Explore every episode of the podcast The FastingWell Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64: 5 Ways Junk Food & Social Media Are The Same (impact on brain, body, kids, society…) | 21 Dec 2024 | 00:14:05 | |
Some interesting ways that junk food and social media are similar, and have similar impacts on your mental health, physical health (including your brain), child wellness, and society as a whole. | |||
| 63: 7 Evidence-Based Ways to Burn More Body Fat | 26 Nov 2024 | 00:19:40 | |
7 different methods you can use to boost fat burning, backed by science (research studies or physiology). Try out a few of them and improve your body composition, starting today. | |||
| 54: 7 Daily Habits to Fix Blood Sugar / Is Your Weight Loss Goal Harming You? | 29 Aug 2023 | 00:18:13 | |
I’ve pulled these topics from videos on my YouTube channel (links below). First, 7 daily habits that can help you rapidly improve your blood sugar. This is super-relevant for people with prediabetes, diabetes, or just trying to prevent diabetes. After that, I explain 3 reasons focusing on a *goal* of weight loss may be causing you harm. | |||
| 53: Kidney Failure is Miserable. How to Prevent with Fasting / Keto | 08 Aug 2023 | 00:11:32 | |
Kidney disease is common, and often leads to kidney failure. Once you have kidney failure, you're at a higher risk of a bunch of other health problems, and ultimately a much higher risk of death. The bad news is kidney failure is not usually reversible. The good news? Kidney failure is easily preventable in most cases, by fixing the underlying problems (like high blood sugar, and high blood pressure). Today I'll explain what causes kidney failure, and how you can prevent it through intermittent fasting, eating low carb, and other healthy lifestyle changes. | |||
| 52: Alzheimer's Update--Expensive New Med vs Fasting & Keto (KetoFlex 12-3) | 19 Jul 2023 | 00:15:37 | |
Lecanemab (aka Leqembi) recently got full approval form the FDA for Alzheimer’s treatment, and will now be covered by Medicare. But this medication is not only expensive, it has some major health risks. In this episode, I'll break down the risks and benefits of this new medication. Then I’ll compare lecanemab to an Alzheimer's program centered around fasting and ketosis (along with a few other medical tests and treatments), developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen, author of “The End of Alzheimer’s”. | |||
| 51: Keto Deep Dive, Staying Strong, & Aging Well (w/ Dr. Ken Ford PhD) | 20 Jun 2023 | 01:44:37 | |
Dr. Ken Ford is CEO & founder of the IHMC research institute. He also hosts a popular podcast about science called Stem-talk. Today he shares his expertise and personal experience about the ketogenic diet, and addresses other questions related to nutrition, muscle building, healthy aging, fasting, the state of research, and more. Intro to Dr. Ken Ford & Stem-talk (5:28) // What is a ketogenic diet? (12:36) // When did Ken start keto? (15:39) // How has keto changed? (19:38) // Getting enough protein on keto or fasting (25:00) // Top health benefits of keto (32:41) // A “cyclic” ketogenic diet (41:39) // What constitutes a "well-formulated" ketogenic diet? (45:27) // Making keto sustainable (51:07) // Keto & cholesterol / heart disease (57:05) // Nutrition research reporting (1:05:54) // Erythritol & heart disease news reports (1:10:08) // Exogenous ketone supplements (1:15:31) // Ken thoughts about intermittent fasting (1:21:43) // Risks & benefits of extended fasting (1:25:08) // Prioritizing protein for healthy aging (1:32:40) // Stem-talk podcast (1:41:28) | |||
| 50: 7 Tips to Get Into Ketosis FAST (Under 24 Hours) | 31 May 2023 | 00:16:44 | |
Several steps you can use to get into ketosis quickly, much faster than you would just by limiting carbs. Why get into ketosis? Ketones have a bunch of health benefits, and having higher ketones is a big advantage when it comes to fasting. | |||
| 49: 13 Surprising Benefits of Ketones [Brain, Heart, Cancer, Sleep, & More!] | 16 May 2023 | 00:13:45 | |
Turns out, ketones have a bunch of health benefits, and it's not just limited to weight loss! There are brain benefits, heart benefits, and many more! | |||
| 48: 4 Tips to Make Fasting as EASY (& Sustainable) as Possible | 02 May 2023 | 00:12:23 | |
