Advantages and Disadvantages of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting has become a popular practice in recent years, and has helped many people achieve better health and loose weight, but there are also some disadvantages to this trend that can negatively impact your health for the future. In order to make a wise decision to know if intermittent fasting is right for you, it is important to look at the pros and cons, but before we go into more detail, let’s better understand what intermittent fasting is.

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule, with emphasis on when to eat, rather than what to eat. With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time frame and fast for a certain number of hours each day.

Technically speaking, intermittent fasting is not a true fast. A True fast begins only after you have gone for 24 hours without food, while drinking only water. However, for the purposes of discussion, we will consider intermittent fasting to be a type of fast, similar to juice fasting and other modes of limiting dietary food intake.

When on an intermittent fast there is a significant reduction in dietary fat because you are eliminating 1-2 fat-based meals a day. This decrease in dietary fat intake, whether it comes from nuts, avocados, eggs, dairy, or animal protein, will help to thin out the blood and support the body in many ways, including weight loss, improving blood-sugar and cholesterol levels, and even protecting organs against chronic diseases, heart disease, age-related neurodegenerative disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and many cancers.

Intermittent fasting can also help us detox more efficiently by eliminating the consumption of fats during the morning hours. When we sleep at night the liver works hard to collect toxins to be excreted throughout the morning. The moment we begin to consume fats, the liver needs to stop the cleansing process in order to produce enough bile to help break down the fats. When this happens, the poisons remain trapped in the bloodstream and enter organs such as the brain. To help the body excrete toxins safely, it is important we properly hydrate ourselves, especially in the morning hours, by drinking lots of water with lemon as well as fruit or vegetable juices.

In order to maintain proper brain function, our body needs a steady intake of glucose and mineral salts. When we go for more than 2-3 hours without fruit or vegetables our body begins to produce adrenaline to help it overcome the drop in blood sugar and the lack of mineral salts. Over time this weighs heavily on the adrenals, and causes us to look for coffee or other stimulating beverages that activate the struggling adrenals (for more information on caffeine, see the article on The Dark Side of Coffee).

Adrenaline often acts as a double-edged sword. On one hand it gives us strength, allows us to cope in adverse situations, and is a natural amphetamine that helps to create clarity, focus, and even helps us feel better. However, over time the increased production of adrenalin (especially if you are drinking coffee between meals) can contribute to Adrenal Fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, aging skin, sluggish liver, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and a worsening of symptoms and conditions you might be seeking to alleviate through fasting.

In order to benefit from intermittent fasting and keep the nervous system strong and the body healthy, it’s critical to provide the body with a consistent balance of glucose and mineral salts, especially if you are experiencing any neurological symptoms, such as anxiety, tremors, tics, spasms, shakes, dizziness, vertigo, balance issues, eye floaters, migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, nerve pain, tingles, or numbness…

Safe Intermittent Fasting Option

Intermittent fasting can be particularly helpful for those with digestive issues. When done properly, intermittent fasting gives the digestive tract extra time to healת without compromising the body’s need for a continual supply of glucose and mineral salts. This can be achieved by integrating a juice fast in the morning hours and late evenings.

When fasting drink 3-4 cups of lemon water followed by 4-8 cups of celery juice and then followed by 2-4 cups of lemon water with a teaspoon of honey, and/or coconut water.

This approach will ensure a steady supply of minerals and glucose to keep your adrenals strong, without adding any calories to your diet.

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