April 29, 2025 • 28 mins
In this episode, Dr. Alfred Alessi and Matt Tack explore the concept of fasting in the context of modern eating schedules, tracing its historical roots and highlighting its metabolic benefits. They discuss the healing potential of fasting compared to conventional approaches promoted by big pharma. A beginner's guide offers practical advice on fasting safely and effectively, including a toolbox with tips and methods for breaking a fast properly. The conversation shifts towards embracing fasting as a lifestyle and mindset shift. Listeners are encouraged to connect with Health Decoded and Alessi Functional Health, with closing remarks inviting interaction and engagement.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Let's get one thing straight.
(00:01):
You were born to fast.
Your body already knows how, it's wired intoyour biology, and what's really gotten in the
way is just the modern eating schedule.
Right?
We wake up, eat, snack, lunch, snack, dinner,dessert, late night snack.
That's not nourishment, that's constantinterruption.
Welcome to Health Decode, your number onesource for real health information with your
(00:24):
host, Doctor.
Alessi and Matt Tack.
Hey, Health Decoded listeners.
Doctor Alessi here.
Let me ask you a serious question.
Are you tired of waiting until something goeswrong to finally see a doctor?
At Alessi Functional Health, we take adifferent approach, the right approach.
(00:44):
We believe true health care isn't about chasingsymptoms.
It's about preventing them in the first place.
That's why we created the Allesi Total CareProgram.
This is a functional medicine based membershipthat gives you proactive, personalized care
year round.
You'll get access to comprehensive blood workand functional testing, custom doctor grade
(01:07):
nutraceuticals, deep discounts on labs,protocols, and follow ups, as well as twenty
four seven direct access to your doctor, notjust a ten minute checkup that ends with
another prescription.
And here's the best part.
As a Health Decoded listener, you'll get yourfirst three months completely free when you
(01:27):
sign up for an annual membership.
That's on top of hundreds in savings alreadybuilt into the program.
This is your chance to take responsibility foryour health and join a movement that's
redefining what primary care should look like.
Head on over to alessifunctionalhealth.com,click on our services tab, and go to Total
Care.
Learn more about this program and claim yourexclusive podcast listener offer.
(01:52):
Your health is your greatest asset.
Let's protect it proactively.
Welcome back to another episode of HealthDecoded.
I am your host, Doctor.
Alessi.
This week, we have a really special, really funepisode, something that's really important and
that we touched on briefly last week in ourepisode about gut health.
(02:15):
And this is the importance of fasting.
Now humans have been fasting forever.
For as long as humans have been on this planet,fasting has been a part of just our biology.
And realistically, people didn't used to haveaccess to food all the time.
It wasn't that we always just were able to eatwhenever we wanted.
And so fasting was just a part of how we lived.
(02:38):
And I think it's safe to say that getting awayfrom fasting as much and being able to have
access to so much food all the time has createda lot of issues for human health and ultimately
gut health and just the way that we balance ourmetabolism as human beings.
So this is going to be a really, reallyimpactful episode.
(03:00):
We hope that you enjoy it and let's just getstarted.
So first things first is, know, what isfasting?
How do you do it?
What, why does it work?
Let's just start with that.
So fasting is not a diet.
It's not a hack and it's definitely notstarving yourself, right?
What it is, is a biological rhythm that'shardwired into your DNA.
(03:24):
It's a cycle that our ancestors followednaturally because they had to.
In the absence of grocery stores, Uber Eats andprotein bars every three hours, the body has
evolved to thrive during periods of both whatwe call feast and famine, right?
They would kill an animal or whatever theywould have to eat, they would eat that and then
they maybe go a couple days without food.
(03:44):
And so what is fasting?
It's simply going a period of time withoutconsuming calories.
That's it.
But in that simplicity lies a biologicalsuperpower.
When you stop eating, your body doesn't shutdown, it actually levels up.
Energy is redirected away from your digestionand toward healing, detoxification and cellular
(04:07):
repair.
So, now enter the concept of metabolicflexibility, something we harp on a lot.
Most modern humans are stuck in sugar burningmode 20 fourseven.
They eat every two to three hours, whichmaintains a level of elevated insulin all day.
And then they wonder why they feel exhausted,inflamed and foggy.
(04:28):
Because fasting actually restores your body'sability to burn fat as fuel and eventually
produce things called ketones, which are aclean burning energy source that your brain
thrives on.
And it ultimately can cause healing in the bodyas well.
And so, concept of metabolic flexibility isbasically your ability to toggle between sugar
(04:49):
and fat burning states as needed.
Without it, you're metabolically inflexible andat a greater risk for obesity, diabetes,
Alzheimer's disease and more.
So, what happens inside the body when you fast?
Well, number one, insulin drops.
Within twelve to sixteen hours of fasting, yourinsulin levels begin to fall.
(05:11):
This signals your body to start releasingstored fat and burning that as fuel.
Around the sixteen to twenty four hour mark,autophagy activates.
Autophagy is when your cells begin cleaninghouse.
Basically, autophagy means self eating.
Breaks down damaged mitochondria, misfoldedproteins, and precancerous cells and starts to
(05:32):
get those out.
Then what happens, inflammation begins tolower.
Fasting will suppress those pro inflammatorycytokines and promote an anti inflammatory
state.
Growth hormone begins to rise.
This hormone is what helps preserve muscle,regenerate tissue, even when you're not eating.
(05:52):
And then mitochondria multiply.
So, extended fasting promotes mitochondrialbiogenesis, giving your cells more energy
producing powerhouses to fuel optimal function.
We discussed this in a previous episode.
