Protein Shakes FAQ: Protein Shake Essentials

Being in the sports medicine field and working side by side with an ever expanding bootcamp, protein is always a hot topic. I'm often asked questions like; whether people need extra protein, would it make any difference, is it bad for you to take protein or what protein should I be taking? So I've decided to compile a list of the questions I come across the most and lay them all out for you to read, Q&A style. Have a read, enjoy, and let me know if you have any other questions or comments!

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What are the health benefits of protein shakes?

Protein has many roles in the body so the benefits of adding extra protein through supplementation include: increasing lean muscle mass, speeding up recovery (injury or after a workout), and strengthening the immune system to name a few.

This can also become very important in the aging population where falls become an increasing problem, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Maintaining muscle mass is directly linked with increased balance and a decreased amount of falls.

How effective are protein shakes for someone wanting to gain muscle?

When combined with a resistance training program it is essential to be obtaining enough protein to support the demands of the body. This can be done through a whole foods diet, however, for busy people on the go a protein shake is the perfect solution. Furthermore, at a certain point, depending on the demands of training, individuals may require an amount of protein that is just too difficult to obtain through food alone. In this case, additional protein gained through a shake can be easier to get down. If someone is exercising but not getting enough protein, they cannot gain more lean muscle.

Are they effective for weight loss?

There was a study that looked at excessive protein consumption in body builders. By the end of the study period the researchers actually found that the body builders placed on the very high protein diet had lost more weight compared to the subjects who were put on a moderate protein diet.

This is only 1 instance but increasing protein consumption does have an overall beneficial effect in terms of metabolism and weight loss. Our body does have the ability to convert and store excess protein as fat, however, to do so requires more work from our metabolism. The process of converting protein to glucose or fat is more metabolically taxing, therefore increasing the amount of calories the body will burn and aiding in weight loss.

This is not a linear relationship though. If all other calorie intake remains equally elevated you will still end up gaining weight. More is not better if all is not done in moderation.


What should I look for in a protein shake?

My biggest suggestion is to look for a clean protein source that works well with you as a unique individual. My top choice would be a Grass-fed Whey Isolate (Whey isolates currently are the quickest and best absorbed proteins on the market). Typically if dairy is a problem, it is the casein protein people tend to have issues with and the whey isolates are well tolerated. If dairy is a problem overall, look for a grass-fed beef protein. They are newer to the market but are complete proteins with great amino acid profiles. If you're looking for vegan or vegetarian sources, ensure that they are a blend of multiple plant proteins to ensure a complete amino acid profile.

Aside from the type of protein, the next most important thing to look for would be to ensure little to no sugar is added. Sugar has no beneficial use and adds extra calories. Watch for unhealthy sweeteners as well, stick with stevia, erythritol or xylitol if some sweetness is desired.

Alternative to whole foods?

Protein shakes make a great SUPPLEMENT to whole foods but should by no means replace them. As mentioned earlier, if someone is too busy to have a complete meal soon after a workout, a shake is very easy to bring around and consume on the spot. They can also be very effective in cases where protein requirements are simply too difficult to meet based on whole foods alone.

They can also be a great supplement for people who avoid meat and are worried they may not be consuming enough complete protein in their diets.

Are there any negative effects to protein supplementation?

While protein shakes are generally well tolerated and safe, they are extra calories. If no other changes are made to the diet and extra protein is added, it is likely that you will gain weight. As for negative health outcomes related to protein, studies have yet to conclude that extra protein intake can cause any health risks.

It is important to note however that while our bodies can readily deal with extra protein without negative consequence, there are instances where someone who is already in a compromised health condition may not process the extra protein well. Kidney disease is one of these instances. Remember to consult with your doctor before making any major changes to lifestyle if you have a medical condition or suspect you may.

When is the best time to have a protein shake?

The absolute best time to consume a protein shake would be immediately after a workout. Mix with some water or unsweetened dairy alternative and try to consume about 20-30g (of total protein) within 2 hours of your workout. The sooner the better! After exercise our body is primed to absorb much more protein into the muscle and use it to rebuild and repair. Take advantage of this window!


Can you have too much?

Yes, too much of anything is a bad thing.  If you only consumed protein shakes you would not be obtaining the proper amount of nutrition that you need to live optimally and in good health. Also, consuming more protein than your body needs to carry out all of it’s functioning will cause the extra protein to be converted and stored as fat. While not the main energy source for the body, protein still can be used as energy and has calories associated with it.


