29 Comments

I started intermittent fasting during Covid after listening to one of the docs.

Due to a chronic pain issue I cannot exercise normally

To date I’ve lost 52 lbs just by intermittent fasting.. it’s a lifestyle change forever but extremely easy to incorporate into any lifestyle 😀

Expand full comment

What schedule do you use? I started 16/8 and it seems to be working and is not as hard as I thought it would be. Congrats on your weight loss!

Expand full comment

Thank you .. I’m actually shocked at how easy it is ... I do 12/12 & have from beginning.. the easiest way to start & the Dr I listened to ( can’t remember what the chat was) .. said “if you do only one thing for your health, limit your eating to 12 hours per day .. you don’t even need to change your diet in the beginning”. He was 💯 correct. My sugar cravings etc slowed way down after only a few weeks & I naturally started eating less because I didn’t crave it .. 👍. Good luck 👍

Expand full comment

Great. Try to lose the weight slowly to minimize the risk of gallbladder problems.

Expand full comment

great advice...

Expand full comment

Have you tried a heated indoor pool at a gym? All you have to do initially is slowly move around in the water every 2-3 days. That's it. Your joints will be nearly weightless and movement will be zero impact. You can use a floating noodle to relax on and stretch. You'll work up to doing more every few weeks as your body responds. Your lymphatic system will thank you

I started pool exercise years ago after 15 years of chronic illness. . I couldn't walk the day after the first session. It took 6 months for me to get to the point where I could exercise more strenuously for short bursts (intermittent intensity) & begin to build muscle without being wadded up for 2 days. If you're self-conscious for any reason, you can wear a T-shirt in the water. You won't be the only one. A lot of elderly folks go during scheduled physical therapy sessions or no-splash hour to avoid swimmers, kids, & people who go to goof off.

My local gym burned down in a wildfire, which ended my 7 year attendance streak. A new one opened in early 2020, but I've avoided it due to everything Covid. I definitely need to get back at it now that things have calmed down. Or so we hope.

Oh, and if a saltwater pool is around, definitely try it. Less chlorine, and better for the skin.

Expand full comment

Yes .. water therapy is awesome ..

thankfully I’m in a FL old people community & we have beautiful heated pool .. but constant chlorine causes me a different issue 🤪🤪 ..

I miss the water badly

Expand full comment

Many pools now have saltwater instead of chlorine. Maybe try to find one. They are awesome. My new local Y put one in

Expand full comment

I've been on a 16-8 intermittent fasting schedule the past 18 months, and it's terrific for me. My energy levels are higher, I don't have "brain fog," I sleep much better, and my body is going strong.

This schedule also allows me to get away with an occasional "debauchery" of too much food and wine one day. I don't have any ill effects from these feasts the next day.

Expand full comment

the rest for your liver is key and pancreas and gall bladder etc.

Expand full comment

👌🏽

Expand full comment

Intermittent fasting and keto are great IMO. The risk for gallbladder problems, however, does need to be considered. Some people are more at risk than others plus SARS-CoV-2 and/or jabs could affect gallbladder health. I know an unjabbed lady who recently had to have her gallbladder removed. She might not have had covid. She's fiercely anti-vax but also vegetarian and vegetarians may be at substantially reduced risk of covid, although research findings with regard to this are preliminary and need to be treated with caution. Dr. Berg has some interesting tips WRT intermittent fasting. I don't know if his supplements are helpful. Maybe they are, for some individuals. However, there appear to be unresolved questions about the hepatotoxicity of bile salts.

Gallbladder Problems and Prolonged Fasting

https://www.drberg.com/blog/gallbladder-problems-and-prolonged-fasting

Why Does Intermittent Fasting Increase Gallbladder Sludge

https://www.drberg.com/blog/why-does-intermittent-fasting-increase-gallbladder-sludge

Review article: therapeutic bile acids and the risks for hepatotoxicity

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apt.14678

Study suggests people who limit meat 40% less likely to get COVID, but some experts .

Mary Van Beusekom, MS. January 11, 2024

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/study-suggests-people-who-limit-meat-40-less-likely-get-covid-some-experts-skeptical

Expand full comment

I am beyond skeptical that restricting meat intake is good for anyone's health. My number one rule for good health is "eat real food". Real food could be defined as consuming products whose entire list of ingredients were in use by mankind 250+ years ago. If that Covid study mentioned did not take into account that the people eating less meat were eating more real food, then it failed to adjust for confounders properly.