And so, a study out of the New England Journalof Medicine in 2019 said that intermittent
fasting improves biomarkers of disease, reducesoxidative stress, and preserves learning and
(06:19):
memory function.
So basically, fasting makes you healthier,sharper, and live longer on a cellular level.
Now, why does big pharma hate this?
Well, because there's no profit in fasting.
There's no prescription to fill, no sideeffects to manage, no monthly subscription.
Fasting treats the root cause of disease, whichis insulin resistance, inflammation,
(06:41):
mitochondrial dysfunction, and an overload oftoxins.
Big pharma profits off managing symptoms,whereas fasting dismantles the disease before
that even starts.
So if you want real energy and real fat loss,real disease prevention, you don't need a new
pill.
You need to honor the biology you were bornwith.
(07:02):
Fasting won't break your body, it will finallygive it the chance to fix itself.
And so the science, the healing science offasting is remarkable.
It's not just about losing weight.
It's not just about, you know, getting a lowercalorie count so you can kind of reset that
diet and cut some pounds, although those arebeneficial side effects often.
(07:24):
It's about resetting your biology because oncethe food intake stops, your body isn't shutting
down.
It's turning on systems that have been dormant,right?
Things that are not active because there'sconstantly new food coming in.
And then healing begins at the molecular level.
So, let's talk about that same process we justbriefly spoke on and exactly how fasting
(07:45):
becomes a form of regenerative medicine.
So, little bit more detail here on thatbiological chain, the reaction of a fast.
So, first things first, insulin drops.
When you eat, insulin rises.
And when you stop eating, insulin drops.
That single change will trigger a cascade.
Fat burning turns on, your blood sugar levelswill begin to stabilize and then your hormones
(08:09):
will begin to balance, allowing inflammation tostart to go down as well.
And so, elevated insulin or hyperinsulinemia isreally the silent driver behind most chronic
diseases, and so fasting is a great way toreverse that.
What happens next is your growth hormone rises.
Contrary to popular myth, fasting doesn't burnmuscle, it protects muscle.
(08:34):
During a fast, growth hormone can increase byup to 1300% in women and 2000% in men.
This is according to research published inClinical Endocrinology.
The growth hormone in human body supportstissue repair, enhances muscle preservation and
boosts fat metabolism.
So, you're not going to be wasting away, you'regoing to be rebuilding smarter.
(08:58):
Now, autophagy kicks in and this is basicallythe cellular spring cleaning.
At about the sixteen to twenty four hour markof a fast, something remarkable happens.
Your cells begin to self clean.
Misfolded proteins linked to Alzheimer's andParkinson's disease are broken down, damaged
mitochondria are recycled, and precancerouscells are often destroyed before they even
(09:22):
become a threat.
So, autophagy is basically the body's built indetox program that only turns on when insulin
is low and you're not eating.
What happens next?
Inflammation plummets.
Chronic low grade inflammation, which is theroot cause of nearly every modern disease from
heart disease to anxiety, starts to go down.
(09:43):
Fasting reduces inflammatory markers like Creactive protein, interleukin six, and TNF
alpha, giving your body a chance to repairwithout interference.
And so, there are some conditions that havebeen shown to dramatically improve with
fasting.
Things like type two diabetes.
(10:03):
Fasting will restore the insulin sensitivityand can reverse diabetes in many cases,
especially when paired with low carb diet.
We have seen this many times in our clinic, wehave helped people go from labeled diabetic on
blood work to non diabetic, or maybe fromdiabetic to pre diabetic, but even reversed.
(10:23):
And so that's huge.
PCOS, a hormone driven metabolic conditionoften worsened by insulin resistance.
Fasting helps to regulate the cycles, lowerandrogens and reduce inflammation.
Another condition helped benefited from fastingis Alzheimer's, also known as type three
diabetes.
(10:44):
The brain becomes insulin resistant, just likethe body, and so fasting can increase ketone
production, which will fuel the brain moreefficiently and reduce those amyloid plaque
buildups.
Cardiovascular disease.
Fasting improves blood pressure, cholesterolprofiles and endothelial function.
And obviously, obesity.
(11:04):
Fasting directly targets stored fat, reducescravings and resets the appetite regulating
hormones, leptin and ghrelin.
So there's an awesome study out of the journalCell Metabolism 2020 that showed that time
restricted eating significantly reduces markersof inflammation and improves cardio metabolic
(11:24):
health.
In this study, participants improved bloodpressure, insulin sensitivity, and inflammatory
markers, all by simply restricting their eatingwindow without changing what they ate.
Remarkable.
And so here's a hot take for you, okay?
If fasting could be packaged into a capsule,the big pharmaceutical industry would make it a
(11:46):
$10,000,000,000 blockbuster drug.
But because it's free and accessible andrequires nothing but some discipline, most
doctors never learn about it and most patientsnever hear about it.
So your body was designed to heal.
Fasting doesn't just allow that process, itwill accelerate it.
And so in just twelve to twenty four hours,your body starts doing what no medication
(12:07):
really can.
It starts reversing disease by removing theroot cause.
Now, let's get into the nitty gritty of how tobegin fasting and implementing this powerful
practice into your life.
But first, here's a quick word from one of oursponsors.
This episode of Health Decoded is brought toyou by Authentic Nutrition, the brand
(12:30):
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Now back to the episode.
Alright.
Welcome back.
Thank you for that.
Now, let's get into it.
Let's talk about how to start fasting, but howto start fasting safely.
Because this is one of those things that whendone properly is immensely beneficial, but when
(14:01):
done improperly can actually maybe even beharmful.