4 tips to make intermittent fasting easier. These tips will also help you make fasting sustainable, so you don't feel like quitting, and help you be successful as a beginner. Easy Fasting Guide: https://fastingwell.com/get-my-easy-fasting-guide/ | |||
| 47: How I'd Start Fasting as a Beginner in 2023 [7 Tips!] | 18 Apr 2023 | 00:16:46 | |
How I would approach intermittent fasting right now, if I were starting over from scratch, in 2023. Based on what I've learned through research, experience, and trial & error, over the past several years. | |||
| 46: Salt / Sodium Deep Dive (Benefits, How Much to Use, & More!) | 04 Apr 2023 | 00:15:33 | |
The full scoop on salt and fasting: How much sodium do you need during extended water fasting? How much during intermittent fasting? How much on a ketogenic diet? How does each of these situations compare to a normal day? What about medical conditions? I’ll answer all this, and more. | |||
| 45: Is Erythritol Safe? Keto Causes Heart Attacks? [New Research / Scary Headlines] | 16 Mar 2023 | 00:32:16 | |
Recently there have been sensational headlines about erythritol increasing the risk of heart disease, and similar headlines about a “keto-like” diet also increasing the risk of heart disease. Today I’ll break down what actually happened, and whether you should change your behavior as a result. | |||
| 62: Extended Fasting Side Effects: Low Blood Sugar? Feeling Cold? | 23 Aug 2024 | 00:11:52 | |
What if your blood sugar gets low during extended fasting? (1:10) Why do you feel cold during a long fast? (6:00) I'll delve into both of these topics today, and explain what to do (if anything) about these potential side effects of prolonged fasting. | |||
| 44: Overcoming Junk Food Addiction (w/ Dr. Jen Unwin, clinical psychologist) | 28 Feb 2023 | 01:00:32 | |
Jen Unwin is a clinical and health psychologist with expertise in food addiction. She even wrote a book about it. Today she shares her insights about sugar addiction / processed food addiction, including how to recognize it, what to do about it, and how to stay on track. For specific topics, see timestamps below. Intro (0:00) // Jen’s backstory (2:55) // Is food addiction real? (8:12) // What should we call it? (19:08) // How do you know if you’re addicted to food? (22:46) // First steps to take if you’re addicted (30:43) // How your body & brain react when you quit sugar (41:07) // What to eat in recovery (46:19) // Holidays & special occasions (52:48) // Where to find more info (57:39) | |||
| 43: 5 Stages of Extended Fasting [Benefits, Smoother Transitions, & More] | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:26:26 | |
5 stages of extended water fasting: What happens inside your body, what are the various benefits (and potential pitfalls), and how can you use this knowledge to make fasting easier. | |||
| 42: What Breaks Your Fast? [Full Beginner’s Guide] | 17 Jan 2023 | 00:28:36 | |
How to know if something “breaks” your fast: key underlying principles (so you can answer this question for yourself), how to relate it to your own individual goals, and a bunch of specific examples that people often ask about--from coffee to diet soda to vitamins, and more. | |||
| 41: How to Fix Fatty Liver Disease Fast [2 Simple Ways] | 03 Jan 2023 | 00:16:07 | |
Fatty liver has gotten super common, and causes a bunch of serious health problems. Today I'll explain what causes fatty liver, why it matters, and how you can fix it fast, through a combination of nutrition changes and intermittent fasting. | |||
| 40: 3 Tips to Lose Weight on Vacation (But Still Enjoy Yourself!) | 20 Dec 2022 | 00:15:21 | |
3 tips for how to enjoy your vacation and still lose weight (using intermittent fasting to your advantage). This also applies to family visits, holidays, or other trips. | |||
| 39: How Much Fasting Should You Do? | 13 Dec 2022 | 00:17:01 | |
Fasting is beneficial for most people. But if some is good, is more better? Today I'll share some key questions and real life examples to help you decide how much fasting would make sense for you. | |||
| 38: Pros / Cons of Fasting | 29 Nov 2022 | 00:19:18 | |
Today I explain several advantages and disadvantages of the intermittent fasting lifestyle. I also share some resources and tips to help you avoid common pitfalls related to fasting. | |||
