48-hour fast

I recently spoke about how I’m a big fan of a GENTLE intermittent overnight fasting window of about 12 hours, as this is a great starting point for most women in terms of giving the digestive system a break, lowering insulin and balancing hormones.

BUT there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to fasting.

There are occasionally times where clinically I’ll support a patient on 2 day fast, which can be incredibly beneficial (when you are working alongside a practitioner).

The main adaptation that occurs with fasting is autophagy.

• Autophagy is your body’s self-cleaning mechanism that is activated when you’re fasting. Old and weaker cells are cleaned out to make room for healthier cells.

• This is why autophagy is related to reducing oxidative damage, longevity and healthy aging.

• Autophagy starts when you’ve been fasting for around 14-16 hours and then really kicks in at 24 hours

• Now by 36 hours of fasting, autophagy increases by 300%!

  This is why longer fasting periods of 2 (and occasionally 3) days can be used as a therapeutic strategy for those with metabolic-related health issues and/or chronic immune related issues.

  So back to my point on fasting…most people do not need long or drastic fasting windows on a regular basis. Most people get digestive and metabolic benefits of fasting when they have a 12-14 hour overnight fast. If I do support a patient on a 48-hour fast (usually for stubborn metabolic-issues or immune challenges) it’s more of a one-off strategy, or it’s something we may consider a couple of times a year. It’s NOT a frequent strategy!

  Most of the time I want women working with their body and implementing gentle and nourishing fasting strategies! As always, this isn’t medical or personal advice.

  This is NOT medical advice. This is for educational purposes only. Please speak to your health practitioner for before trying any new fasting strategy and for personalised advice