There are many ways to help your body detoxify. Sometimes, what you eat can help. Other times, not eating is the answer. In fact, an intermittent fasting diet can promote detox.
Here’s how to use intermittent fasting, and why it combined with a healthy detox diet is important for whole-body health.
How to Use an Intermittent Fasting Diet
In simple terms, an intermittent fasting diet uses periods and fasting, and periods of eating, on a regular basis. Typically, people fast for 12-16 hours out of each 24-hour day when using it each day.
Obviously, this is a change from normal eating and fasting cycles in which a 6-8 hour sleeping period is the only true “fast” of the day.
To use a 12-16 hour intermittent fasting diet, it’s important to finish eating dinner by 6:00 or 7:00 pm. Then, breakfast should be delayed until mid-morning or even noon. A “fasting” time of 6:30 pm to 10:30 am is typical for a 16 hour fast.
Fortunately, you can still drink no-carb liquids during the fast. For example, coffee with MCT Oil powder and collagen will not break the fast in any significant way and can be consumed in the morning hours while you extend the fast.
How Does an Intermittent Fasting Diet Promote Detox?
1. Intermittent Fasting Supports Healthy Immune Function
Intermittent fasting supports healthy immune function. Healthy immune function is at the center of body detox.
How does fasting help?
First, it promotes stem cell function and their ability to renew and repair themselves. In fact, lab studies show that fasting correlates with fewer unhealthy cells.
As a matter of fact, one study found that 3 days of fasting can literally regenerate the entire immune system! It showed that as the body “eats up” old immune cells, stem cell activity is increased. The stem cells then begin to create new immune cells which leads to the anti-aging effects of fasting.
Next, intermittent fasting can reduce the autoimmune response. It promotes cell repair during the cellular re-feeding phase (1).
Lastly, fasting supports the production and repair of white blood cells. White blood cells are especially important in the lymph system. They fight harmful invaders and work to keep the body healthy.
Of note, white blood cell production may actually be slightly reduced during the fast itself, but then vastly increases when food is reintroduced.
2. It Promotes Insulin Sensitivity & Healthy Blood Sugars
During times of fasting, the body works to make the cell membranes more sensitive to insulin. For many people, insulin insensitivity is at the center of their metabolic and health issues. And, while a typical high sugar diet promotes insulin insensitivity, intermittent fasting promotes sensitivity and health.
Part of any healthy detox is allowing the body to balance hormones and lose fat. In fact, when there is no fuel source available in the bloodstream, the body works to improve metabolism and cellular health.
As cells become more insulin sensitive, they require less insulin when food is reintroduced, and are in a better state for fat loss.
3. Improved Cellular Autophagy and Human Growth Factor
The human body has natural cycles of cell growth, cell death, and cell autophagy (programmed cell death). This is extremely important for overall health and longevity. When you use an intermittent fasting diet, your body improves cellular autophagy (2).
Then, during this autophagy cell detox, fasting also stimulates the production of human growth hormone (HGH). HGH helps the body burn fat, repair cells, build muscle, build bone density, and age healthily.
4. Neurogenesis
Neurogenesis is the production of new brain cells. It is crucial for a youthful, healthy brain and brain cell detox.
Fasting supports neurogenesis through increased ghrelin production. This is interesting because ghrelin is typically discussed as the “hunger hormone.” It stimulates appetite.
But, ghrelin also impacts the brain. One animal study found that increased ghrelin supported better memory, learning, and neural connection production.
Fasting increases ghrelin, and ghrelin supports neurogenesis.
5. An Intermittent Fasting Diet Promotes A Healthy Weight
Intermittent fasting is an effective tool for achieving a healthy weight. A body at a healthy weight functions better, from hormones to cardiovascular functions to detox.
And, it’s not just about the calorie deficit while fasting.
An intermittent fasting diet combines a calorie deficit, improved cellular health, and a cycle of fasting and feeding that promotes fat loss without the body adapting and conserving itself. This lack of adaptation helps the body continue to work towards a healthy weight in the long-term (3).
Other Benefits of an Intermittent Fasting Diet
There are other documented benefits of an intermittent fasting diet. They include:
- Optimal triglyceride levels
- Healthy cholesterol markers
- Improved aging
- Optimal blood sugars
- Fat loss without negative cellular adaptations
Learn More About Intermittent Fasting and Detox
Want to learn more about an intermittent fasting diet and detox? You’re in luck. You can join the challenge: Dr. Don Colbert’s 21 Day Detox! Start today and use intermittent fasting and proven detox techniques to support your health!