Are protein shakes effective for athletes and regular gym goers?

Athletes should absolutely be using protein shakes in order to enhance their game. With increased demands of training, protein shakes offer an easy way to supplement and optimize protein utilization in terms of timings and controlled amounts.

Regular gym goers can also benefit from adding protein shakes to their diet, so long as they are consistent in training. Maximum benefits can be seen with consistent training programs. Increases in muscle mass, strength and power can all be enhanced even in regular gym goers if protein shakes are added after a workout. This can also be accomplished with whole foods, but taking a shake with you to the gym is a lot easier than packing a meal. 

Dr. Rob Raponi ND, CISSN, B.Kine(Hons)

www.msknaturopathic.com

Impacts of stress on memory

I've known of the performance advantages in competitive athletes who use a carbohydrate mouth rinse just before competition for some time now. It consists of swishing a sugary solution in your mouth and spitting it out just before competition. It stimulates reward pathways in your brain and can improve performance in competitions where every millisecond counts. This can be particularly helpful in Ketogenic athletes since they won't actually be ingesting any sugars and not altering their ketotic state.

This new article out of the JISSN however, opened my eyes to a broader topic that is relatable to almost everyone. Basically they found that a carbohydrate mouth rinse after exercise halted the decline in executive function associated with exercise. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that the researchers also measured stress hormones and found that the reason executive function was not hindered was the associated decrease in stress hormones found in test subjects who took the carbohydrate mouth rinse after exercise. So, athletic performance aside, what this article really outlines is that we simply cannot perform our best when under constant stress. Executive function deals with our ability to plan, pay attention, problem solve and remember things.

I'm not saying sugars are the answer here! I just want to point out that stress can immediately impact our cognitive abilities. Living constantly stressful lives without taking the time to meditate, enjoy hobbies, learn something new or just do things you love can have significant impacts on how you live your day to day life.

My favourite 2 apps that I recommend to almost everyone I see in practice for helping destress at home for free are Headspace and Down Dog. Headspace is a guided meditation app for your phone that you can set for as little as 2 minutes or as long as you can tolerate. Down dog is an amazing free yoga app that creates a new workout for you each time you use it and can be set to a time and difficulty level of your choosing. I love yoga for it's focus on breathing techniques while getting in some exercise and much needed stretching at the same time.

Let me know if any of you have other apps or things you like to do to help destress at the end of a long day or particularly difficult week. I'd love to hear and learn of new methods for myself and others!

Link to the article for those interested:

https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0200-0

Dr. Rob Raponi ND, CISSN, B.Kine(Hons)

www.msknaturopathic.com

Cheat Clean with Delicious Keto Chocolate Lava Cakes

I've made these once before and they turned out great, so in preparation for some Sunday afternoon football I decided to give them another go and share the recipe with all of you. This recipe comes out great and takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. Perfect dessert for those of you trying to keep the carbs low and the weight off!

I used a muffin tin and the easiest way to get these things out of there was right side up. So I guess that makes them upside down as far as lava cakes go. This recipe made 7 so you can adjust it to whatever suits your snacking needs:

Ingredients

6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tbsp xylitol

3 eggs

3 tbsp heavy cream (Substitute with coconut cream if dairy doesn't sit right with you)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking powder

3 pinches of salt

Instructions

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees celsius. 

Mix in the cocoa powder and xylitol together in a bowl. The better you combine them, the smoother your final product will be. In a separate bowl beat the eggs as the air will help with the rising of the cakes. Add the cream and vanilla extract to the eggs then combine with the cocoa powder/xylitol mixture. Lastly, add in the baking powder and salt and mix together until you get the mixture as smooth as possible. 

Pour your mixture into a muffin tin, filling each spot about 1/2 way. Now for the baking aspect, remember that the smaller you make these guys the less time they'll need to bake. You don't want to overcook them or you'll just have cake and no lava. For this batch I went for 12 minutes and it left me with a decently gooey centre. I'd suggest maybe 11 minutes if you really want the lava to flow. 

Try pairing these delicious cakes with some low carb ice cream right after they come out of the oven while they're still warm for some extra incredible, keto friendly, indulgent desserts! 

Nutritional Information (per lava cake)

Calories: 68cals

Fat: 4.7g

Carbs (total): 2.5g

Carbs (fiber): 1.7g

Net carbs: 0.8g

Protein: 3.5g

www.msknaturopathic.com

Guest Blog: Workout Circuit @ The Playground - Michelle Jackson, BMSc. (Hons), Clinic Intern

So I was invited to team up with some colleagues to come up with an easy and fun way to exercise at the park. The weather is still nice out and gym memberships are expensive. Finding a close by park can be a great way to get fit and stay active. Check out the exercise routine we came up with and give it a try!