And so let's get one thing straight.
You were born to fast.
Your body already knows how, it's wired intoyour biology, and what's really gotten in the
way is just the modern eating schedule, right?
We wake up, eat, snack, lunch, snack, dinner,dessert, late night snack.
(14:22):
That's not nourishment, that's constantinterruption.
And no, breakfast is not the most importantmeal of the day despite what you've been told.
So why does fasting feel hard at first?
It's not because the body is broken, but it'sbecause you've trained yourself to expect fuel
constantly.
This is called metabolic inflexibility.
(14:43):
Your cells are stuck in sugar burning mode.
So, when you stop eating, your body freaks outat first because it doesn't remember how to tap
into fat for fuel.
Just like anything with a little patience andpractice, you can retrain it and that's when
the magic happens.
So let's get into some protocols here.
So the beginner fasting protocol that Irecommend people who have never fasted, perfect
(15:07):
for beginners, especially if your eating hasbeen all over the place, is a twelve twelve
protocol.
Basically, that's a twelve hour fasting windowand a twelve hour eating window.
A good example would look like you don't eatafter 7PM and then you can eat again after 7AM.
And then your eating window is during the day.
This isn't just fasting, this is normalizingyour schedule again, and it often ties in with
(15:31):
your circadian rhythm as well.
That's a great place to start.
Now, to take it up a notch, and this issomething that I do almost basically every
single day, is a sixteen eight intermittentfast.
So basically, fasting from 8PM, I don't eatanything after eight, and then I don't eat
until twelve the next day.
So, you know, the easiest way is just, Hey, I'mnot going to eat until lunch, skipping
(15:55):
breakfast.
And so, you're shortening your eating window.
The goal is you're going to get fat burning,improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced
cravings.
This is basically the gold standard of dailyfasting and most people can feel best when they
skip breakfast and then they break the fastwith a clean protein rich meal at noon.
(16:16):
Pro tip here, hydration is key.
Most people don't just need more food, theyneed more water and electrolytes.
You'll often find that you can just drink somewater with some Himalayan salt in it and it's
going to decrease those hunger signals thatyour brain is creating.
Now, the next step is a twenty four hour fast,doing this like once weekly.
(16:38):
So basically an example is you don't, you stopeating after dinner, you don't eat until dinner
the next day.
The goal here is you're going to tap into thatdeep autophagy, a dramatic insulin reset, and
you're going to start to recalibrate yourbody's appetite signals.
So you still are eating every day, but it'sjust not for a twenty four hour stretch during
(16:58):
the week.
This is ideal for experienced fasteners who areready to take it up a notch.
Now, what can you consume while you're fasting?
This is the question we hear all the time.
Can I still do anything?
There's different schools of thought on this,but basically if it spikes insulin, it breaks
the fast.
That's it.
So even healthy sweeteners that you can putinto your coffee, they can sabotage this
(17:22):
metabolic process.
So what can you consume?
Water.
Obviously water still or sparkling.
Black coffee, as long as there's no cream orsweeteners.
Herbal teas, no flavors, no stevia.
And electrolytes, which we recommend.
Now there's going to be people who are morehardcore fasters that say, you can't have
(17:42):
anything, even water.
I'd go against that because I think thehydration is important and it's key to
sustaining the fast, especially when you'rejust getting started.
Now, a very important note here, when not tofast.
Fasting isn't for everyone and that's okay.
You should avoid prolonged fasting if you'repregnant or breastfeeding.
(18:05):
If you have a history of eating disorders, thiscould be a trigger.
If you're underweight or malnourished, I don'trecommend lowering your calorie count.
And if you're taking medications for diabetesor blood pressure, make sure you're fasting
with the supervision of a professional, right?
Either a functional medicine doctor or even amedical doctor if they're well read on this.
(18:29):
And so safety is always greater than speed.
A real cool study out of the journal Obesity in2015 showed that alternate day fasting led to
significant weight loss and metabolic benefitswithout the loss of lean mass.
So, preserving that lean muscle tissue.
So the translation here is basically, you canburn fat and preserve muscle while fasting, if
(18:52):
it's done correctly and paired with enoughprotein in your eating window.
That is a huge, huge critical factor.
So just to rehash, how to start in somepractical steps.
Start with that twelve hour overnight fast.
Stop eating after dinner, no snacks, and theneat breakfast twelve hours later.
Delay breakfast by thirty minutes each day.
(19:13):
Within a week, you'll likely hit that fourteento sixteen hours of fasting without stress.
That's a great way.
Focus on quality during your eating window.
Fasting isn't going to save you from eatingultra processed junk food.
So focusing on real whole foods and proteinrich meat while you're eating.
And then supporting your body with propersleep, movement, and stress management.
(19:38):
Fasting is the spark, but you need oxygen,sleep, and calm to fuel the flame.
Also, fasting is a mild stress on the body.
And if you're chronically stressed, it mayactually negatively impact you rather than
positively.
So it's always best to do it appropriately.
And so fasting is it's really simple, but it'snot always easy, especially in a world where
(20:01):
food is engineered to hijack your hunger, themarketing ploys, right?
Everything's screaming at us, consume, consume.
So that's why you need a plan and a protocol,and then obviously some confidence to listen to
your body.
And so I love this because we basically puttogether what we call the personal fasting
toolbox.
(20:21):
So you've now, I've given you some of thescience, you understand the benefits.
You might have even tried some protocols.
Let's talk about how you make this stick andhow you can do this consistently.
Because the truth is motivation will fade.
Everybody has motivation at the beginning.
