The Four-Letter “F” Word in Health Care Today
What is the number one four-letter “F” word in health care (medicine) today?
This word seems to represent a concept that is so evil, potentially harmful, and ridiculous that people I work with tell me that when they share our plan with their doctor the doctor has a small fit! I have even had reports of them actually calling me names, questioning my education, and threatening to stop working with these people if they follow my plan.
Wow. What word or concept could be so dangerous?
Fast.
As in not eating. Fasting. That is it. I must be a demon.
There are many ways to fast and to get the powerful benefits of fasting. Such as:
- Juice fasting
- Fat fasting
- Fasting mimicking diet
- Pseudo fasting
- Rotational fasting
- Intermittent fasting
- Water fasting
- Block fasting
- Functional Fasting
- Rotational Fasting
And probably a few more.
Doctor: “Fasting causes your body to go into starvation mode!”
Me: No more than drinking water causes you to go into drowning mode.
Doctor: “Fasting lowers your metabolism!”
Me: No, it raises it when tested.
Doctor: “Fasting is too hard on the body!”
Me: No, when done right and following the proper progression it is extremely easy on your body and healing.
Doctor: “You will get hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) if you fast!”
Me: No you won’t.
Doctor: “Your brain needs regular glucose to run itself!”
Me: It needs less than you think and your body can make all it needs without food.
I could go on and on.
NOTE: You can learn a lot about your health by fasting. How your body does over time without food is a great measure of how resilient and healthy it is. If you CAN’T skip even a single meal or snack, or even one day of eating without major issues…..then yes, you do have major issues, but not due to the fasting.
The best way I have found to approach this is to make a long-term plan and build up to different levels of fasting. I have tried them all and last year did a full 30 day fast myself.
The fasting state is natural and works different metabolic, hormonal, and neurological pathways than the fed state does.
Most people need to train these pathways as one would get in shape in the gym, regular effort over time. But when done right the “fitness” on the other side is amazing and worth it.
Quick tips:
- One week before a fast take all insoluble fiber out of your diet.
- Start small and work your way up….as in start with just eating 3 meals a day and no snacking.
- Yes, you can drink water, coffee, tea, or organic broth if it helps…..in the beginning.
Something is better than nothing and over time it gets easier and the experience better.
Give it a shot, you will actually SAVE money by doing this…..then invest that money into more advanced health efforts, whole foods, or programs.
We can do better!
Let me know how it goes my friends!
Dr. Don