Do you ever get bored of your work-out routine? I definitely do. That's why this week, I reached out to friends and colleagues, Rob and Ryan, and asked (very nicely) if they could put me through the ropes.

I chose the playground location mainly as an excuse to spend more time outside, but it also allows for functional types of exercise that challenge muscles in a different way compared to using machines at the gym. It also felt more like play than exercise.

These guys definitely know their stuff when it comes to exercise (see their bios below). This circuit that they created is fun and challenging. Head to the playground and give it a go! 

Playground Circuit: Repeat 2-3x. Take 10sec of rest between each exercise. 

Start with a 2 min light warm up - jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, and/or running on the spot. 

 1. Monkey Bar Pull-ups or Chin-ups 

|10-15 reps|

Pull-ups: Rob's grip (back of hands facing self)

Chin-ups: My grip (palm of hands facing self) 

Ryan's tip for beginners: If too difficult, begin by using platform on monkey bars (or get a boost from a spotter) and start in the top position of the chin up/pull up (as shown in                                                                                                        picture). Slowly lower yourself down with                                                                                                            control and repeat. 

2. Lunges    |10-15 reps each leg |

Tip: Don't let your forward knee go past your toes. 

3. Plank high-fives    |20 each side|

If by yourself, extend each arm out, one at a time, holding each for 1-2sec. 

Tip: Try to keep your body as straight as possible without rocking side to side.

(note Ryan's form!) 

4. Pole Climb - Up and down   |1-2 reps |

A.  Try using only your upper body to climb up and down, like Rob. (Trust me, easier said than done.)        

B. Using mostly your upper body, squeeze legs around the pole for added assistance. (My strategy) 

Tip: Unlike Rob, I started off with a little jump, so the momentum gave me a boost vs. just pulling myself up from the ground.

5. Push ups    |10-15 reps|

Keep your feet on an elevated platform (not pictured) for an extra challenge. 

Tip: Keep elbows tucked into sides to isolate more of your triceps. Pointing your elbows outwards will engage other muscles, like your pecs. 

6. Jump Squats     |15-20 reps|

Starting on the ground, jump up and land on a step or elevated platform. Step down and repeat. 

Tip: Try to land so that your knees don't go past your toes. 

For an added challenge, jump down into a squat vs. just stepping off. 

 7. Swing extension     |10 reps| 

This one is a major ab burner!

Fully extend body and hold for 1 sec before returning to starting position. 

Tip: The further you initially stand from the swing, the further you extend and the harder this exercise becomes.  

You can do this on your knees as a                                                                                                                        modification, but you may want a towel to                                                                                                          kneel on (the gravel in the sand really hurts!) 

That's 1 set! When you're finished, don't forget to stretch :)

More about the author:

Michelle Jackson is an intern at RSNC and BNTC. She is on the fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue focus shift and has a strong interest in fatigue and pain management. Check out her blog and website where she and 4 other interns post weekly articles and bi-weekly recipes! http://www.wholeandholistic.com

More about Ryan:

Ryan has experience in high performance sport, playing for both Toronto FC and the University of Toronto while studying Kinesiology. He went on to receive his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) designation from the NSCA and is currently working with clients at Physiomed Roytec. Check out his blog too! http://naturopathywithryan.blogspot.ca


Rob Raponi, CISSN, B.Kine,
Naturopathic Intern
www.msknaturopathic.com

Diets 101: Ketogenic Diet

The Ketogenic diet has been used primarily as a weight loss diet in the past (and a very effective one at that), however more recent research has surfaced showing great promise for it's use in various diseases such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, diabetes and even cancer.

So what is it?

The Keto diet follows the premise of consuming a high fat and low carbohydrate diet with adequate amounts of protein. The percentage of total caloric intake per day are as follows:
Calories from fat: 60-75%
Calories from protein: 15-30%
Calories from carbohydrates: 5-10%
Carbs are the primary energy source of the body. They are easily converted to glucose and used as energy, but excess amounts can just as easily be stored as fat. With the Keto diet, carbs are reduced to an amount that is not sufficient enough to sustain the energy needs of the body. Because of this, the body is forced to adapt. It is this adaptation which enables the previously mentioned benefits of this diet to occur.