But tools are what can keep you consistent.
So here's some tools to help you succeed.
(20:42):
There are apps, fasting tracker apps.
These track this tracking builds awareness.
Awareness builds consistency.
And so, some really cool apps are one calledZero.
Very user friendly, it's educational and it haslike a community aspect to it.
There's an app called Fastic.
This is integrates steps, step counter,hydration and basically a fasting timeline.
(21:06):
And then there's an app called Life, whichincludes glucose, ketone and mood tracking.
This is really good for those more advanced biobiohackers.
So, here's the tip, right?
Set your goal.
Set a fasting goal, hit start and watch howquickly your brain loves checking the progress
bar on these apps.
It's a very gamified way to make this somethingthat you can cling onto.
(21:29):
And now, you know, really the next thing thatwe talk about in this fasting toolbox is
electrolytes.
They're not optional in our take on fasting.
When you're fasting, your insulin will drop.
This signals your kidneys to start flushing outsodium and water.
That's good for your blood pressure, but if youdon't replenish these minerals, you can often
get what's known as the fasting fatigue.
(21:49):
You just feel sluggish, you feel down.
That's not a great way to become consistentbecause you're not going to want to do that.
So some key minerals you want to replace aresodium, huge.
It's the most important one.
Using things like Himalayan salt or Redmondreal salt.
Potassium, you can get this through cream oftartar in water, that's not going to break your
(22:10):
fast or a low dose electrolyte blend.
And then magnesium, using magnesium glycinateor citrate.
If you're feeling dizzy, headachy or foggyduring a fast, the chances are you just need
more minerals.
Now, the next one and this is one that again,the hardcore fasting people will say that this
(22:31):
breaks your fast.
However, it's not spiking insulin, so weapprove of it is using bone broth.
This is liquid gold.
If you're doing extended fasts, forty eight toseventy two hours, using bone broth can
replenish those minerals and collagen.
It's going to support the gut lining and it canreduce hunger pangs without breaking your fast.
(22:52):
So, a little bonus is it keeps your fast kindof therapeutic while you're giving your body
this kind of warm, comforting nutrientinfusion.
Now, all of those things are great ways to helpyou during the fast.
Now, the next very important thing is how tobreak your fast the right way.
Cause the first meal after a fast is critical.
(23:12):
Your cells are now primed to absorb nutrients.
Don't give them junk food, Right?
Don't give them a bunch of carbs and processedstuff.
However, you do need to start slow.
So the best combo for breaking a fast is aprotein and a healthy fat.
So things like some bone broth with addedcollagen, some eggs and avocado, and then maybe
(23:35):
some grilled chicken with some olive oil.
This combo is going to stabilize the bloodsugar, prevent the dreaded post fast crash, and
it's going to ultimately give your body thenutrition that it's craving and is going to
know what to do with.
However, things to avoid is processed carbs,high sugar fruits or smoothies.
(23:56):
Most people think a smoothie after a fast, butthat's going to spike that insulin like crazy.
And then large meals, you want to ease backinto it.
So think of your gut kind of like a muscle.
It just rested.
You don't want to slam it with a three platebuffet.
You want to ease back in.
Starting with some bone broth, getting intosome soft cooked veggies, some eggs that are
(24:16):
scrambled avocado, and then ultimately gettingback into some whole food protein like grilled
chicken with some olive oil.
And so, you know, it's really, yes, there's aphysiological component, but there's also the
mindset shift that comes with fasting, becausefasting is freedom.
It's not a punishment, it's not aboutrestriction.
You need to think about it about as takingcontrol, right?
(24:38):
You are taking control of yourself from thesugar addiction, the constant hunger, the
emotional tie to eating, right?
We get dependent on eating.
And so every fast is basically a vote forhealing for your body.
Every hour without food is time that your bodyspends repairing, regenerating and optimizing.
(24:58):
You're not depriving yourself, you're unlockingone of the most powerful healing states known
to human biology.
There was a study done in the journal ScienceTranslational Medicine in 2016 that showed that
fasting diets promote regeneration, reducecancer incidents and autoimmune symptoms.
That's why we incorporate this into basicallyevery functional medicine protocol that we use
(25:21):
within our clinics.
It's not fringe science.
It's published evidence showing how fasting canregenerate systems pharmaceuticals only try to
manage.
So, I want to leave you with a closing takeawayhere.
Fasting is not a fad.
It's been around forever.
It's not dangerous when you do it correctly,and it's certainly not profitable for the big
(25:43):
pharmaceutical industry.
But what is it?
It's evolutionarily natural, scientificallyproven, metabolic healing and emotionally
liberating.
Because your body isn't broken, it's just beenover stimulated.
So you need to give it what it needs.
That's time.
And then the miracles will follow.
So if you want to learn more about how weincorporate fasting within functional medicine
(26:08):
to improve health and longevity, go toalessifunctionalhealth.com, schedule a
consultation with myself or one of my otherproviders, and let's create a personalized plan
for fasting and for lifelong health.
As always, listeners of the Health Decodedpodcast are going to get exclusive discounts
and price reductions on all of our protocolsand lab testing.
(26:31):
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That's how this message gets out and how we canhelp people change more lives.
If you want to get in touch with us or befeatured on an episode and share your story,
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(26:53):
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Thank you so much for tuning into HealthDecoded, where we break down the science, bust
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(27:16):
Until next time, stay curious, stay empowered,and remember, your health is in your hands.
Thank you for tuning in to Health Decoded,where we break down the truth about all things
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If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
(27:37):
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That's ask@alessifxhealth.com.
(27:58):
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
Let's get one thing straight.
