Fasting! For hormone balance (and yes, a little weight loss)
I am a devotee of intermittent fasting but one of my tools when I’m off balance is five-day fasts. I started doing them about three years ago with a program called Prolon. They provided pre-packaged foods which made it easy to navigate, but it was also very expensive, and the ingredients were very processed. As the aim of the longer fasts is to reset your body and your metabolism, that seemed a bit like an oxymoron to me. They stopped shipping to Australia as a couple of the ingredients didn’t meet our regulations and I continued my normal 8/16 intermittent fasting (eat only for eight hours of each day).
However, recently my hormones have descended in an epic freefall battle, perimenopause is clearly hitting a crescendo and HRT is not working the wonders it once did. I’m finally settling into my new dose (with help from acupuncture and other therapies) but I’m carrying fluid and extra weight, and my body is struggling to settle. So, I decided to do some research and do my own five day fast.
As I write this, I’m finishing my first homemade five day fast and I’m feeling amazing. There is a clarity, a clearness of mind that comes with fasting that is well documented and evidenced, but I don’t think you really understand it until you do it. It is a feeling of ease. You have limited energy, so you focus on what really matters. It clears the path so to speak. It also clears out excess fluid and without poisons like sugar and alcohol (not that I drink anyway), your body almost sings with joy. There is also a sense of control with fasting. A non-reliance on anything else and a sense of pride that you can do it. I’m delighted to say I’ve managed to get the same results from my own homestyle fast that I did from Prolon.
I have to be very, very careful with those feelings as that is very similar to the eating disorder territory, I worked so hard to journey away from. Suffering bulimia for two decades has taught me to be very careful about my triggers, but fasting doesn’t seem to be one. I’m very clear that it is a reset, a gift to my body and my mind. A chance to focus on my health, to thank my body for being the vessel for my existence and letting my organs have a much-needed rest.
The other advantage is that you have less to do when you don’t have to prepare dinner every night. I made meals for the family on Sunday, and they heated them up each night and I pre-prepared my broth and additives. I did have my daughter’s rep netball dinner at a local club and felt a bit odd sitting there drinking peppermint tea while everyone ate, but the other parents and I had fun with it and a good laugh. It actually isn’t that hard to fast.
When my husband and I did Prolon, we started with a five day fast once a month for three months and then we did it quarterly for three years. After the success of this homemade fast I’m going to start that same timing again.
So, the nitty gritty. How do you do a five day fast?
Firstly, have a look at Prolon.com which is the program we initially did. When I couldn’t buy it in Australia anymore, I did a lot of research on how I could do it myself. Of course, their marketing says that they are scientifically proven and the only simulated fast in the world etc etc, but I am feeling very similar benefits from doing it myself, so when they do return to Australia (which I believe is imminent) I don’t think I will use it again.
What did I do?
I made two large soups which are ground down to broth. Prolon uses powdered soup, I used fresh vegetables and herbs with homemade stock. The fast is vegan and low calorie. Day one is about 1000 calories, Days two to five is about 800 calories. There are minimal carbs, and you enter ketosis late on day one (generally). Prolon allow herbal teas only and one black coffee – I have a couple of black coffees and lots of herbal tea.
I had broth three times a day.
8 Almonds twice a day on day one and then once a day on days two to five
Herbal teas (as much as you want but try to avoid caffeinated)
One black coffee (I don’t listen to this, and I refuse to discuss decaffeinated coffee 😊)
Four seeded crackers on day one, three and five
Ten green olives on day two and four
One fish oil tablet each day
Electrolyte smashed water once a day.
Drink at least three litres of water.
Exercise: not recommended and most people don’t have the energy, I do it though and find it really helps with fluid release and reset. I don’t do heavy weights. I focus on lighter exercises (pilates, yoga, swimming, walking)
Results
-4.2kg
Excess fluid from fingers etc gone.
Sleep improved.
Mind clear and focused!
Mood improved.
Body is very happy (especially my gut)
These were pretty much the same results I got from Prolon without the high cost and without prepackaged and overly processed foods.
If you’re interested, here are the websites and recipes I used for research. I’m certainly not an expert and can only relay my experience but for me – that centered feeling of ease that I am seeking can be found when I use fasting to reset.
One word of warning though – you must slowly ease back into eating. You can’t finish and have KFC and expect to maintain any benefits. Easing back into your diet is the key and the more Low HI (low human interference) foods the better. Take time if reintroducing meat!
Some research links:
https://foodzie.com/fasting-mimicking-diet-do-it-yourself/
https://richmondfunctionalmedicine.com/diy-fasting-mimicking-diet/
https://f.hubspotusercontent30.net/hubfs/5714482/assets/Resources/fasting-mimicking-diet.pdf
https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/what-is-the-fasting-mimicking-diet