Ketogenesis is the process of breaking down and converting stored fat into ketones for energy use. The brain can only use glucose and ketones as energy, so when there is no more glucose around, ketones become the primary source of fuel. This means that lowering the amount of carbs you consume and entering a state of ketosis allows you to burn fat without even having to think about it! This is the premise behind why the weight loss is so effective and the ketone bodies themselves seem to be where the health benefits arise from.

5 Health Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet

Following a Ketogenic diet is not something that should be tackled without seeking the advice of a professional, especially if the benefits being sought are for the aid of medical conditions. That being said, there is a lot benefit to be obtained and if weight loss or disease control is something that is of interest, book an appointment and consult a medical professional first.

1. Glycemic control
Following a Keto diet has been proven to significantly impact glycemic control, leading to a decrease in blood glucose. This makes sense considering the absence of carbohydrates and sugars in the diet, but it does warrant supervision in diabetic patients who are medicated since blood sugar may drop too low.

2. Anti-inflammatory
While not a heavily researched area of the Ketogenic diet, it is inherently effective as an anti-inflammatory diet due to the elimination of proteins like gluten, and refined sugars. Further modifications can easily be incorporated on a case by case basis in order to ensure specific intolerances are avoided.

3. Weight loss
Weight loss on a Ketogenic diet comes easy. You are literally burning fat while just sitting around. Now I wouldn't recommend relying on diet alone, exercise is very important for more than just weight loss purposes, but calories still do play a role in how much weight can be lost. This diet itself however, does not feel very restrictive when it comes to consumption of foods. Once your body adjusts to working off of fat, satiety is achieved and maintained for much longer than a carbohydrate heavy diet. This means without even realizing, you'll be consuming less calories.
Less calorie consumption + constant fat burning = weight loss
Weight loss on it's own has additional benefits including lowering blood pressure, decreasing pain associated with arthritis, improving diabetic control, and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

4. Energy
Who couldn't use more energy? While on the Ketogenic diet, there will be an initial drop in energy and increase in hunger as your body adapts to these changes that are occurring. I can tell you from personal experience that they are not great BUT they do pass. If you stick with the dietary changes, after a few days the hunger will decrease, the mental clarity will improve and you stop experiencing periods of grogginess and fatigue that typically accompany a crash in energy after a carbohydrate or sugar dense meal. These changes are quite noticeable and lasting. They are most definitely worth the first few days of unhappiness. The trade off is a much longer lasting increase in energy and mental clarity.

5. Performance
While specific research in the area of exercise performance is difficult to come by, the consensus of athletes who follow a Ketogenic diet seem to all be in favour of this way of eating. When you break it down it really just makes sense for a variety of athletes. First benefit, fat loss.. More lean muscle, less weight to carry around. That alone is beneficial for most. Next benefit, efficient use of fat as energy. This means fat burning fuel is the first and last energy source. There will be no crossover between carbohydrate stores to fat stores and a crash in energy. All you're left with is a consistent conversion of energy from fat. This is useful for the endurance athlete, who has to rely on fat as a fuel source during long bouts of exercise. With the great majority of endurance performance coming from fat burning anyway (pretty much anything after 20 minutes), having optimized this method of energy conversion prior to an event can only be beneficial.
I recently experienced this first hand and can attest to the claims made by others who follow this way of eating. Patience and timing are factors that need to be considered though, if performance enhancement is your goal. There is an adaptation period in which your performance (particularly endurance) will take a drastic hit. I learned this early on by attempting to go for a light jog within 5 days of starting my Keto diet experience. After about 1 minute of jogging I felt like I had run a full marathon (or at least what I might imagine that would feel like). I don't recommend doing that at all, instead, give it some time and try to save the more serious endurance events for closer to 1 month after starting. If you persevere, you will notice drastic changes in your performance.

What to eat?!

Avoiding carbs is not all that bad! At first it feels like a daunting task, especially if you are not prepared for it. My number one tip for being successful at following through with these dietary changes is to remove temptations from your eating space. Pick a day that you want to start. In the days leading up to this, either consume or throw out any and all sources of temptation! Eat up all that pasta, have a few cookies, dump that pop down the sink and don't pretend you forgot to clean out the freezer! Not having these foods around will make things a lot easier.