| 37: 7 Supplements I Use, & Why [& Why MOST are Overrated] | 08 Nov 2022 | 00:25:24 | |
Most supplements are overrated, but some are worthwhile. Today I'll break down why most of them are not really necessary, and potentially harmful. I'll also share a list of supplements I personally use, as well as the potential benefits of each of these vitamins, minerals, etc. If you want to see any specific brands I mentioned, check out the list below. | |||
| 36: Does Exercise Help You Lose Weight? [The Answer May Surprise You] | 25 Oct 2022 | 00:14:19 | |
This may seem like a rhetorical question to some people. But it’s not. ;) Today I'll explain how most people think about exercise and weight loss, and then I’ll explain what I think is a more accurate and nuanced way to look at it. Exercise is definitely beneficial for your health, but it may not be all it's cracked up to be when it comes to fat loss / weight loss. | |||
| 35: Don’t Visit Me in the ER! [17 Emergencies You Can Prevent w/ Fasting & Nutrition] | 11 Oct 2022 | 00:21:42 | |
I’ve been working as a PA (similar to a doctor) in various emergency rooms since 2014. In this episode I'll talk about 17 common medical problems that bring people to the emergency room, and how these diseases very possibly could be prevented (at least in a fair percentage of cases) through intermittent fasting, extended fasting, or other nutrition changes. | |||
| 61: Avoid This Popular Fasting Schedule (3 Reasons), & What to Do Instead (2 Options) | 02 Apr 2024 | 00:13:49 | |
I'll explain why one of the most popular intermittent fasting schedules is actually not a good fit for the majority of people (though a lot of them do it anyway). I'll also share 2 alternative fasting regimens that are probably a better fit for most people.
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| 34: Reduce Menopause Symptoms & Stay Healthy after 50 (w/ Karen Finn) | 30 Sep 2022 | 00:51:14 | |
Karen Finn is a health and fitness coach based in London. Her main focus is on helping women use fasting to reduce menopause symptoms and improve their health. Karen shares a lot of valuable tips about intermittent fasting and menopause, including how fasting can alleviate menopause symptoms, and how to approach fasting during and after menopause. We jumped around a little bit, so check out the timestamps below. And the cadence of this episode is a bit slow at times, so you may want to turn up the speed. Karen’s background / story (2:01) // Does fasting helps with menopause symptoms? (4:10) // How Karen discovered IF (7:47) // What is menopause? (12:42) // Fitness challenges w/ menopause (15:37) // Karen’s experiences as a health coach (19:22) // How to approach fasting during/after menopause (23:40) // Fasting before vs after menopause (31:42) // Success stories (35:56) // Weight loss (42:59) // Final tips (44:11) | |||
| 33: How to Break a Long Fast [3 Tips & 7 Specific Foods] | 13 Sep 2022 | 00:15:59 | |
Today I'll explain what to eat after an extended fast of about 3 days or more. I'll talk about what happens in the body during a prolonged fast, a few key principles to keep in mind when breaking your fast, and several specific foods that can be good options when breaking a long fast. | |||
| 32: Fasting & the Menstrual Cycle [When, How, Why] | 30 Aug 2022 | 00:13:01 | |
Intermittent fasting may be more difficult during certain parts of the menstrual cycle. That's mainly because of hormone fluctuations, including estrogen and progesterone. Today I'll give an overview of how that works, as well as various tips for fasting during the menstrual cycle. This includes multiple options for what to do during the 2nd half of the cycle when fasting can become more difficult. I’ll also explain what to do if you don’t have a regular period. | |||
| 31: Fixing High Blood Pressure with Fasting / Lifestyle | 16 Aug 2022 | 00:13:55 | |
High blood pressure is very common, affecting about half of adults in the United States. Only a small minority of people with high blood pressure have it “under control”. The typical treatment for hypertension / high blood pressure involves medications, which may work but can also have various side effects. Intermittent fasting for high blood pressure often helps, and may even cure it, for reasons I explain in the podcast. Other lifestyle improvements (including nutrition, sleep, stress management, sauna, etc) in combination with fasting give you an even better chance of fixing high blood pressure. Specifically, low-carb / keto often helps by improving insulin sensitivity. When the time comes, work with your doctor to reduce the dose of your blood pressure medication. | |||
