The Dos and Don’ts of Fasting

Why fast?

Fasting has been practiced by humans for about as long as we’ve roamed the earth. But intermittent fasting is a relatively new concept and one that has taken the health and fitness world by storm. It is particularly popular among biohackers for its anti-aging, energizing, and immune-boosting benefits. But is there any weight to these claims?

According to some studies, fasting does not only convey antiaging benefits, but also shows significant improvements in cholesterol levels, insulin sensitivity, and weight loss.

But one of the major reasons that biohackers love fasting is that it confers the state of autophagy, or a self-cleaning mechanism in which the body “self-devours” or recycles dead and damaged cells to support cellular repair and regeneration.

The Dos of Fasting

For those interested in fasting and wanting to learn more, it’s important to know that there are many flavors of fasting, each with its own protocols and benefits. Overnight fasts can range from 12-16-hours with an 8-12-hour feeding window, while Eat, Stop, Eat involves fasting for 24 hours at least one to two days per week.

Whole-day fasting involves eating only one meal per day, and alternate-day fasting and 5:2 fasting requires fasting every other day, or twice every five days, with calories reduced to 500 or less on fast days. 

Fast Tips

Some good tips to maintain your fast include staying hydrated, paying attention to your body, having a plan, and eating a moderate amount before your fast, and when you break your fast.

When it comes to fat loss hormones and insulin sensitivity hormones, then those things improve. So you will lower your blood sugar, you can lower your blood pressure. You can lose weight with it. And you can also turn on the different longevity pathways in the body, like AMPK or autophagy and sirtuins and others.”

– Siim Land

The don’ts of fasting

In short, there’s a lot to fasting. But is it for everyone? In our conversation with Siim Land, we discuss the do’s and don’ts of fasting and weigh in on who shouldn’t fast whether for health reasons, age, pregnancy, or even mental health reasons.

About Siim Land

Siim Land is a content creator, public speaker, biohacker, and coach. His focus is on human optimization, optimal nutrition, and peak performance. He is the author of Metabolic Autophagy, Stronger by Stress, and co-author of The Immune Fix and The Mineral Fix. A professional self-development coach, Siim’s concept of body-mind empowerment enforces that non-stop physical and mental personal development will lead to spiritual growth.