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Dear Nutritionist:
I really enjoyed reading your article about creating 10 healthy meals. It was very inspiring and as someone who has tried different diet fads, this seems to make a lot of sense. I am interested in knowing what you think about intermittent fasting as proposed by the Keto diet.
I am not a big breakfast eater, but since I started the one meal a day thing, I ended up getting a cold. Low immune?
Sincerely,
Angie
Dear Angie,
Thank you for the feedback! I’m glad you enjoyed the meal ideas and encourage you to continue exploring a low carb, Paleo lifestyle to get off the diet fad merry go round.
There’s a bit of a learning curve up front, but it pays off in spades once you get the hang of it. If you need coaching, don’t hesitate to reach out for more personalized support.
Your question about intermittent fasting is actually the most common one I get asked about Paleo or ketogenic diets. It really seems to speak to people, especially now that keto is all over the internet, with more than a few celebs on board.
To answer your question directly, my personal opinion is that intermittent fasting is one of the most effective — and natural — health hacks for optimal health and longevity. For readers who aren’t familiar with what it is, I will explain the concept and how to do it safely.
But first let me tell you who I believe should not be exploring intermittent (or any) fasting.
I do not think children and youth should fast with any regularity, unless they are obese or have been diagnosed with a condition for which it has been recommended therapeutically — say, for example, fatty liver or seizure control.
Youth need to eat regular meals to support their growth and activity levels. I also do not think pregnant and lactating women should fast and I do not believe people with eating disorders should attempt this sort of diet. In addition, those who have very low body fat may not be able to fast for any length of time.
This is because, in a fasting state, the body will cannibalize itself for energy. If there is fat tissue, the body prefers fat and no harm is done. But if there is no fat tissue, the body starts to break down proteins from muscle tissue to use for fuel. And loss of muscle tissue is never a good thing.
The human body is quite ingenious and can switch in and out of these states (sugar burning, fat burning, protein burning) in a very short period of time, to adapt to circumstances.
To get into ketosis and become a natural fat burner, one need only get their sugars and carbs down to below 15 to 20 grams a day and eat a good portion of fat and complete protein each day.
At that point the body switches into fat burning mode and starts using stored body fat for energy whenever there is a calorie deficit. And it does this without dips in energy, mood, mental acuity, or blood sugar.
What’s more, there is a huge drop off in appetite and in cravings. So it’s quite ideal for those of us with excess body fat to burn!
Lest people get worried here, let me clarify that this is a very safe and normal way for the body to function.
In fact, a lot of leading functional medicine practitioners and holistic doctors feel this is the optimal metabolic state for human beings to thrive in (Dr. Mercola, Dr. Axe, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Perlmutter, and Chris Kresser to name a few). And I have to agree.
In case readers haven’t heard of intermittent fasting (IF), this is the concept that if one avoids foods for a good length of time to restrict calories, (say by skipping a meal), the fat-burning capacity can be turned up, and doing this randomly or routinely is good for health in a variety of different ways. Most people time these fasts to replace a morning or evening meal to extend the fasting time window.
However — and many people miss this part — if you aren’t fat-adapted (in deep ketosis) and you fast, your body will crank up the carb cravings and this often results in poor meal choices when the fast is broken.
Many clients come to me thinking they are intermittent fasting for benefit when really they are skipping breakfast only to eat a very poor lunch, loaded with carbs. So, in essence, they had zero nutrients for breakfast and zero nutrients for lunch and now have to metabolize toxic foodstuff, which taxes the body and robs the nutrient bank further.
This mode of fasting does not help the body get the nutrients it needs for optimal health. And that is ultimately what intentional eating is all about.
In a healthy lifestyle, a healthy weight/body mass index should be a byproduct of optimal health, not the other way around.
So, while intermittent fasting can be a great tool to optimize your keto state and supercharge fat burning efficiency, it is not something I recommend to people who are not consuming really healthy, nutrient dense meals when they do eat. Nor is it something I recommend to those who are not yet fat-adapted.
OMAD (one meal a day), in my opinion, is for people who have been in ketosis and fat-adapted for a good period of time, not beginners. It’s simply too hard to sustain.
I know there is often a real desire to lose the excess weight NOW DAMMIT in the summer, and that’s a great motivator for change, but I don’t think this kind of extreme is healthy as a starting point.
I suggest intermittent fasting wherein nutrient dense, low-carb food is eaten during a six-hour window during the day to start out. If that is done right, it can be as effective as OMAD for weight loss and optimizing brain health. And it’s really not hard to sustain for many people.
As for your cold symptoms, that is a common, transient experience during the fat-adaptation process, often called “Keto Flu.” It can include low-grade headaches, body aches, fatigue, low energy, brain fog, a runny nose, a sore throat, cravings for stimulants, excessive urination, bad breath, and/or a weird metallic taste in the mouth.
The reason? The body is making a pretty big metabolic shift, and as a result, it’s losing a lot of water.
Sodium is lost in the water and the electrolyte balance is temporarily upset. There is a very simple way to stop or even avoid these symptoms: drink bouillon first thing in the morning and again twice a day when in this phase.
The best bouillon for this is made from bone broth with flavour then added if needed, but if this hits mid week when you’ve no time to cook, an oxo type cube in hot water will also do. The idea is to get the sodium in. I think you will find this solves your “cold” symptoms.
I hope this has answered your questions and you find your groove with fasting!
Namaste!
Nonie Nutritionista
Nonie De Long is a registered orthomolecular nutritionist with a clinic in Bradford West Gwillimbury, where she offers holistic, integrative health care for physical and mental-health issues
