How Fasting Can Help You Become Healthier, Thinner and Insulin Sensitive

http://drannacabeca.com/how-fasting-can-help-you-become-healthier-thinner-and-insulin-sensitive/

COUCH TALK WITH DR. ANNA CABECA

Today’s special Couch Talk guest: Nadia Pateguana, ND

She’s a Canadian naturopathic doctor, and has had 15 years of clinical experience helping women and men go through an intensive dietary management program primarily based on the concepts and benefits of fasting. She currently specializes in coaching people with metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and PCOS at IDM (Intensive Dietary Management), working with Dr. Jason Fung, author of “The Complete Guide to Fasting” and “The Obesity Code”.

We delved in to all things fasting!

Testing Your Glucose Level Isn’t the Whole Story!

Nadia talked about how metabolic syndrome, diabetes and so many other issues (hypertension, fatty liver, cardiovascular disease, PCOS…!) are really rooted in insulin management.

And while you can test blood sugar at home, you can’t easily test insulin so many people don’t realize that they already may have an insulin issue.

Even if your blood sugar levels test within the normal range, you also have to know what your insulin is doing.

According to Nadia 70-80% of US adults have metabolic syndrome! Even though they may test as “normal.”

We discussed how insulin, a hormone that our bodies produce in response to eating is really a fat storage hormone. Every time you eat your body produces insulin to lower your blood glucose levels and it takes a while for insulin levels to get back to lower levels. So if you eat again too soon, your insulin levels never come down. If your insulin remains high, you store fat. If insulin is low, you burn fat.

And what has the highest impact on insulin levels? Refined carbs!

So for all of you grazers or snackers out there, or those who think eating more small meals throughout the day is a better dietary strategy than eating a few full meals, it is the absolute worst thing you can do!

This means that your insulin will stay high. You will store fat, not burn it. And when you are in this “storage” mode, you will also still be hungry!

Listen to our Couch Talk interview and you will learn,

That there is an insulin cycle…and what eating too often – and eating refined carbs and sugar – does to that cycle! Insulin truly regulates weight and hunger!
While 70-80% of US adults have metabolic syndrome, how that is expressed is different in each person (diabetes, cardiovascular, fertility issues, poor skin, etc.)
Why an intermittent fasting program (like 16/8) is a common, safe dietary protocol that pretty much anyone can do
Why more serious fasting programs (like fasting on alternate days) need medical supervision
How fasting triggers autophagy (when the body eats up its own garbage and diseased cells…viewed as an anti-aging and disease prevention process) and how long that may take to occur
What people can do when starting a fasting program to prevent hypoglycemia
The importance of being on a ketogenic-based diet for most people, prior to fasting (this is what we do in Magic Menopause as part of my Keto-alkaline® diet and lifestyle program!)
“Crutches” you can use during fasting that may help you!