How to Explore and Embrace Hunger
We have become very in-tune with our paleo past, with increasing numbers of people consuming foods that have sustained us for millions of years. However, there is an important part of our ancestral past that is rarely discussed. That is dealing with hunger and scarcity. One of the main challenges in our modern world is an overabundance of cheap food that skyrockets our blood sugar levels. This consequently causes insulin resistance and leads to chronic disease, diabetes, and obesity.
We are rarely truly hungry, eating only because our blood sugar levels have crashed and we need another hit. With government guidelines recommended 3 main meals and 2 snacks a day, we are also consuming more food than we ever have.
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Intermittent fasting is an empowering way to control blood sugar levels and optimise body chemistry. It’s something I’ve discussed with Dominic D’Agostino, Grant Schofield, and Cliff Harvey on my podcast. The concept, radical as it may seem, is to eat only when you are hungry. Fasting also gives your body a break from digestion so it can restore and heal.
There are different ways to incorporate fasting:
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- 5:2: 5 days normal eating, 2 days restricted calories (usually 500 cals only)
- 16:8: 16hrs fasting, 8hrs eating. Typically this means 2 meals a day
- 1-day water fast: 1 day every few months of just water for 24hrs.
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I include this and a lot more practical information in my Nourish eBook. You can check it out, along with my other eBooks here.
Please note
If you have been on a low-fat diet, moving straight to intermittent fasting is not advised. Go low-carb (70-100g of carbohydrate per day) and incorporate healthy fats, for a few weeks before moving to intermittent fasting. It is always best to work with a nutritional professional if you have any preexisting health conditions or need further support.