
For those that had questions about how to get started or what to do if there are thyroid or adrenal issues, here are my answers:
🟡To start, try fasting once a week to get your body used to the process. The best way to do this is to stop eating at dinner time and then start eating again at 10 am the following day. Most of the time you are sleeping so you can do this. I recommend that women start slowly at first and ramp up to a 12-hour fast with a 12-hour eating window, then move to a 14-hour fast with a 10-hour eating window, and from there to 16-8.
🟡If you have thyroid issues, Hashimoto's in particular, you may be concerned about blood sugar. Ultimately, IF helps blood sugar swings. But the key as always is to listen to your body. Start slow, ramp up step by step. If you don't feel right, then you may need to address the root cause first instead of simultaneously.
🟡For those who asked about IF and high cortisol and adrenal issues, my answer again is to listen to your body. You can track your blood sugar and ketones to see how your body is responding to intermittent fasting.
🟡What about exercising while intermittently fasting? When people are first beginning, you may need to perform exercises such as yoga or Pilates on your intermittent fast days.
