Intermittent fasting is not for everyone

Intermittent fasting is a popular trend that is not without risk. The goal of intermittent fasting is to put your body in a state of ketosis where fats and ketones will be utilized, instead of carbohydrates. However, the process that occurs within your body when food is restricted is complicated.

There is no set length of time that is needed in order for intermittent fasting to be successful, which may be confusing if you are not sure how long to fast or when to stop. It is important to listen to your body during this time as intermittent fasting is not for everyone.

During the time of fasting, individuals may be prone to dehydration and hypoglycemia, or experience other adverse effects if trying to fast while on prescription or other medications. It isn’t just the medically fragile individuals who shouldn’t fast. Teenagers or those with altered metabolic rates (such as hypo and hyperthyroidism) may be putting more stress on the body than it can handle, resulting in a wide variety of symptoms: inability to concentrate, nausea, vomiting, headache, irritability, fatigue, fainting. Also, it is never a good idea to restrict calories during a time when your body is trying to grow or trying to heal. Anyone who gets irritable and symptomatic when skipping meals should not attempt to fast for prolonged periods of time.

There are many different ways to fast and many different ways to eat during fasting. Prior to restricting calories for any reason, make sure that your body can handle the stress of not eating or limiting calories. I suggest consulting with a nutritionist who can work with you to help create a fasting plan that is best for your body and for your unique health history. A nutritionist can individualize an eating plan to make sure that you are maximizing your caloric intake with high density foods during the times when food is being restricted.

Most importantly: Listen to your body! If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it or stop what you are doing.

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