(00:01):
You were born to fast.
Your body already knows how, it's wired intoyour biology, and what's really gotten in the
way is just the modern eating schedule.
Right?
We wake up, eat, snack, lunch, snack, dinner,dessert, late night snack.
That's not nourishment, that's constantinterruption.
Welcome to Health Decode, your number onesource for real health information with your
(00:24):
host, Doctor.
Alessi and Matt Tack.
Hey, Health Decoded listeners.
Doctor Alessi here.
Let me ask you a serious question.
Are you tired of waiting until something goeswrong to finally see a doctor?
At Alessi Functional Health, we take adifferent approach, the right approach.
(00:44):
We believe true health care isn't about chasingsymptoms.
It's about preventing them in the first place.
That's why we created the Allesi Total CareProgram.
This is a functional medicine based membershipthat gives you proactive, personalized care
year round.
You'll get access to comprehensive blood workand functional testing, custom doctor grade
(01:07):
nutraceuticals, deep discounts on labs,protocols, and follow ups, as well as twenty
four seven direct access to your doctor, notjust a ten minute checkup that ends with
another prescription.
And here's the best part.
As a Health Decoded listener, you'll get yourfirst three months completely free when you
(01:27):
sign up for an annual membership.
That's on top of hundreds in savings alreadybuilt into the program.
This is your chance to take responsibility foryour health and join a movement that's
redefining what primary care should look like.
Head on over to alessifunctionalhealth.com,click on our services tab, and go to Total
Care.
Learn more about this program and claim yourexclusive podcast listener offer.
(01:52):
Your health is your greatest asset.
Let's protect it proactively.
Welcome back to another episode of HealthDecoded.
I am your host, Doctor.
Alessi.
This week, we have a really special, really funepisode, something that's really important and
that we touched on briefly last week in ourepisode about gut health.
(02:15):
And this is the importance of fasting.
Now humans have been fasting forever.
For as long as humans have been on this planet,fasting has been a part of just our biology.
And realistically, people didn't used to haveaccess to food all the time.
It wasn't that we always just were able to eatwhenever we wanted.
And so fasting was just a part of how we lived.
(02:38):
And I think it's safe to say that getting awayfrom fasting as much and being able to have
access to so much food all the time has createda lot of issues for human health and ultimately
gut health and just the way that we balance ourmetabolism as human beings.
So this is going to be a really, reallyimpactful episode.
(03:00):
We hope that you enjoy it and let's just getstarted.
So first things first is, know, what isfasting?
How do you do it?
What, why does it work?
Let's just start with that.
So fasting is not a diet.
It's not a hack and it's definitely notstarving yourself, right?
What it is, is a biological rhythm that'shardwired into your DNA.
(03:24):
It's a cycle that our ancestors followednaturally because they had to.
In the absence of grocery stores, Uber Eats andprotein bars every three hours, the body has
evolved to thrive during periods of both whatwe call feast and famine, right?
They would kill an animal or whatever theywould have to eat, they would eat that and then
they maybe go a couple days without food.
(03:44):
And so what is fasting?
It's simply going a period of time withoutconsuming calories.
That's it.
But in that simplicity lies a biologicalsuperpower.
When you stop eating, your body doesn't shutdown, it actually levels up.
Energy is redirected away from your digestionand toward healing, detoxification and cellular
(04:07):
repair.
So, now enter the concept of metabolicflexibility, something we harp on a lot.
Most modern humans are stuck in sugar burningmode 20 fourseven.
They eat every two to three hours, whichmaintains a level of elevated insulin all day.
And then they wonder why they feel exhausted,inflamed and foggy.
(04:28):
Because fasting actually restores your body'sability to burn fat as fuel and eventually
produce things called ketones, which are aclean burning energy source that your brain
thrives on.
And it ultimately can cause healing in the bodyas well.
And so, concept of metabolic flexibility isbasically your ability to toggle between sugar
(04:49):
and fat burning states as needed.
Without it, you're metabolically inflexible andat a greater risk for obesity, diabetes,
Alzheimer's disease and more.
So, what happens inside the body when you fast?
Well, number one, insulin drops.
Within twelve to sixteen hours of fasting, yourinsulin levels begin to fall.
(05:11):
This signals your body to start releasingstored fat and burning that as fuel.
Around the sixteen to twenty four hour mark,autophagy activates.
Autophagy is when your cells begin cleaninghouse.
Basically, autophagy means self eating.
Breaks down damaged mitochondria, misfoldedproteins, and precancerous cells and starts to
(05:32):
get those out.
Then what happens, inflammation begins tolower.
Fasting will suppress those pro inflammatorycytokines and promote an anti inflammatory
state.
Growth hormone begins to rise.
This hormone is what helps preserve muscle,regenerate tissue, even when you're not eating.
(05:52):
And then mitochondria multiply.
So, extended fasting promotes mitochondrialbiogenesis, giving your cells more energy
producing powerhouses to fuel optimal function.
We discussed this in a previous episode.
And so, a study out of the New England Journalof Medicine in 2019 said that intermittent
fasting improves biomarkers of disease, reducesoxidative stress, and preserves learning and
(06:19):
memory function.
So basically, fasting makes you healthier,sharper, and live longer on a cellular level.
Now, why does big pharma hate this?
Well, because there's no profit in fasting.
There's no prescription to fill, no sideeffects to manage, no monthly subscription.
Fasting treats the root cause of disease, whichis insulin resistance, inflammation,
(06:41):
mitochondrial dysfunction, and an overload oftoxins.
Big pharma profits off managing symptoms,whereas fasting dismantles the disease before
that even starts.