| 30: How to Make Fasting REALLY EASY (by EASING Into It) | 02 Aug 2022 | 00:15:56 | |
Most people try to do too much too soon when they first try intermittent fasting. Just like a new year's resolution, they quickly get overwhelmed and give up. Instead, it's best to ease into it gradually, so you can learn, adapt, and get some practice while you’re only a little outside your comfort zone. Then take it one step at a time, be consistent for a while, and celebrate small wins along the way. If you take that approach, fasting will be really easy at the beginning, and even be pretty easy later on--because you’ll always be just one step outside your comfort zone. In the meantime, you'll get the experience and the practice to know how to deal with it. Ultimately, you'll be a lot more likely to have sustained success and reach your health goals with this gradual, easy approach. | |||
| 29: Special Occasions, Family Support, Weigh-Ins, & More! (w/ Gin Stephens) | 19 Jul 2022 | 00:52:18 | |
Gin Stephens is a prolific author of several books about intermittent fasting, including the best-seller “Fast. Feast. Repeat.” She also has a podcast, a blog, and a thriving fasting community. Today she was kind enough to join me for a far-ranging discussion about intermittent fasting. Unfortunately, there was a technical glitch and my voice sounds fuzzy. But when Gin is talking the audio is just fine, so feel free to focus on those sections. Timestamps are below so you can easily jump to specific topics! Gin’s intermittent fasting journey (4:01) // Gin’s approach to IF, & being flexible (10:22) // Why Gin recommends “clean” fasting (14:38) // Dealing with family / friends when you fast (26:28) // Family events & other special occasions (35:08) // Should you weigh yourself every day? (45:51) | |||
| 28: Fasting at Work [When, Why, How] | 05 Jul 2022 | 00:18:33 | |
Fasting at work has a variety of benefits. Of course, there are health benefits, but I’ve found there are several other advantages as well. Today I'll share my own experience fasting at work, my evolution from short fasts to longer fasts, and some tips to help you be successful if you want to try fasting at work. | |||
| 27: What to Eat *Before* Fasting [Short or Long] | 21 Jun 2022 | 00:17:39 | |
Intermittent fasting and extended fasting are both easier when you eat the right kind of food beforehand. It prepares your body and helps you get a smooth start, and ultimately makes it easier to get all the way through your fast. Today I’ll explain what types of food I recommend eating before a short fast (like daily time-restricted eating), or a long fast (such as 24 hours or more). | |||
| 26: What to Eat on Keto [Simple, Healthy, & Delicious] | 07 Jun 2022 | 00:25:11 | |
A low carb diet can have a bunch of health benefits, but a lot of people aren't sure what to eat. To fix that, today I’ll share a variety of low carb food options you can mix and match on a ketogenic diet. I’ll share my personal approach to keto along with 3 specific meal combos that are highly versatile. I’ll also share some cooking tips to help you create easy and delicious keto meals (without using a bunch of processed ingredients)! Hope it helps! | |||
| 25: Keto Made Simple [Benefits, How to Start, Tips for Success] | 24 May 2022 | 00:27:38 | |
The ketogenic diet has gotten really trendy in recent years, but most people who do it are just focused on weight loss. Today I'll explain why there's a lot more to keto than that, including several health benefits you can get by eating low carb high fat (LCHF). I’ll also cover how to get started with keto, and tips to be successful from the beginning with a low carb diet. This is basically keto for a total beginner. | |||
| 60: How to Fix Diabetes in 2 Simple-ish Steps [+ Bonus Steps] | 07 Feb 2024 | 00:14:34 | |
2 fairly simple steps you can use to reverse type 2 diabetes. It's easier than you may think! (The same steps also work for prediabetes.)