Once that's out of the way, make sure you stalk up so you don't go hungry. Start to replace those foods you've gotten rid of with Keto friendly options such as:

Nuts (Almond, Walnut, Cashew, Macadamia, Hazelnut, Brazil Nut, Peanut*)

Oils and Fats (Healthy oils - Olive oil, Coconut oil, Avocado oil, Walnut oil, Sesame oil) 

                      (Fats - Butter!, Ghee, Heavy cream, Cheese)

Meats (Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Pork, Lamb, Venison, Small birds, Large birds, Rabbit, Eggs)

Seafood (Crab, Lobster, Fish**, Shrimp, Calamari)

Veggies (Avocado, Spinach, Kale, Collards, Zucchini***, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Pumpkin, Lettuce)

Drinks (Coffee, Tea, Coconut milk, Almond Milk, Cashew Milk, Water!, Vodka if you must)

            - ensure all of these are unsweetened!

Dessert (Yes, you can still have dessert. You just have to get a little creative. I suggest looking up Keto friendly dessert recipes but anything made with coconut, cocoa, cinnamon or high fat dairy is perfectly fine)

*Peanuts - Some debate here but I love my peanut butter so you can't make me not include it! Just go for ones without anything added.
**Fish - Stick to smaller fish as the primary source here as larger fish like tuna and sword fish have higher amounts of bioaccumulated toxins like mercury. Sardines are the best bet but salmon and white fish sized fish are fine as well.
***Zucchini - Get your hands on a vegetable spiralizer and replace spaghetti with a zucchini imposter! Try butter and sage as the sauce.

The key to success and maximizing the benefits that can be obtained from following this diet is choosing foods that are good for you! Yes, it is a high fat diet, but that doesn't mean you should be deep frying everything you eat. Try as much as possible to bake, steam, boil and add the above mentioned oils raw as a drizzle on top of already cooked foods. If done correctly, this high fat diet can actually reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol (the bad one), and increase HDL cholesterol (the good one)!

Remember that starting a diet like this is not something you should tackle on your own. Always seek the assistance of a medical professional before tackling major voluntary dietary changes especially if you're seeking therapeutic results. That being said, if this fat burning, energy producing, glycemic stabilizing diet sounds like something that interests you, book an appointment and get the wheels in motion!

Rob Raponi, CISSN, B.Kine,
Naturopathic Intern
www.msknaturopathic.com

References

Hussain, Talib A., et al. "Effect of low-calorie versus low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet in type 2 diabetes." Nutrition 28.10 (2012): 1016-1021.

Partsalaki, Ioanna, Alexia Karvela, and Bessie E. Spiliotis. "Metabolic impact of a ketogenic diet compared to a hypocaloric diet in obese children and adolescents." Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism 25.7-8 (2012): 697-704.

Yancy, William S., et al. "A randomized trial of a low-carbohydrate diet vs orlistat plus a low-fat diet for weight loss." Archives of internal medicine 170.2 (2010): 136-145.

Gibson, A. A., et al. "Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta‐analysis." Obesity Reviews 16.1 (2015): 64-76.

Zajac, Adam, et al. "The effects of a ketogenic diet on exercise metabolism and physical performance in off-road cyclists." Nutrients 6.7 (2014): 2493-2508.

Paoli, Antonio, et al. "Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3) supplementation on some cardiovascular risk factors with a ketogenic Mediterranean diet." Marine drugs 13.2 (2015): 996-1009.

Dashti, Hussein M., et al. "Beneficial effects of ketogenic diet in obese diabetic subjects." Molecular and cellular biochemistry 302.1-2 (2007): 249-256.

Diets 101: Intermittent Fasting

Okay, so maybe this first entry isn't exactly a diet, however it is a great place to start if you're someone who wants to make lifestyle changes that can alter the way you think and act with regards to food.

Enter Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting (IF) can be accomplished in a few different ways but the beauty of this dietary practice is in it's simplicity. There is no fancy food list to follow, no complicated recipes to cook up, and no consumption of time to do it... in fact, it gives you more free time in the day. All you need to do is not eat. No meal prep, no cook time, nothing complicated, just do no eat anything for a period of time. I'll admit that this doesn't sound too great, but I promise it gets better, just stick with me.

How long and how often you decide to fast is totally up to you and your comfort level with going for extended periods of time with no food.

The first method is fasting on alternate days. One day you eat, one day you don't. This method sounds a bit extreme to me personally and I don't know how realistic it would be to follow long term.

Another method is the 8 hour eating period per day. You basically allow yourself an 8 hour period each day where you are allowed to consume food, and once that time is up you fast for 16 hours until you've reached your next 8 hour period. An example of this would be only allowing yourself to eat between the hours of 10am-6pm each day. This method could be easier for some, and many people may actually already be doing this without knowing when they skip breakfast and don't eat until noon (mind you, coffee with a bunch of sugar and milk first thing in the morning is not consistent with IF!).