So if you want real energy and real fat loss,real disease prevention, you don't need a new
pill.
You need to honor the biology you were bornwith.
(07:02):
Fasting won't break your body, it will finallygive it the chance to fix itself.
And so the science, the healing science offasting is remarkable.
It's not just about losing weight.
It's not just about, you know, getting a lowercalorie count so you can kind of reset that
diet and cut some pounds, although those arebeneficial side effects often.
(07:24):
It's about resetting your biology because oncethe food intake stops, your body isn't shutting
down.
It's turning on systems that have been dormant,right?
Things that are not active because there'sconstantly new food coming in.
And then healing begins at the molecular level.
So, let's talk about that same process we justbriefly spoke on and exactly how fasting
(07:45):
becomes a form of regenerative medicine.
So, little bit more detail here on thatbiological chain, the reaction of a fast.
So, first things first, insulin drops.
When you eat, insulin rises.
And when you stop eating, insulin drops.
That single change will trigger a cascade.
Fat burning turns on, your blood sugar levelswill begin to stabilize and then your hormones
(08:09):
will begin to balance, allowing inflammation tostart to go down as well.
And so, elevated insulin or hyperinsulinemia isreally the silent driver behind most chronic
diseases, and so fasting is a great way toreverse that.
What happens next is your growth hormone rises.
Contrary to popular myth, fasting doesn't burnmuscle, it protects muscle.
(08:34):
During a fast, growth hormone can increase byup to 1300% in women and 2000% in men.
This is according to research published inClinical Endocrinology.
The growth hormone in human body supportstissue repair, enhances muscle preservation and
boosts fat metabolism.
So, you're not going to be wasting away, you'regoing to be rebuilding smarter.
(08:58):
Now, autophagy kicks in and this is basicallythe cellular spring cleaning.
At about the sixteen to twenty four hour markof a fast, something remarkable happens.
Your cells begin to self clean.
Misfolded proteins linked to Alzheimer's andParkinson's disease are broken down, damaged
mitochondria are recycled, and precancerouscells are often destroyed before they even
(09:22):
become a threat.
So, autophagy is basically the body's built indetox program that only turns on when insulin
is low and you're not eating.
What happens next?
Inflammation plummets.
Chronic low grade inflammation, which is theroot cause of nearly every modern disease from
heart disease to anxiety, starts to go down.
(09:43):
Fasting reduces inflammatory markers like Creactive protein, interleukin six, and TNF
alpha, giving your body a chance to repairwithout interference.
And so, there are some conditions that havebeen shown to dramatically improve with
fasting.
Things like type two diabetes.
(10:03):
Fasting will restore the insulin sensitivityand can reverse diabetes in many cases,
especially when paired with low carb diet.
We have seen this many times in our clinic, wehave helped people go from labeled diabetic on
blood work to non diabetic, or maybe fromdiabetic to pre diabetic, but even reversed.
(10:23):
And so that's huge.
PCOS, a hormone driven metabolic conditionoften worsened by insulin resistance.
Fasting helps to regulate the cycles, lowerandrogens and reduce inflammation.
Another condition helped benefited from fastingis Alzheimer's, also known as type three
diabetes.
(10:44):
The brain becomes insulin resistant, just likethe body, and so fasting can increase ketone
production, which will fuel the brain moreefficiently and reduce those amyloid plaque
buildups.
Cardiovascular disease.
Fasting improves blood pressure, cholesterolprofiles and endothelial function.
And obviously, obesity.
(11:04):
Fasting directly targets stored fat, reducescravings and resets the appetite regulating
hormones, leptin and ghrelin.
So there's an awesome study out of the journalCell Metabolism 2020 that showed that time
restricted eating significantly reduces markersof inflammation and improves cardio metabolic
(11:24):
health.
In this study, participants improved bloodpressure, insulin sensitivity, and inflammatory
markers, all by simply restricting their eatingwindow without changing what they ate.
Remarkable.
And so here's a hot take for you, okay?
If fasting could be packaged into a capsule,the big pharmaceutical industry would make it a
(11:46):
$10,000,000,000 blockbuster drug.
But because it's free and accessible andrequires nothing but some discipline, most
doctors never learn about it and most patientsnever hear about it.
So your body was designed to heal.
Fasting doesn't just allow that process, itwill accelerate it.
And so in just twelve to twenty four hours,your body starts doing what no medication
(12:07):
really can.
It starts reversing disease by removing theroot cause.
Now, let's get into the nitty gritty of how tobegin fasting and implementing this powerful
practice into your life.
But first, here's a quick word from one of oursponsors.
This episode of Health Decoded is brought toyou by Authentic Nutrition, the brand
(12:30):
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Now back to the episode.
Alright.
Welcome back.
Thank you for that.
Now, let's get into it.
Let's talk about how to start fasting, but howto start fasting safely.
Because this is one of those things that whendone properly is immensely beneficial, but when
(14:01):
done improperly can actually maybe even beharmful.
And so let's get one thing straight.
You were born to fast.
Your body already knows how, it's wired intoyour biology, and what's really gotten in the
way is just the modern eating schedule, right?
We wake up, eat, snack, lunch, snack, dinner,dessert, late night snack.
(14:22):
That's not nourishment, that's constantinterruption.
And no, breakfast is not the most importantmeal of the day despite what you've been told.
So why does fasting feel hard at first?
It's not because the body is broken, but it'sbecause you've trained yourself to expect fuel
constantly.
This is called metabolic inflexibility.
(14:43):
Your cells are stuck in sugar burning mode.
