Unfortunately, this study is not referenced, the authors name(s) are not provided, and there is also no reasoning given as to why this is even relevant to the book. Pelz claims that “when you put your cells into both a state of autophagy and ketosis, [you are] creating an amplified healing state” and throughout this section of her book she lists physiologic processes preceded with words like “increases”, “decreases”, “resets” and “repairs”, to signal that fasting has a positive association with each one: “increases autophagy!”, “repairs the immune system!”, “Increases growth hormone production”, and the worst of all, “reduces the reoccurrence of cancer!”. Autophagy Fasting. Naomi Whittel in her book Glow 15 talks about autophagy fasting. Autophagy fasting entails 16-18 hours of fasting (this is considered the “sweet spot”). There are some additional key principles here you’ll want to follow. When you break your fast, you’ll break it with healthy fats. This helps keep your blood sugar stable and curbs hunger, allowing you to go another 3-4 hours without eating. You’ll keep carbs under 50g and protein under 20g (animal or plant). Naomi Whittel also recommends eating carbs later in the day. Autophagy fasting is great for a lot of people, here is more information on what it is and why you should try it.

According to research, most of the challenges women encounter on fasting are primarily hormonal. How so? The language used surrounding much of Pelzs’ fasting protocols is alarming. Within the “autophagy fasting” length fasting of 17-72 hours, Pelz tells readers to think of autophagy as “this magical eraser that will undo the damage a poor diet created within your cells”, and this is after suggesting that a detox is necessary after a “vacation in which you overindulged”. One of the questions I get asked most frequently is, “how long should I fast?” Well, that depends on what health benefits you are hoping to achieve. The longer you fast, the more the benefits add up.Have you listened to theDr Rangan Chattergee'Feel Better, Live More'podcast with special guest Dr Mindy Pelz? They talk in depthabout Fasting, Hormones & Menopause and why women need a different approach... On the other hand, fasting can negatively impact progesterone production. Increased stress during fasting can elevate cortisol levels, which can hinder progesterone production during the nurture phase. Additionally, progesterone thrives with higher glucose levels, which fasting reduces. Hence, it’s best to avoid fasting during the nurture phase when your body is busy creating progesterone. Sugar (carbs converted into glucose for energy) raises our blood sugar that cells use as fuel. The problem is that our blood sugar is high 24/7 because of how often and what we eat which leads to insulin resistance -> obesity and diabetes. We were not designed to gorge on carbs all day long, every day. Carbs burn fast and are like paper in a fire. On the flip side, hormone feasting is predominantly designed to support progesterone production. This is crucial during the manifestation and nurture phases when your hormone levels are at their peak. The nutritional split for this style of eating is no more than 150 grams of carbs, a maximum of 50 grams of protein, and as many healthy fats as you like.

Ovulation typically takes place between the 11th and 15th days of the cycle. Around day 13, estrogen levels peak, coinciding with the height of ovulation. This rise in estrogen often fosters a sense of optimism, as it aids in the production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Coupled with an increase in testosterone, this period is when a woman often feels her happiest and most empowered.Is there ever a time you should stop fasting? Yes! If your ketones get above 7, your blood sugar drops below 40 or you are not feeling well, you should break your fast. You can also try drinking salt water or taking a mineral supplement like MIN to help stabilize minerals during fasting. The nutrition and integrative health fields are increasingly recognizing the power of short- and long-term fasting in protocols for health and disease. However, too often the influence of cyclical hormonal patterns on metabolism and fasting physiology is overlooked. Dr. Mindy outlines here a strategy for optimizing the healthful impact of fasting in coordination with your hormonal cycles. – Zach Bush PhD, physician (internal medicine, endocrinology and hospice care) A 2018 study in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging found obese individuals experienced metabolic improvements just by reducing the window in which they ate every day. Participants ate whatever they wanted, but only during an 8-hour period –and saw dramatic results. Another study published in 2020 in Cell Metabolism found that people who ate during a 10-hour period experienced greater metabolic effects than when the exact same things were eaten during a 14-hour period. So with just four extra hours of fasting and no change to their diet, people saw significant metabolic results. How is this possible? Well, let’s look at the science behind fasting.

Much like with exercise, fasting is an incredible, free healing tool that everyone can benefit from. What makes this book so unique is that women now have a fasting manual that will help customize food and fasting to match the needs of their hormones. In Fast Like a Girl, Dr. Mindy not only makes the science of fasting easy to understand but lays out a whole new health paradigm for women and men to improve their lives in a myriad of ways. – Tony Horton, bestselling author and creator of the popular P90X workout series Maybe advising women to reduce the amount of caffeine they drink during this important progesterone-production stage would help them to not have missed cycles and troubles with sleep. I've sent my suggestions to the author. The optimal time to fast is during the power phases when your body is generating estrogen. Fasting can lower insulin levels, which is beneficial for estrogen production. Fasts of any length during these power phases can be advantageous. Pelz encourages experimenting with different fasting durations, from intermittent fasting to 72-hour fasts. For longer fasts, like 24 hours or more, remember to give your body ample time to recover before embarking on another prolonged fast. It’s not advisable to squeeze in more than one 72-hour fast per cycle! Now, how do you know if you’re in nutritional ketosis and your body is beginning to secrete ketones? Your ketones should be reading at 0.5 or above. If you’re not seeing this, time and repetition is important here. Sometimes the body simply needs more time to acclimate in this step and make that conversion from sugar burning to fat burning mode. If you still find you’re having trouble getting into ketosis, you might have a congested liver. STEP 3: INCREASE YOUR FASTING WINDOW TO over 17+ HOURS

How to break your fast?

Dr. Mindy is the Warren Buffet of fasting. – Jesse Itzler, entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, endurance athlete and an owner of the Atlanta Hawks