Future of Health Series: Intermittent Fasting with Cynthia Thurlow

IMPACT

Food really is medicine, but sometimes staying away from food is even more healing. That’s the idea behind intermittent fasting. In this episode of Impact, Meghan talks with Cynthia Thurlow, a nurse practitioner and internationally known women’s health expert whose TEDx Talk has received more than 10 million views.

Intermittent fasting is eating within a prescribed time period, and not eating within another prescribed time period. Why does it matter? It has to do with our metabolism. Metabolic flexibility is critically important to our health, and intermittent fasting promotes such flexibility by allowing your body to be more effective at using different types of fuel. Chronically overfeeding the body is what contributes to metabolic disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, infertility issues, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and so much more.

Fasting improves our insulin sensitivity so our bodies can access stored fat as a fuel source instead of stored sugar. And when we're using fat as a fuel source, we don't get hungry in between meals and we’re able to lose weight much more easily. It also allows our body to get rid of diseased and disordered cells, like taking out the garbage.

Many women who do intermittent fasting also are able to come off blood pressure and diabetes medications. They have fewer digestive issues, less bloating and more regular bowel movements. It can also help to lower the risk for certain types of cancers, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Our bodies are designed to be challenged, so it’s important to make changes as you get older. Intermittent fasting can be one of those changes to keep your body healthy and optimal.

Cynthia Thurlow is so conversant with the topic of intermittent fasting and there is much to take in from this episode. So have a listen and learn more!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[2:42] How she came to intermittent fasting

[10:58] Different types of fasting

[13:03] Insulin sensitivity and how fasting can help

[16:07] Myriad benefits from intermittent fasting

[20:50] The effects of perimenopause and how fasting can help

[32:14] Getting good sleep and the factors that detract from it

[32:21] The effects of alcohol on the body and brain

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Cynthia’s Book: The Intermittent Fasting Transformation

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MEMORABLE QUOTES

“Intermittent fasting is based on an ancestral health perspective. It's not new or novel. I took the idea, the concept of being able to integrate this work into what I was doing with my patients.”

- Cynthia Thurlow

“Metabolic flexibility is critically important to our health. I would say without a doubt, it is the most important thing to our health.”

- Cynthia Thurlow

“When we're talking about the key proponents, the key benefits of intermittent fasting were really speaking to improving insulin sensitivity so our body can access stored fat as a fuel source and not just stored sugar.”

- Cynthia Thurlow

“If you're struggling with weight loss resistance, it's more often a byproduct of being insulin resistant. We start thinking about the fact that you have energy slumps. It is not normal to eat a meal and feel like you need to go take a nap.”

- Cynthia Thurlow

“Perimenopause and menopause is where fasting can be a really good way to help fine tune not just the exterior of our bodies, but more significantly improve things that can help potentiate longevity.”

- Cynthia Thurlow

“Lifestyle changes are not meant to be easy. They are designed to be challenging because we are going to make a change that's not just today and tomorrow and next week, but long term.”

- Cynthia Thurlow

“Our bodies are designed to be challenged, and I'm not saying you have to go run an Iron Man. I'm just saying you need to get off the couch.”

- Cynthia Thurlow