Future of Health Series: Intermittent Fasting with Cynthia Thurlow

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Food really is medicine, but sometimes staying away from food is even more healing. That’s the idea behind intermittent fasting. In this episode of Impact, Meghan talks with Cynthia Thurlow, a nurse practitioner and internationally known women’s health expert whose TEDx Talk has received more than 10 million views.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Intermittent fasting is eating within a prescribed time period, and not eating within another prescribed time period. Why does it matter? It has to do with our metabolism. Metabolic flexibility is critically important to our health, and intermittent fasting promotes such flexibility by allowing your body to be more effective at using different types of fuel. Chronically overfeeding the body is what contributes to metabolic disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, infertility issues, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and so much more. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fasting improves our insulin sensitivity so our bodies can access stored fat as a fuel source instead of stored sugar. And when we're using fat as a fuel source, we don't get hungry in between meals and we’re able to lose weight much more easily. It also allows our body to get rid of diseased and disordered cells, like taking out the garbage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many women who do intermittent fasting also are able to come off blood pressure and diabetes medications. They have fewer digestive issues, less bloating and more regular bowel movements. It can also help to lower the risk for certain types of cancers, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our bodies are designed to be challenged, so it’s important to make changes as you get older. Intermittent fasting can be one