The How and Why of Fasting for Your Health with May Fekete (Eps. 19)

Summary
May Fekete, a family nurse practitioner and health coach, shares her journey into health and wellness, including her personal experience with breast cancer and how she discovered the benefits of fasting. She explains the different types of fasting and how to start, emphasizing the importance of breaking a fast properly and maintaining electrolyte balance. May discusses who can benefit from fasting and who should approach it with caution. She also highlights the impact of fasting on autophagy, metabolic flexibility, and brain health. May concludes by discussing how people may feel during fasting and the positive effects it can have on mood and cognition. In this conversation, May Fekety discusses the topic of fasting and its benefits. She provides insights into exercise during fasting, emphasizing the importance of lighter activities to avoid excessive stress on the body. May also highlights the positive effects of fasting beyond five days, including weight loss, increased energy, and improved decision-making. The conversation emphasizes the need for support during fasting and the role it plays in maintaining healthy habits. May also addresses the topic of caffeine during fasting, recommending black coffee or plain green tea. Finally, May shares information about her coaching program and the importance of proper preparation and education before embarking on a fast.

Takeaways

During fasting, it is recommended to engage in lighter exercises such as light yoga or walking to avoid excessive stress on the body.
Fasting beyond five days can lead to additional benefits such as weight loss, increased energy, and improved decision-making.
Having a support system during fasting can help individuals maintain healthy habits and make better choices.
When consuming caffeine during fasting, it is best to stick to black coffee or plain green tea.

Chapters
00:30 Introduction and Background
01:32 May's Journey into Health and Wellness
05:40 Personal Stories and Turning Lemons into Lemonade
10:18 Discovering Fasting and Its Benefits
15:28 Different Types of Fasting and How to Start
20:34 Breaking a Fast and the Importance of Electrolytes
26:49 Who Can Benefit from Fasting and Who Should Be Cautious
32:30 Fasting Mimicking Diet and Muscle Preservation
37:06 Autophagy and its Benefits for Brain Health
39:08 Metabolic Flexibility and the Impact of Fasting
43:08 Fasting and Mood, Cognition, and Gut Health
47:06 How People Feel During Fasting
49:10 Exercise during fasting
50:39 Importance of not overexerting during fasting
51:09 Benefits of fasting beyond five days
51:34 The importance of support during fasting
52:29 The impact of post-fast choices
52:44 Caffeine during fasting
54:12 Preparing for a fast and finding support
54:39 May's coaching program
58:24 The power of fasting as a healing tool