The holidays have passed, and our body has been called upon a lot to manage the various excesses that accompanied them...

Digestion is in fact one of the activities that requires the most energy from our body. Used for digestion, this energy is no longer available for repair, regeneration or purification of tissues...

However, our body regularly needs a break to be able to cleanse and repair itself. To give it this rest, simply not eat for a period of time, thus allowing it to regenerate, while boosting our vitality and our beauty!

01. What is intermittent fasting?

The cycle between calorie intake and no calories at all is what is known as intermittent fasting.

During this break, we save around 40% of our energy normally dedicated to digestion. However, the body can use this energy to purify tissues and organs and regenerate cells. This cleansing of the body is automatic when it is not in the digestion phase - our body is so well made!

Fasting is an age-old practice, and Hippocrates, father of medicine, already advised fasting in 370 BC. It is a completely natural and beneficial break for the body.

Biologically, we are not programmed to eat at the usual frequency and quantity set by modern society. It’s much more “natural” for the digestive system to take breaks like intermittent fasting suggests. Meals (or food intake even in small quantities) 3-4 (5!) times a day is actually a cultural and societal function, but in no case a physiological need.

All animals practice it naturally, too, by eating only when they are hungry - and not out of greed, boredom, or stress.

Intermittent youth therefore appears to be a detox gesture, which can be weekly or daily.

02. What happens to your body during intermittent fasting?

When you fast, several things happen in your body on a cellular and molecular level.

• Autophagy, literally “self-eating,” is the body’s process of cellular detoxification, during which cells digest and eliminate old and dysfunctional proteins and cells that have accumulated. This is what makes it possible to reduce the risks of developing chronic diseases and increase longevity in better health.
• Your body readjusts hormone levels to, for example, make stored body fat more accessible. Insulin levels drop dramatically, and sensitivity to this hormone improves, while glucagon (insulin antagonist hormone) is secreted to combat hypoglycemia.
• An increase in the diversity of bacteria in the intestine, promoting the balance of the microbiota, essential for immune and hormonal health. Fasting activates the gene which strengthens the intestinal barrier to protect the body from harmful microbes, toxins and various pathologies as well as generalized inflammation (and in particular skin problems often linked to intestinal inflammation).

03. The long-term benefits of intermittent fasting

• Promotes better energy
• Generates a drop in triglycerides
• Soothes sweet compulsions and strong snacking cravings by stabilizing blood sugar levels
• Growth hormone levels skyrocket (up to 5 times). This is great for fat loss, muscle gain, just to name a few
• Reduces the risk of chronic diseases and obesity
• Promotes longevity by fighting free radicals
• Promotes cognitive health – greater focus and clarity
• “Anti-aging” method. When your cells repair themselves and remove toxic materials, they function better and behave like younger cells. The quantity of accumulated toxins, and the way in which the body manages to regenerate/purify itself on a daily basis, acts directly on our aging.
• Improves sleep .
• A more even and luminous complexion

04. How to practice? – the 3 best-known methods

You will need to test the different methods to find out which one suits you best.

The easiest to implement is generally the 16-hour fast, because it fits easily into daily life, even with a busy schedule :)

The 16/8 method

- Try not to eat anything for at least 16 hours, this will give your body (and your mind too) a well-deserved break. You therefore have a time slot of 8 hours during which you can eat during the day.

For example: eat between 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or 12 p.m.-8 p.m., or from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., skipping dinner and eating breakfast in the morning if that seems easier to you.

-You can continue to hydrate yourself of course (pure water, herbal teas only), and this is even recommended when you are starting out. For the experienced, this can also be practiced in the form of young dry food (neither food nor drinks)

The 24 hour method

This means fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week. For example, you could take this digestive break on Sunday when you are quiet. This could be practiced like this: take a break between dinner one day and dinner the next day.

The 5:2 method

With this method, you only consume 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, but you eat normally on the other 5 days.

For each method: Start practicing this 1-3 times a week. This practice quickly becomes a necessity, because the benefits are so great that the body seems to demand it. Make sure to take at least a 12-hour break between dinner and breakfast. This is really the minimum to allow the body to launch its regeneration process.

05. How to get started?

It's normal to feel intimidated at first, especially if you're used to eating often (and perhaps too much), but remember to do it at your own pace! - this is truly the key to success.

Start slowly, work your way up, and before you know it, it will feel natural.

Here is a typical day of the 16/8 method:

Step 1: At 8 p.m., stop eating.

Step 2: Fast for 12 hours, until 8 a.m. the next morning.

Step 3: If you were comfortable with 12 hours, try 13 or 14 hours next time. Stay with this duration until you feel comfortable. Your goal is then to fast for 16 hours.

Step 4: Then consider breaking the fast with a nourishing meal (dense in micronutrients and low in “empty” calories. Choose fresh and natural, with as many vegetables as possible).

06. Tips

• Stay hydrated throughout your fast. Herbal teas and tea are acceptable – without the addition of milk or sugar of course (it is the calorie intake that will break the fast), but above all we focus on pure water, which will support the body in this cleaning process.
• After all this repair work, you need to nourish your cells, focus on “living” foods full of essential nutrients (vegetables, fruits, vegetable juices, natural seeds and oilseeds, light and quality proteins, or a of our fresh pollen , so rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and probiotics, the ideal food to break the fast without a doubt!)
• Don't forget the good fat, which will give energy to your cells (avocados, oilseeds, seeds, olives, virgin vegetable oils and cold pressed)
• Do not rush your body by breaking your fast with industrial products, foods rich in carbohydrates or refined sugar which will not nourish you properly, but which will cause your insulin to rise too quickly. These products also often contain substances that are directly toxic to the body, which will weaken it and quickly reduce the beneficial effects of your fast.
• It is always better to integrate new practices gradually than to launch 100% overnight. With a change that is too abrupt, the body only risks resisting if it feels “attacked”, so to make the practice more fluid and pleasant, do this gradually and gently.

So why not take advantage of this period conducive to introspection and cocooning to give our body this saving digestive break?