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Please help with this argument- Intermittent fasting related

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Replies

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    @heybales, have you ever considered ordering your own blood work and paying for it? That’s what I do. I’m self-employed and have a high-deductible health insurance plan and find it cheaper and easier to go this route. Besides, I never clear my deductible.

    I order various tests of interest to me every birthday. Last time included A1C for the first time because I was curious having read about it.

    This approach isn’t for everyone but it’s my approach. Been doing this for years. Not going to let some doc tell me what lab work I can and can’t have. I’m the boss with my health and willing to pay for it. It’s not that expensive.

    I will prior to next annual visit.
    Not only to get what I want on it - but also to go in with the results if there needs to be discussion. Rather than go in, get reference to downstairs lab to get it, then another appointment to come in to discuss it.
    And I'm sure the pre-insurance price on the EOB for the test isn't true for outside firm direct non-insurance payment.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,257 Member
    Intermittent fasting can be effective for those manging caloric intake. From the objective evidence most are susceptible to snacking during "downtime" when they are not as engaged, so implementing a deliberate fast during these times can be very effective.

    Outside of that there aren't many benefits that are demonstrable.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    For weight loss IF is just another way to manage calories. There is growing research though around additional health benefits of this way of eating not related specifically to weight.

    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156

    Did you read this paragraph in the blog you linked to:

    'There’s a ton of incredibly promising intermittent fasting (IF) research done on fat rats. They lose weight, their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars improve… but they’re rats. Studies in humans, almost across the board, have shown that IF is safe and incredibly effective, but really no more effective than any other diet. In addition, many people find it difficult to fast.'

    When they start reproducing the results in humans, I will start paying attention to the 'magic' of IF.

    I read the entire thing. There is more research being done in humans now as also stated in the article. Did you read it? In addition to the benefits regarding insulin there have also been noted improvements in blood pressure - even for those with no weight change. While more research is needed this is promising.

    The studies are still being conducted and we will learn more. I believe we should all be excited to learn new things as they are discovered. Don’t you?

    I personally gave up IF because it does not work for me with my training schedule and I personally experienced no health benefits outside of easily maintaining my deficit. I won’t disregard the research happening and potential benefits being explored because of my own experience though.

    I'm actually more excited about not-so-new things that are supported by multiple studies carried out by multiple researchers looking at a question from a variety of angles. There's a tendency for people to get all excited about some new study that shows something new, that might just be an outlier in the entire corpus of studies looking at an issue.

    All of those not so new things you are excited about were new once with minimal promising research which prompted more research.

    In the end we should all do what works for us but dismissing promising new research for the sole purpose that more still needs to be done is silly. No one will argue more research should still be conducted but that doesn’t discount the potential found in the research that has already been completed either.
  • raven56706
    raven56706 Posts: 918 Member
    true but people have sworn by it. IF has helped many including Hugh Jackman and other celebs shed the weight for promotion.

    I just think that they were never able to get into a calorie intake for a deficit. For me, IF is just a tool to keep you from eating and maintain you in a deficit. No magic.
  • SarahAnne3958
    SarahAnne3958 Posts: 78 Member
    @heybales, I use Direct Labs. Type www. then their name with no space and then .com and you’ll be on their home page. They have monthly specials so when I see what I’m interested in, I’ll stock up. I use my HSA card to pay.

    They send you a requisition form that you take to your local lab. I use Quest. You go in just like any other lab visit and then in about 48 hours, you get an email that your results are in. You then log in to your account and download the results. Absolutely seamless.

    If you decide to use, I’m sure you’ll be pleased. Wishing you the best.

    A bit ot, but thanks for the info! Since switching to a mostly carnivore style way of eating I want to get blood work more frequently than my doctor's annual panel, with some specific ones that wouldn't normally be included for a regular check-up (like the A1C, LDL-P test etc). I've been looking at some online options, but there's a lot of them out there so it's nice to have a recommendation :)
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,469 Member
    There are some ways of practicing IF that I would find it hard to imagine someone eating enough within their eating window to gain weight. An example would be someone who only eats during a four hour window every 24 hours. Sticking to that, I myself can't imagine being able to eat enough in four hours to gain weight, even if I think of caloric high density foods. Honestly eating enough to maintain in six hours seems difficult, if not very uncomfortable.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,950 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    For weight loss IF is just another way to manage calories. There is growing research though around additional health benefits of this way of eating not related specifically to weight.

    https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156

    Did you read this paragraph in the blog you linked to:

    'There’s a ton of incredibly promising intermittent fasting (IF) research done on fat rats. They lose weight, their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars improve… but they’re rats. Studies in humans, almost across the board, have shown that IF is safe and incredibly effective, but really no more effective than any other diet. In addition, many people find it difficult to fast.'

    When they start reproducing the results in humans, I will start paying attention to the 'magic' of IF.

    I read the entire thing. There is more research being done in humans now as also stated in the article. Did you read it? In addition to the benefits regarding insulin there have also been noted improvements in blood pressure - even for those with no weight change. While more research is needed this is promising.

    The studies are still being conducted and we will learn more. I believe we should all be excited to learn new things as they are discovered. Don’t you?

    I personally gave up IF because it does not work for me with my training schedule and I personally experienced no health benefits outside of easily maintaining my deficit. I won’t disregard the research happening and potential benefits being explored because of my own experience though.

    I'm actually more excited about not-so-new things that are supported by multiple studies carried out by multiple researchers looking at a question from a variety of angles. There's a tendency for people to get all excited about some new study that shows something new, that might just be an outlier in the entire corpus of studies looking at an issue.

    All of those not so new things you are excited about were new once with minimal promising research which prompted more research.

    In the end we should all do what works for us but dismissing promising new research for the sole purpose that more still needs to be done is silly. No one will argue more research should still be conducted but that doesn’t discount the potential found in the research that has already been completed either.

    And there have been far, far more new things that people get excited about that turn out not to be replicable in later studies. Seems like a lot of excitement wasted at a stage when it's pretty much impossible to know which camp a particular study falls into.