I do listen to almost all of Dr. Berg's podcasts, and follow must of his advice, but I have only once bought a product he recommended (some sea salt that was annoying to use).

When I adopted keto, I did it VERY gradually, and I am likely at the very upper end of total carbs that anyone would consider. I never had any "keto flu" or other negative side-effects, and I've probably had over 10 major positive side-effects.

I did not notice any correlation between how my gall bladder felt and the duration of my intermittent or prolonged fasts. However, several months after I went low-carb and high healthy fat, I did feel some symptoms that my gall bladder was being challenged. Since they were minor, I didn't change anything. Perhaps a month later I sensed that I was able to digest more fat (feces can be a good indicator), at which point I started to regain a couple pounds after having lost more than 10 effortlessly. At this point I dialed back the extra olive oil that I was consuming, and the weight gain stopped.

My take is that consuming a keto diet does challenge a gall bladder that has been abused by SAD (standard American diet), but once it is used to a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carb real-food diet, it should actually be much healthier than average. Also note that the following are unhealthy fats: canola/rapeseed oil, corn oil, soy oil... Animal fats like ghee are excellent.

Expand full comment

Wow. 😯

That happened to my love ❤️.

But they removed his gallbladder & he is NOT better.

Now they think it’s his liver 😐

But can’t be the JAB 👿.. has to be his Diabietes.. his body was holding steady till the 2nd Covid jab .. the effect was immediate & his body has attacked him since .. yet all Drs will say is Diabietes 👿

Expand full comment

Sorry that happened Julie.

Expand full comment

While I like Dr. Berg's advice, I like Dr. Ekberg's even more. Here's some general info on gall bladder issues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eH8Wwo8wSM

Expand full comment

I only do 12/12 everyday ..

Expand full comment

fantastic...the key as I understand is how long in the fast window and I aint no expert...I just find it is wonderful...all around, skipping bk to me works.

Expand full comment

I alternative between 13-14 hours fasts and 16-17 hour fasts most weeks. Recently I've added in some 36-40 hours fasts, which is much more like a real fasts. All 3 durations have benefits to me.

Expand full comment

From what I learned most of the fasting Drs do one meal per day themselves.. but I knew I could never follow that ..

this is a forever way of eating .. not a diet...

but now I might try & add in longer fasts ..

Expand full comment

I actually enjoy 2MAD quite a bit, and I have yet to try OMAD.

One fun thing about the way I do 2MAD is that I take the food I would have had for breakfast and eat it as dessert immediately after lunch. I feel I am having my cake and eating it too (though my "dessert" is unsweetened).

Expand full comment

I started intermittent fasting about 2 months ago, I've lost 11 Ibs (108 to 97). I will definitely continue doing that, not for weight lost but for balancing my health hormone including insulin, cell repair and cell growth, cleansing and detoxing. I love it!

Expand full comment

Jason Fung is one of the best known fasting experts today.

There's an excellent YouTube channel on fasting: https://www.youtube.com/@LTPottenger, which is a takeoff on some very interesting research known as "Pottenger's Cats".

Expand full comment

Great info to remind us.🙏🏻

Expand full comment

Paul and all,

Serious health advice is important because we are going to need MANY healthy Americans helping with the HIGHEST priority in 2024!

The biggest elephant in the room after 4 shameful years and over 17 million deaths globally,,,

Is there any other priority in 2024 to fix without fixing free, fair, lawful and transparent elections?

Get to work… https://newswithviews.com/how-the-republican-party-became-the-rino-party/

God bless those willing to use their talents and blessings UNITED, repeat UNITED with strategic planning Leaders!

Expand full comment

I have methylation issues and mold illness, Dr advised me to not do extreme fasting. Too much stress on kidneys & sn underlying absorption problem.

I do know many people who have benefited greatly from fasting and feel better too !

Expand full comment

I always question whether it is best to drink water during a fast or not.

Expand full comment

I've heard there are benefits to "dry fasting", and that there are risks to not ingesting the right amount of electrolytes or not being hydrated well enough, especially for longer fasts.

I suspect it's best to drink when you are thirsty. This may sound obvious, but I know personally when I do a fast longer than 16 hours (usually 36-40 hours), I have a temptation to drink more water (or tea or very lightly salted water) the same way many people are tempted to eat for reasons other than needing to ingest nutrition.

Expand full comment
Comment removed
Jan 20
Comment removed
Expand full comment

Spam lady please leave

Expand full comment