Is fasting good for the intestines? Hello everyone, Linsy here! Do you have experience with fasting and/or have you found it helpful in your personal healing journey? Some people swear by it, for others it just doesn’t work. And that’s okay!
Everyone is different, so we always recommend relying on your own body’s wisdom and listening to your gut feeling – because your body knows what it needs.
Well, today I want to share my experience with fasting with you – but first, let’s take a look at some of its potential benefits.
Is fasting good for the intestines?
While it’s important to be careful about what we eat (or what we don’t eat), it’s actually also extremely important to pay attention When we eat. Why? Because our body’s internal clock changes throughout the day and this affects how we digest things at different times of the day.
In this teleseminar with Jini and Dr. Paul Goldberg mentions Dr. Goldberg says that for many of his patients don’t eat so much have actually improved their health! In these patients, he found that reducing food intake rather than increasing it made a big difference.
Similar to how Jini recommends an elemental diet to give the gastrointestinal tract time to rest, fasting can provide intestinal rest and give the body time to heal.
This article explains the effects of fasting on the gut:
Intermittent fasting can also change the composition of your microbiome. “Your gut bacteria are very sensitive to the presence and absence of food,” explains Devkota. “When you remove food, the composition of the microbiome changes.” There is a rapid spread of a particular bacterium (Akkermansia muciniphila), which is associated with positive health attributes such as lower intestinal inflammation and a healthier intestinal barrier.
Animal studies show that the microbiome has its own circadian rhythm and constantly switches between different populations, explains Amir Zarrinpar, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of gastroenterology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, who studies the gut microbiome.
He suspects that in humans, when people sleep and don’t eat, a number of bacteria can thrive. When you wake up and start eating, others can flourish and take control. The cycle repeats every 24 hours, but can be interrupted if you eat off schedule or have an unhealthy diet. Time-restricted feeding can reinforce these naturally occurring fluctuations and help restore them, reports a study conducted by Dr. Zarrinpar co-authored an article published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2016.
The shift in composition is what we want!
I have also found that fasting has helped me heal wounds in my gastrointestinal tract. This is because it disrupts bowel movements, which can reinjure the wound. As you’ll read later, I found fasting difficult at first – but once I could tolerate it, it was so nice to give my tummy a break!
Longer fasting can often have a greater impact on the gut and alter the microbiota for many. For example, fasting for two hours instead of 18 hours can make a really big difference. However, always consult your doctor before trying any fasting methods.
Types of fasting
Did you know that there are different types of fasting? Distinguishing the different types can make a big difference because extreme fasting and dieting can be unhealthy or even dangerous. So the key is to do this in a safe and health-promoting way.
As explained in this article on Healthline, here are five of the most popular eating habits to incorporate intermittent fasting into your diet:
- Time-limited food: Involves fasting for 12 hours or longer every day and eating in the remaining hours. A popular example is the 16/8 method. It includes a daily 16-hour fast and an 8-hour eating window during which you can eat 2, 3 or more meals.
- The 5:2 diet: On the 5:2 diet, you eat as usual five days a week and limit your calorie intake to 500-600 on the remaining two days.
- Eat, stop eating: “Eat Stop Eat” involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week.
- Alternative fasting during the day: With alternate day fasting, the goal is to fast every other day.
- The Warrior Diet: The Warrior Diet was among the first popular diets to incorporate some form of intermittent fasting. It involves eating small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and eating a large meal in the evening.
However, there are many methods, so I recommend you do your own research – don’t feel limited to these. This is just to give you an idea and get you going.
*Note: If you are still experiencing flare-ups and extreme gastrointestinal distress, consult a doctor first before using any fasting method. Although there are many benefits to fasting, for some it may be more beneficial to wait to try a fasting method until they have stabilized and are no longer losing weight from their inflammatory bowel disease.
Others can actually gain weight and heal faster through fasting – but again, it depends on the person, the body, and their place in their healing journey. For example, there was no way I could have fasted while I was bleeding and experiencing extreme weight loss. My body was so exhausted that it couldn’t handle a complete fast. Only when I was fairly healed was I able to experience and try out different types of fasting – and slowly work my way up to it.
Personally, I think it’s not a good time to fast if you have extreme symptoms (bleeding, weight loss, etc.), but for others it can calm the body/gastrointestinal tract – so consult a professional, choose the right time and listen to your own needs!
My experience with fasting + tips
Personally, I could only cope with fasting when I wasn’t under stress. I had to make sure there was no work or events coming up until I got used to fasting.
I started fasting hour by hour. This is a longer transition period, but an easy way to get your body used to it. This helped me get used to it in a way that was comfortable for me and I didn’t have to starve. You can start by not eating for an additional hour each day and then increase this schedule until you reach your desired fasting period.
Here is a personal story:
My body has always been OVER/hyperactive. That said, when I was sick and trying to cure my IBD, I had an extremely high metabolism. I ate constantly and had chronic diarrhea. This made fasting almost impossible for me at first because I constantly felt like I was hungry! So when I tried to fast, the hunger was exponential and unbearable – and I ended up giving up the fast before any good could come from it.
I believe part of my extreme appetite was the overgrowth of pathogens and possible parasites that caused this constant feeling of hunger. It took a lot of work to calm and normalize everything, both physically and emotionally.
I had to do a lot of breathing, tapping, and mindfulness to avoid fixating on food and my appetite. I made sure I felt safe, comforted and comfortable during the fast and drank lots of water.
At the same time, I didn’t push myself. If I reached a certain hour and couldn’t bear not eating for another minute, then I would eat! A trigger for me on my healing journey was often NOT eating. In fact, I got worse and started having extreme cramps (e.g. in the fetal position, cramping on the floor). So if I could even fast for a few hours, it would be a miracle – and I counted it as a victory!
And you know, sometimes it’s helpful to go with the flow. There are days when I constantly feel the need to eat, and other days I barely eat and eat quickly. Again I lean into my body and its needs.
Avoid things that stimulate your appetite
It’s important to listen to your body and pay attention to how it reacts to certain stimuli. I found that certain teas and bone broths stimulated my appetite, so I would avoid them before and during fasting periods.
What you eat before, during and after fasting is important! Scientifically proven, proteins can make your stomach feel full. Therefore, you should be careful not to stuff yourself with carbohydrates before fasting – even if it temporarily fills you up.
According to this article, a good meal before fasting would be a good mix of rice, fruits or vegetables, and protein. It shows some examples of what to eat beforehand and how to break the fast.
I also recommend you take a look at Jini’s recipes to find new ideas while you’re thinking about fasting!
As a tip: Since the right type of fasting can change the microbiome, be sure to take probiotics. That way, when it actually shifts, it will shift in the right direction. However, probiotics can increase appetite. So if you’re fasting, maybe try taking your doses before meals with intermittent fasting – for example, to relieve gas or bloating.
Now that I’ve shared some of my experiences with you, I’d love to hear from you all! Have you tried fasting? If yes, what experiences have you had? Write a comment below and share it with me. 🙂
Linsy is Jini’s assistant. From a highly sensitive/reactive case of ulcerative colitis to a fully medical and surgical treatment using all-natural methods, Linsy truly understands first-hand the interplay of mind/body/spirit on the healing journey.
