Menopause and Intermittent Fasting

by: Dr. Mary Claire Haver
A middle aged woman in menopause smiles as she walks down a forested trail

When beginning your journey with intermittent fasting (IF), I challenge you to fail.

Yes – you read that correctly.

I would be lying if I told you it is a quick and easy lifestyle change. I would also be lying if I did not tell you the health benefits associated with IF drastically outweigh the hardship that initially comes when beginning IF.

Resiliency, defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties, is key to adapting any major change in lifestyle; in this case, your diet. As we enter menopause, our bodies naturally have a increase in time to recovery.

I don’t know about you but I would argue eating is a pretty common activity; I, and essentially everyone else, eat multiple times each and every day. For this reason, when adapting IF, don’t be too hard on yourself – ease into it and find what window (16-8 is my personal preference) works best for you and your own life. If you find that one day, or a couple of days, go by and you either forgot or chose not to fast, don’t let that discourage you. Continue to be resilient throughout this transition and you will eventually see that the hardships that initially accompany IF don’t seem like hardships anymore.

Many women are most hesitant about adapting fasting to their daily routine – we were all taught that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but science is proving that to be a false assumption.

Below is a list of a few of the benefits that fasting has to offer, especially when used long term.

  • Possible weight loss
  • Boost to metabolism
  • Enhance mental clarity, specifically concentration
  • Increase energy
  • Reduces insulin resistance, which in turn decreases the risk of developing type II diabetes
  • Decrease inflammation in the body
  • Increase your cell’s ability to discard “junk” proteins that, when accumulated, cause diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

You CAN do this. Power on. Take another look above at the amazing health benefits associated with implementing intermittent fasting into your daily routine. The lack of education on nutrition astounds me as it is arguably one of the biggest predictors of one’s health, especially as we enter menopause; it is time we begin to look at the research and actually incorporate it into our lives to promote our overall health and wellbeing. I imagine one day you will look back and laugh at the days you ever doubted intermittent fasting and the obstacles you thought were holding you back. Enrolling in the Galveston Diet is a great additional way to obtain more motivation and information.

Article References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting#section10

http://www.ginstephens.com/all-blog-posts/fasting-we-came-for-weight-loss-but-stick-around-for-the-health-benefits

If you are interested in learning more about the science behind the Galveston Diet, Click Here.

Related Posts:

The Galveston Diet can help women in menopause feel more confident in their skin.

This blog provides general information and discussion about medicine, health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other health care worker.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency room immediately.

The views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic, hospital, practice or other institution with which the authors are affiliated.

While the information on the site was prepared to provide accurate information regarding topics related to general and specific health issues, the information contained in the site is made available with the express understanding that neither Dr. Mary Claire Haver, galvestondiet.com, nor the other experts on the site, nor the site itself, nor members of the Site are dispensing medical advice and do not intend any of this information to be used for self-diagnosis or treatment.

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