Samantha Prabhu has been on a health kick lately, learning and spreading awareness about all things gut health and biohacking. During a recent conversation with Dr Mitrabasu Chhillar, MBBS, M.D.(Medicine), and holistic wellness and chronic disease reversal expert, she explored the benefits of fasting for good health. "I would assume that fasting is a sort of relief that for your digestion system to do its work more efficiently, and in the way it is meant to. If this is done properly, it is meant to be one of the most effective ways of your keeping your digestive system healthy," said Prabhu, to which Dr Chhillar added: "You become more aware of what one's eating. The food is in front of you, but you know you don't have to eat it. You become more responsible in your food cravings, there's both a psychological and hormonal aspect to it." How does fasting help? Edwina Raj, a nutritionist at Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore agreed, sharing that fasting sparingly has far more significant benefits than just weight loss. "It helps lower blood pressure, and also has a positive effect on hormones like ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger. Further, it increases our capacity to feel full while eating less," she said, adding that fasting improves insulin sensitivity, and is responsible for the body’s capability to tolerate carbohydrates better. "Fasting helps converts fats into energy, which further facilitates weight loss," she said. Her recommendation is to practice fasting once a week or month to help rejuvenate cells, boost immune systems, as well as tolerance level and increase our life expectancy. It bolsters the process of autophagy and keeps people who fast at a stronger foot to enjoy a longer and more youthful life, she added. “The ultimate goal behind fasting is that weight loss is achieved along with some improved cognitive function. However, this kind of diet has some negative effects, like headaches, especially those classified as gas or bloating with headache, which might occur in some individuals,” said the nutritionist, explaining that changes in eating patterns may lead to an individual eating a huge meal or consuming a variety of meals during the eating period. This sudden change could overload the gastrointestinal tract and potentially lead to bloating and discomfort. According to her, dehydration may be another reason during fasting periods, since some people may not be drinking enough fluids. Headaches might arise due to lack of hydration. "Prolonged fasting may cause an individual to starve for an extended period of time, resulting in fluctuations in blood sugar levels and, ultimately, a headache," she added. How can you prevent this? Keep well-hydrated during fasting periods and drink plenty of water. Emphasize the consumption of digestible foods in the eating windows to make digestion easier. Avoid sudden changes to an fasting routine, as the body needs time to adjust. Monitor food choices to reduce the risk of gas-related headaches in between fasts. However, fasting can be risky for diabetics "When individuals with diabetes do not eat for an extended period, several physiological imbalances can occur depending on their type of diabetes and the medications they use. In individuals with type 1 diabetes—or type 2 diabetes treated with insulin or sulfonylureas—prolonged fasting can lead to hypoglycemia, as blood glucose levels drop in the absence of dietary intake," said CV Aishwarya, clinical nutritionist and lecturer at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai. She explained that during extended periods without food, the body begins to break down fat for energy, resulting in the production of ketones. "In individuals with type 1 diabetes, this can progress to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)—a life-threatening condition characterized by high blood glucose, elevated ketone levels, and metabolic acidosis," she said. Therefore, consistent and balanced meal timing is essential for maintaining metabolic stability and preventing complications in people with diabetes.
