fast and eat on PBS

[acescracked]

Very early this morning I saw a very interesting topic on health on PBS. It seems that there are several studies that suggest that fasting increases quality of life and longevity. Personally I fast when I get a cold and it seems to shorten the duration and severity. But I am going to consider fasting as a part of everyday activities. If you get a chance it is repeating next week on some cable channels but not KETC from what I could tell. Of course you can always purchase it online thru the PBS website.

[gigi_gypsy]

I am looking to get healthier and was researching fasts. I am doing a gentle detox as well to clean out my "innards".

What type of fast do you do? Just water? Juice? Or ??

[Jammer52]

In the past I've tried a few detox methods. The best method for me is nothing but fruit & fruit juices for 2-3 days, or vegetables for 3-4 days, followed by a nice juicy cheeseburger!

[naughtynatale]

I like that idea of the cheeseburger Jammer lol

Does forgetting to eat count as fasting ??? lol

[acescracked]

When I fast it's nothing but water, if it is for a longer duration I might add something in a sports drink line to add vitamins and sodium.

Here is the link for free online viewing; http://video.pbs.org/video/2363162206. If only half of what is reported is correct and people start fasting the need for doctors and hospitals will be greatly reduced. The best thing is that it can be done by anyone and involves nothing special to accomplish. I think that like most things if it becomes a habit it is self sustaining. Part of it was filmed at Washington University in St Louis and was a particularly enlightening segment.

I really want to thank Nat who due to her remarkable genetics made light of this post! Of course maybe she is so blonde as to miss enough meals to actually be fasting as she suggested, LOL!

[gigi_gypsy]

LOL

Thank you everyone for sharing!!!!

[bluffcityguy]

Originally Posted by acescracked

Very early this morning I saw a very interesting topic on health on PBS. It seems that there are several studies that suggest that fasting increases quality of life and longevity. Personally I fast when I get a cold and it seems to shorten the duration and severity. But I am going to consider fasting as a part of everyday activities. If you get a chance it is repeating next week on some cable channels but not KETC from what I could tell. Of course you can always purchase it online thru the PBS website.

See: Wikipedia: Intermittent fasting

I've been doing this for roughly 4 years now: basically I fast for 24 hours 3-5 days per week. "Fasting" in this context is basically a full dinner, followed by nothing caloric until dinnertime next day; so, e.g., if I fast Monday that means that I don't eat anything from Sunday dinner through Monday dinner. I started fasting Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and kept that up for about 3 years; lately I've altered that to fasting Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with (generally) no caloric restrictions on the weekends. I do have some flexibility with the schedule; if I've been really bad over the weekend (e.g., a trip to St. Louis with Imo's and White Castle binges in the mix ) I might fast the entire work week following to "make up" for the weekend binges, and I might shift a fast day to the weekend if some social event "requires" that I might need to eat during a weekday (e.g., a retirement or holiday party at work).

I can't testify as to longevity increase (and I'm one who believes that living longer is highly overrated, anyway; my plan is to die before I am forced to stop working, since voluntary retirement is not an option, and I'd just as soon not spend a forced retirement living in a cardboard box under a highway overpass), but since starting on intermittent fasting I've noticed a distinct improvement in my blood glucose control (I'm diabetic) and I've not gained weight like I have in the past. So far, it's working for me.

Cheers,

bcg

[bluffcityguy]

Originally Posted by gigi_gypsy

What type of fast do you do? Just water? Juice? Or ??

I've interpreted it as nothing with calories. During a normal weekday fast day I'll drink black ccffee (I've drunk coffee black all my life, so that was never an adjustment) or tea (either unsweetened or with artificial sweetener), Coke Zero, or ice water.

Cheers,

bcg

[bluffcityguy]

Originally Posted by acescracked

When I fast it's nothing but water, if it is for a longer duration I might add something in a sports drink line to add vitamins and sodium.

Since I don't fast longer than 24 (ok, depending on how the schedule plays out, sometimes it's 22-23, sometimes it's 26-28) hours at a time I don't worry about vitamins/electrolytes.

I suppose it would be better if I stuck to plain water (and I have upped my pure water intake quite a bit as I've been doing this), but in the morning I need my caffeine ("Coffee is proof that God loves us and wants us to be awake" --bcg), and during the day I need something with a little flavor in it. A little lemon in ice water (sometimes with artificial sweetener) can be quite refreshing, and occasionally I give in to my inner Star Trek geek and have "tea, Earl Grey, hot". I also drink green tea occasionally, though I'm a bit dubious about the alleged health benefits; I just like the taste.

Cheers,

bcg

[acescracked]

Glucose reduction was mentioned. Some of the fasts mentioned were just water and a cup of soup around 50 calories. Some were of a 500 to 600 calorie intake for males and a little less for females. Glad to hear you have had some moderate success.

The ugly brother, LOL, Aces

[bluffcityguy]

Originally Posted by acescracked

The ugly brother, LOL, Aces

"Mom always liked you best."



Cheers,

Brother Bluff