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| 24: Fasting for Women: Myths, Benefits, & More! (w/ Nadia Pateguana N.D.) | 10 May 2022 | 01:04:04 | |
Dr. Nadia Pateguana joins me for a far-ranging conversation about women and fasting. We cover common misconceptions, what health benefits women can expect from fasting, realistic weight loss expectations, improving body composition, tips for success, how to have the right mindset, your relationship with food, and other topics. We also cover polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), how it relates to fasting, and success stories Nadia has seen. | |||
| 23: Good Fats vs Bad Fats [Phobias, Myths, & More!] | 26 Apr 2022 | 00:25:19 | |
Many people are confused about dietary fat because we hear mixed messages from the media and the medical community. Does fat make you fat? Does saturated fat cause heart disease? Is there such a thing as healthy fats? Which are the best types of fat for your health, and which are the worst? What about cholesterol tests? Today I'll answer all those questions and more, and clear up a lot of the myths and misunderstandings around dietary fat. I believe having a clear understanding of fat will better prepare you to optimize your nutrition and to effectively incorporate fasting into your lifestyle. | |||
| 22: Fasting & Keto for Alzheimer's [Impressive Results!] | 12 Apr 2022 | 00:16:54 | |
Alzheimer's is a devastating illness, and getting more and more common. Until recently, it was considered irreversible, but that’s starting to change. In this episode I’ll explain how fasting and a low-carb diet fit into Alzheimer’s treatment or prevention, and the type of results you could expect to see. This is based on a program developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen, a neurologist who’s been researching Alzheimer’s for several years. Dr. Bredesen and his team have been successful at preventing Alzheimer's, reversing early cases, and even seeing noticeable improvement in advanced cases. Nutrition is at the foundation of their program. With that in mind, I’ll explain the two main underlying causes of Alzheimer's (in most cases), and how fasting and ketosis are effective ways of treating both causes. I’ll also summarize Dr. Bredesen’s “KetoFlex 12-3” protocol. If you have early Alzheimer’s, or you’re just trying to prevent it, I think this will give you some useful tools! | |||
| 21: Why You Should STOP Counting Calories (& Do This Instead)! | 29 Mar 2022 | 00:24:05 | |
If you've ever gone on a diet to lose weight, you’ve heard you should eat fewer calories. Today I'll explain why counting calories is a BAD idea, at least for most people. It has various harmful effects, including a slower metabolism, muscle loss, and yo-yo dieting. I’ll also explain exactly what you should do instead of counting calories: Focus on the TYPE of food you're eating, and the TIMING (i.e. when and how often you eat). If you get those two variables dialed in, typically everything else will fall into place. | |||
| 20: Salt + Electrolytes [Why you NEED Them, How to Get Them] | 15 Mar 2022 | 00:25:34 | |
I often tell people they need extra salt when they're fasting, but sometimes they ignore this advice. It’s understandable, because we’ve all been conditioned to fear salt (aka sodium). Today I’ll explain why getting enough salt / sodium is one of the biggest keys to make fasting smoother and easier, and why it can prevent various potential side effects. I’ll also explain how to get extra salt, and how much to use. Then I'll cover two more electrolytes that can be beneficial when you’re fasting (potassium and magnesium), including how they work, why they’re important, and how to get them. | |||
| 19: Best / Worst Drinks While Fasting | 01 Mar 2022 | 00:22:27 | |
Wondering what you can drink when you’re fasting? I’ll share several options, including 3 categories: Drinks that make fasting more difficult and should be avoided, drinks that are fairly neutral (or slightly beneficial), and drinks that make fasting easier. I'll also share some personal experience about drinks I’ve used over the years during fasts. Lastly, I’ll share some criteria you can use to decide if any drink is okay to use while you're fasting. | |||