So, when you stop eating, your body freaks outat first because it doesn't remember how to tap
into fat for fuel.
Just like anything with a little patience andpractice, you can retrain it and that's when
the magic happens.
So let's get into some protocols here.
So the beginner fasting protocol that Irecommend people who have never fasted, perfect
(15:07):
for beginners, especially if your eating hasbeen all over the place, is a twelve twelve
protocol.
Basically, that's a twelve hour fasting windowand a twelve hour eating window.
A good example would look like you don't eatafter 7PM and then you can eat again after 7AM.
And then your eating window is during the day.
This isn't just fasting, this is normalizingyour schedule again, and it often ties in with
(15:31):
your circadian rhythm as well.
That's a great place to start.
Now, to take it up a notch, and this issomething that I do almost basically every
single day, is a sixteen eight intermittentfast.
So basically, fasting from 8PM, I don't eatanything after eight, and then I don't eat
until twelve the next day.
So, you know, the easiest way is just, Hey, I'mnot going to eat until lunch, skipping
(15:55):
breakfast.
And so, you're shortening your eating window.
The goal is you're going to get fat burning,improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced
cravings.
This is basically the gold standard of dailyfasting and most people can feel best when they
skip breakfast and then they break the fastwith a clean protein rich meal at noon.
(16:16):
Pro tip here, hydration is key.
Most people don't just need more food, theyneed more water and electrolytes.
You'll often find that you can just drink somewater with some Himalayan salt in it and it's
going to decrease those hunger signals thatyour brain is creating.
Now, the next step is a twenty four hour fast,doing this like once weekly.
(16:38):
So basically an example is you don't, you stopeating after dinner, you don't eat until dinner
the next day.
The goal here is you're going to tap into thatdeep autophagy, a dramatic insulin reset, and
you're going to start to recalibrate yourbody's appetite signals.
So you still are eating every day, but it'sjust not for a twenty four hour stretch during
(16:58):
the week.
This is ideal for experienced fasteners who areready to take it up a notch.
Now, what can you consume while you're fasting?
This is the question we hear all the time.
Can I still do anything?
There's different schools of thought on this,but basically if it spikes insulin, it breaks
the fast.
That's it.
So even healthy sweeteners that you can putinto your coffee, they can sabotage this
(17:22):
metabolic process.
So what can you consume?
Water.
Obviously water still or sparkling.
Black coffee, as long as there's no cream orsweeteners.
Herbal teas, no flavors, no stevia.
And electrolytes, which we recommend.
Now there's going to be people who are morehardcore fasters that say, you can't have
(17:42):
anything, even water.
I'd go against that because I think thehydration is important and it's key to
sustaining the fast, especially when you'rejust getting started.
Now, a very important note here, when not tofast.
Fasting isn't for everyone and that's okay.
You should avoid prolonged fasting if you'repregnant or breastfeeding.
(18:05):
If you have a history of eating disorders, thiscould be a trigger.
If you're underweight or malnourished, I don'trecommend lowering your calorie count.
And if you're taking medications for diabetesor blood pressure, make sure you're fasting
with the supervision of a professional, right?
Either a functional medicine doctor or even amedical doctor if they're well read on this.
(18:29):
And so safety is always greater than speed.
A real cool study out of the journal Obesity in2015 showed that alternate day fasting led to
significant weight loss and metabolic benefitswithout the loss of lean mass.
So, preserving that lean muscle tissue.
So the translation here is basically, you canburn fat and preserve muscle while fasting, if
(18:52):
it's done correctly and paired with enoughprotein in your eating window.
That is a huge, huge critical factor.
So just to rehash, how to start in somepractical steps.
Start with that twelve hour overnight fast.
Stop eating after dinner, no snacks, and theneat breakfast twelve hours later.
Delay breakfast by thirty minutes each day.
(19:13):
Within a week, you'll likely hit that fourteento sixteen hours of fasting without stress.
That's a great way.
Focus on quality during your eating window.
Fasting isn't going to save you from eatingultra processed junk food.
So focusing on real whole foods and proteinrich meat while you're eating.
And then supporting your body with propersleep, movement, and stress management.
(19:38):
Fasting is the spark, but you need oxygen,sleep, and calm to fuel the flame.
Also, fasting is a mild stress on the body.
And if you're chronically stressed, it mayactually negatively impact you rather than
positively.
So it's always best to do it appropriately.
And so fasting is it's really simple, but it'snot always easy, especially in a world where
(20:01):
food is engineered to hijack your hunger, themarketing ploys, right?
Everything's screaming at us, consume, consume.
So that's why you need a plan and a protocol,and then obviously some confidence to listen to
your body.
And so I love this because we basically puttogether what we call the personal fasting
toolbox.
(20:21):
So you've now, I've given you some of thescience, you understand the benefits.
You might have even tried some protocols.
Let's talk about how you make this stick andhow you can do this consistently.
Because the truth is motivation will fade.
Everybody has motivation at the beginning.
But tools are what can keep you consistent.
So here's some tools to help you succeed.
(20:42):
There are apps, fasting tracker apps.
These track this tracking builds awareness.
Awareness builds consistency.
And so, some really cool apps are one calledZero.
Very user friendly, it's educational and it haslike a community aspect to it.
There's an app called Fastic.
This is integrates steps, step counter,hydration and basically a fasting timeline.
(21:06):
And then there's an app called Life, whichincludes glucose, ketone and mood tracking.
This is really good for those more advanced biobiohackers.
So, here's the tip, right?
Set your goal.
Set a fasting goal, hit start and watch howquickly your brain loves checking the progress
bar on these apps.
