{"id":36973,"date":"2023-07-25T01:10:53","date_gmt":"2023-07-25T01:10:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=36973"},"modified":"2023-07-25T16:43:04","modified_gmt":"2023-07-25T16:43:04","slug":"is-fasting-healthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/is-fasting-healthy\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Talk: Is Fasting Actually Healthy? Here’s What Women Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wondering if fasting is healthy, or seeking insights as it pertains women’s health? This guide can help you get a greater sense of the benefits of fasting and how to make it work for you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Although fasting is far from a new practice, perhaps it\u2019s new to you. Ahead, you\u2019ll learn about the origins of fasting, popular types of fasts, and tips to practice this dietary pattern in a sustainable way that supports your well-being. Throughout, you\u2019ll also find surprising intel on intermittent fasting<\/a> for women and other game-changing FYIs you probably weren\u2019t privy to\u2026 until now.<\/p>\n\n\n

The History and Evolution of Fasting<\/h2>\n\n\n

Generally speaking, the practice of fasting has its roots in evolutionary necessity and religious practices. \u201cPeople all over the world have practiced fasting for most of human history,\u201d explains Mindy Pelz, DC<\/a>, a holistic health practitioner, fasting expert, and author of Fast Like a Girl<\/em><\/a>. \u201cBack when we were hunter-gatherers, fasting was less of a choice. We would go for hours (sometimes days) without eating, punctuated by huge feasts when someone hunted an animal or found an abundance of fruits, nuts, and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

The religious ritual of fasting is seen across different religions and sects to this day, with Ramadan and Yom Kippur fasts as popular examples. \u201cBuddhist monks also often practice fasting, sometimes for days at a time, as a way to meditate and cultivate inner stillness,\u201d Dr. Pelz adds. In fact, the women\u2019s fasting expert explains that research on religious fasting largely paved the way for the health perks associated with fasting as we recognize them today. \u201cA lot of the early fasting research came from scientists studying people during Ramadan,\u201d she shares. \u201cThey noticed that those who fasted experienced all kinds of benefits, which led to more targeted research in a lab setting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Studies on patients with epilepsy also set the groundwork for modern-day fasting fanfare. \u201cAbout a hundred years ago, researchers discovered that intermittent fasting helped stop seizures, and that the people who fasted were healthier in all kinds of other ways,\u201d Dr. Pelz continues. \u201cThe field grew from there. Today, fasting is a major field of research for everything from weight loss<\/a> to longevity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is Fasting Healthy?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Simply put, fasting can be healthy so long as you practice it in a sustainable way that works for your body\u2019s needs. As we\u2019ll soon see, there are different types of fasts to choose from\u2014as well as certain guidelines that can work for (or even against) women<\/a> and other demographics.<\/p>\n\n\n

Dr. Pelz provides a general overview of potential benefits of fasting, which include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n