| 18: Insulin Overload, Diabetes, & 4 Keys to Better Nutrition (w/ Dr. Ben Bikman, PhD) | 15 Feb 2022 | 00:51:15 | |
Dr. Ben Bikman heads the Diabetes Research Center at BYU, and literally wrote the book on insulin. His book, “Why We Get Sick”, explains the health impacts of having too much insulin, and what you can do about it. | |||
| 17: 7 Types of Intermittent Fasting [& Choosing the Best One for You!] | 01 Feb 2022 | 00:25:09 | |
Today I explain various types of intermittent fasting. I also give several tips about choosing the best type of fasting for your individual circumstances. There are infinite versions of intermittent fasting, so I can’t cover all of them! But I tried to at least include all the common ones that you’ll hear about. I cover mini-fasts, time-restricted eating, the warrior diet, OMAD (one meal a day), eat stop eat, alternate-day fasting, and the 5:2 diet. I shared various personal experiences, along with tips and tricks about how to decide when to switch and try something new. | |||
| 16: Mastering Hunger While Fasting [Mindfulness + 3 Practical Strategies] | 18 Jan 2022 | 00:25:04 | |
What is hunger? I suspect it’s different for each person. Using mindfulness can help you understand your own version of hunger. And knowing some practical strategies can help you reduce the amount of hunger you feel. | |||
| 15: Building Health Habits that Stick [The *Opposite* of a Resolution] | 04 Jan 2022 | 00:28:42 | |
Improving your health habits is basically the opposite of making a New Year's resolution. When people make resolutions, they tend to get really excited and try to make a big change, but typically it doesn't last very long. In contrast, building better health habits involves using time-tested strategies, easing into it, and being consistent so you can form a new identity. | |||
| 59: My Best Week-Long Fast Yet (Results, Experience, Insights, & More) | 20 Dec 2023 | 00:20:24 | |
My experience fasting for a week straight, including how I was feeling on day 6 of this extended fast; what kind of results I got in terms of energy levels, body weight, blood sugar, ketones, etc. Plus other thoughts and observations about why this prolonged fast went remarkably well.
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| Join the 10-Day No Snacking Challenge! | 02 Jan 2022 | 00:03:43 | |
Cutting out snacks is basically the first step step if you want to try fasting. It also has various health benefits on its own. To help you get started, I created a 10-day challenge where you can score points for each "mini fast" you do. A "mini fast" means avoiding snacks between 2 meals (like breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner). You use a PDF score sheet to keep track of your progress. | |||
| 14: Fixing Diabetes, Blood Pressure, PCOS, Mental Health, & more! (w/ Megan Ramos) | 21 Dec 2021 | 00:58:26 | |
Megan Ramos is an expert on therapeutic fasting. She’s worked with thousands of patients and seen amazing results with intermittent fasting as the primary tool. Today we discuss fasting to reverse diabetes, along with other impressive results Megan has seen with health conditions such as high blood pressure, PCOS, obesity, anxiety, depression, and more. Megan covers the methods she’s used, how long it usually takes to see major improvements, and other insights. | |||
| 13: The Beauty of Dirty Fasting (pros/cons + how to do it) | 14 Dec 2021 | 00:26:20 | |
Today I explain the difference between “clean fasting” and “dirty fasting” (aka modified fasting). That includes the pros & cons of each type, as well as how to do a dirty or modified fast. I also share 2 stories about prolonged fasts I’ve done to illustrate some of the key points. | |||
| 12: 7 Exciting Health Benefits of Extended Fasting | 07 Dec 2021 | 00:25:52 | |
Today I share several interesting health benefits you can potentially get from extended fasting. I think this is a fun topic, and can be really motivating! | |||