It's a very gamified way to make this somethingthat you can cling onto.
(21:29):
And now, you know, really the next thing thatwe talk about in this fasting toolbox is
electrolytes.
They're not optional in our take on fasting.
When you're fasting, your insulin will drop.
This signals your kidneys to start flushing outsodium and water.
That's good for your blood pressure, but if youdon't replenish these minerals, you can often
get what's known as the fasting fatigue.
(21:49):
You just feel sluggish, you feel down.
That's not a great way to become consistentbecause you're not going to want to do that.
So some key minerals you want to replace aresodium, huge.
It's the most important one.
Using things like Himalayan salt or Redmondreal salt.
Potassium, you can get this through cream oftartar in water, that's not going to break your
(22:10):
fast or a low dose electrolyte blend.
And then magnesium, using magnesium glycinateor citrate.
If you're feeling dizzy, headachy or foggyduring a fast, the chances are you just need
more minerals.
Now, the next one and this is one that again,the hardcore fasting people will say that this
(22:31):
breaks your fast.
However, it's not spiking insulin, so weapprove of it is using bone broth.
This is liquid gold.
If you're doing extended fasts, forty eight toseventy two hours, using bone broth can
replenish those minerals and collagen.
It's going to support the gut lining and it canreduce hunger pangs without breaking your fast.
(22:52):
So, a little bonus is it keeps your fast kindof therapeutic while you're giving your body
this kind of warm, comforting nutrientinfusion.
Now, all of those things are great ways to helpyou during the fast.
Now, the next very important thing is how tobreak your fast the right way.
Cause the first meal after a fast is critical.
(23:12):
Your cells are now primed to absorb nutrients.
Don't give them junk food, Right?
Don't give them a bunch of carbs and processedstuff.
However, you do need to start slow.
So the best combo for breaking a fast is aprotein and a healthy fat.
So things like some bone broth with addedcollagen, some eggs and avocado, and then maybe
(23:35):
some grilled chicken with some olive oil.
This combo is going to stabilize the bloodsugar, prevent the dreaded post fast crash, and
it's going to ultimately give your body thenutrition that it's craving and is going to
know what to do with.
However, things to avoid is processed carbs,high sugar fruits or smoothies.
(23:56):
Most people think a smoothie after a fast, butthat's going to spike that insulin like crazy.
And then large meals, you want to ease backinto it.
So think of your gut kind of like a muscle.
It just rested.
You don't want to slam it with a three platebuffet.
You want to ease back in.
Starting with some bone broth, getting intosome soft cooked veggies, some eggs that are
(24:16):
scrambled avocado, and then ultimately gettingback into some whole food protein like grilled
chicken with some olive oil.
And so, you know, it's really, yes, there's aphysiological component, but there's also the
mindset shift that comes with fasting, becausefasting is freedom.
It's not a punishment, it's not aboutrestriction.
You need to think about it about as takingcontrol, right?
(24:38):
You are taking control of yourself from thesugar addiction, the constant hunger, the
emotional tie to eating, right?
We get dependent on eating.
And so every fast is basically a vote forhealing for your body.
Every hour without food is time that your bodyspends repairing, regenerating and optimizing.
(24:58):
You're not depriving yourself, you're unlockingone of the most powerful healing states known
to human biology.
There was a study done in the journal ScienceTranslational Medicine in 2016 that showed that
fasting diets promote regeneration, reducecancer incidents and autoimmune symptoms.
That's why we incorporate this into basicallyevery functional medicine protocol that we use
(25:21):
within our clinics.
It's not fringe science.
It's published evidence showing how fasting canregenerate systems pharmaceuticals only try to
manage.
So, I want to leave you with a closing takeawayhere.
Fasting is not a fad.
It's been around forever.
It's not dangerous when you do it correctly,and it's certainly not profitable for the big
(25:43):
pharmaceutical industry.
But what is it?
It's evolutionarily natural, scientificallyproven, metabolic healing and emotionally
liberating.
Because your body isn't broken, it's just beenover stimulated.
So you need to give it what it needs.
That's time.
And then the miracles will follow.
So if you want to learn more about how weincorporate fasting within functional medicine
(26:08):
to improve health and longevity, go toalessifunctionalhealth.com, schedule a
consultation with myself or one of my otherproviders, and let's create a personalized plan
for fasting and for lifelong health.
As always, listeners of the Health Decodedpodcast are going to get exclusive discounts
and price reductions on all of our protocolsand lab testing.
(26:31):
If you found value in today's show, please,please like, subscribe and share this with
someone who needs to hear it.
That's how we grow.
That's how this message gets out and how we canhelp people change more lives.
If you want to get in touch with us or befeatured on an episode and share your story,
email us at askalessiefxhealth dot com.
(26:53):
Visit alessiefxhealth.com, sign up for ournewsletter.
That will keep you in the know of all theexclusive things we have coming out, and you
can check out our resources page to learn aboutour cutting edge approach to nutrition and
cutting edge therapies.
Thank you so much for tuning into HealthDecoded, where we break down the science, bust
the myths, and help you take control of yourhealth naturally.
(27:16):
Until next time, stay curious, stay empowered,and remember, your health is in your hands.
Thank you for tuning in to Health Decoded,where we break down the truth about all things
health and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
(27:37):
someone who needs to hear this.
For more resources and personalized support,visit us at AlessiFunctionalHealth.com and sign
up for our newsletter.
To hear your questions answered live on theshow, send them to ask@AlessiFXHealth.com.
That's ask@alessifxhealth.com.
(27:58):
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
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