The final method may be the easiest of the three and will still offer tremendous benefits. The one day fast is all about selecting a day of the week where you will choose not to eat for a certain period of time. I like to aim for 18 hours, but this can range from 14-24 hours in length.

**During these times of fasting it is important and helpful to remember that you can drink as much water or tea as you desire. Coffee is acceptable as well as long as no sugars, milks or creams are added!

These all seem like very long times to go without food, but the trick is to time it out properly so that you hardly notice you've fasted. Let's say one night you finish dinner by 6pm and choose to begin your fast from this point on. You're in bed by 11pm and wake up for 7am the next day. At this point you've already made it 13 hours without having to do much at all. If you can just make it until noon you will have reached that 18 hour time and can start eating once again. And remember, this would only be one time a week. What is very important to remember when breaking the fast though, is to eat like you normally would at the time at which you decide to end it. The first few times you do this you will be very hungry and it will be extremely tempting to just eat everything you can get your hands on but you should just return back to eating normally. Have lunch if it's lunch time or a snack if you're somewhere in between meals, just remember to eat slowly and allow yourself some time to digest so that your brain can recognize that your stomach has received some food and you can avoid going overboard.

At this point you may be asking yourself, "But why?", and I do have reasons to back this up. IF has been shown to reduce oxidative damage and inflammation, protect cells from damage, and optimize energy metabolism. With that comes it's studied effects in chronic degenerative and inflammatory diseases. It's even been shown to reduce signals in the body that are associated with aging! There are proven studies on how IF is even being used in mood disorders with promising results. It's also a simple and effective way to lessen the calorie load for the day and makes maintaining weight that much easier.

The point about affecting moods is an intriguing one for me. My first attempt at IF was an interesting experience. I can tell you with confidence that my mood was not affected in a very positive way initially. At first, all I could do was think about food and fantasize about when I would be able to eat again. Following that came the fatigue which was quickly replaced by irritability. My first attempt at IF was definitely a mental battle, but after having made it through 18 hours without food I noticed a change in myself. I quickly realized how much of an affect food had on me. It seemed for a while that food was in charge, food dictated what I should be doing or how I should be feeling and this for me was the most positive outcome of beginning a weekly IF routine. Willingly being able to withhold yourself from food can change your relationship with it. You really start to be able to tell the difference between when you're actually hungry versus when you're just bored or giving in to cravings. All the scientific evidence aside, this is what I believe to be the most powerful outcome of challenging yourself to fast. You can begin to take control of your health through understanding the dynamic between yourself and what you are eating. You can control cravings and eat for healthy pleasure and not just indulge on pleasure alone. This is why I chose to start my diet series here, with a post about something that isn't quite a diet, but is a great stepping stone to making healthier lifestyle changes that will last and not simply be the next fad.

To summarize, IF is a great practice for your mind and body. Yes, you will be reducing calories because you are not eating so weight maintenance or loss is made easier from that point of view. There will be benefits in terms of decreased inflammation, decreased oxidative damage, improved insulin control and slowing of aging but most of all your relationship with food will change. It's not going to feel great at first, but each time you do it, it will get easier and easier. I challenge you to try it out for yourselves. Start with a shorter fast the first time and build from there. Once a week is my preferred method, but choose one that you think would work best for you. Just remember to consult with your doctor before beginning, especially if you have any illnesses that may affect your bodies ability to fast safely.

Rob Raponi, CISSN, B.Kine,
Naturopathic Intern
www.msknaturopathic.com

Below are some references for those interested in reading more:

1. Longo, Valter D., and Mark P. Mattson. "Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications." Cell metabolism 19.2 (2014): 181-192.

2. Michalsen, Andreas, and Chenying Li. "Fasting therapy for treating and preventing disease-current state of evidence." Forschende Komplementärmedizin/Research in Complementary Medicine 20.6 (2013): 444-453.

3. Hussin, N. M., et al. "Efficacy of fasting and calorie restriction (FCR) on mood and depression among ageing men." The journal of nutrition, health & aging17.8 (2013): 674-680.

4. Klempel, Monica C., et al. "Intermittent fasting combined with calorie restriction is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection in obese women." Nutrition journal 11.1 (2012): 1.

5. Halberg, Nils, et al. "Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men." Journal of Applied Physiology 99.6 (2005): 2128-2136.