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Old 09-27-2007, 04:54 PM
spider spider is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Wash DC
Posts: 592
Default Re: intermittent fasting

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I don't agree or dissagree with you, but making the argument that humans fasted back in the day as evidence for its healthiness is pretty weak. Humans 2k years ago rarely grew taller than 5'6" or so and most died in their 20's and 30's.

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Well, humans back then often "fasted" for weeks at a time. I don't think that's a good idea. Clearly if you get to the point where your body is tearing down muscles for energy, that is not healthy. But a little calorie restriction for a day or two gets you nowhere near that.

And height is going to relate to childhood nutrition rather than adult nutrition. I would probably not advise children/teens to fast, but I'm also not a doctor.

I'm also not claiming that it's healthy for adults to fast, just that I doubt it's harmful, as humans 2,000 years ago must have gone a couple of days w/o food on a pretty regular basis (or at least w/ low quality food at best). I think it's likely that the body has evolved to handle this sort of thing relatively well. But I'm not an evolutionary scientist or anything either.

Anyway, I really am not making health claims except I don't feel in my own experience that it is unhealthy, and conversely I think there are solid mental (spiritual almost?) benefits.

Anyway, I recommend for anyone to try some mild type of fasting to see what you think for yourself. That's all.
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