All posts tagged: fasting

The Actual Benefits of Intermittent Fasting, According to Experts

The Actual Benefits of Intermittent Fasting, According to Experts

Published by Jenni Sidey

Every couple of years, like the very clockwork it depends on, intermittent fasting resurfaces as a dietary trend. “It’s really interesting that it has held this kind of unusual fascination as a trend for so many years, as it isn’t anything new from a clinical nutrition perspective,” says Stacie Stephenson, DC, CNS, board member of the American Nutrition Association. To be fair, though, intermittent fasting is one of the more beneficial and universally useful nutrition strategies out there—just not for the reason most people think. “Do I consider intermittent fasting a weight loss diet? No, I don’t,” Dr. Stephenson says. “But I think it’s a really great tool.” A tool for what, then, you might ask? Here’s everything you need to know. What is intermittent fasting? “Intermittent fasting is as simple as not eating for half the day,” says Dr. Stephenson. “For 12–14 hours of your day, you’re not consuming anything other than water. That is as simple as it is.” Basically, with intermittent fasting, half or more of your day is spent in a …

Why Muslim zakat giving was under the microscope this Ramadan

Why Muslim zakat giving was under the microscope this Ramadan

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — It began with a fatwa, a ruling issued jointly by the Fiqh Council of North America and the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America that expanded the reach of who is eligible to receive zakat, the mandated alms that observant Muslims pay each year as one of the pillars of Islam.  The timing of the fatwa — it dropped about two weeks before the start of Ramadan — was notable because the holy month is one of the most concentrated times of giving for American Muslims. But the “who” particularly rocked those Muslim communities, since the giving of alms in broad strokes is reserved for those in need. The fatwa instead laid out an argument to allow for zakat to be given to politicians and campaigns to change or sway public policy. With Ramadan now at its conclusion, the pushback is still raging. Zakat is an important obligation applied to adult Muslims who meet the minimum threshold, or nisab, of savings and assets held for one year. Its eight categories determine who can …

Why so many religions fast

Why so many religions fast

Published by Sam Flores

 (RNS and NPR) — During the holy month of Ramadan, many Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. This year, due to the alignment of lunar and solar calendars, Ramadan coincides with Lent, when Catholics and Orthodox Christians give up certain foods, and the 19-day Baha’i fast that leads up to spring. Why do so many faith traditions call for giving up food? Here’s a rundown.  ‘One of the only universal religious practices’ One reason for the spread of fasting is the cross-pollination of Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam. However, other traditions sprung up independently, said Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, who teaches anthropology and religion at Northeastern University in Boston. “Creating taboos or creating restrictions or celebrations around food makes sense because it’s the one thing, besides like sleep and sex, that we have as sort of universals,” she said. “Either we abstain from them, or we indulge in them.” Fasting traditions are also part of religious practices for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, often having overlapping purposes across those faiths. For ancient Mesopotamian Babylonian cultures, fasting …

Does intermittent fasting live up to the hype? It works on mice – but does it work for us?

Does intermittent fasting live up to the hype? It works on mice – but does it work for us?

Published by Sam Flores

In 2013, a British journalist and a doctor introduced an obscure dietary protocol to the wider culture. The idea was simple: two days a week, eat almost nothing – fewer than 600 calories. The rest of the time, eat normally. The writers, Dr Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, claimed “The Fast Diet” could help you shed fat, reverse Type 2 diabetes and stave off age-related diseases of mind and body. Early studies had shown it had outsize benefits in lab mice, and scientists were enthusiastic about its prospects for humans. This simple intermittent fast (today referred as a 5:2 diet) was not the first of its kind to go mainstream, but it became an international sensation. Today there are dozens more variations, with books, apps, wearables and supplements to support them. And they’re very popular: The International Food Information Council, a nonprofit tied to the food industry, surveyed 3,000 American adults and found that 13 per cent have experimented with intermittent fasting in 2024. All intermittent fasts alternate periods when you’re allowed to eat with …

A look at Ramadan and how Muslims observe the holy month

A look at Ramadan and how Muslims observe the holy month

Published by Sam Flores

CAIRO (AP) — Observant Muslims the world over will soon be united in a ritual of daily fasting from dawn to sunset as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts. For Muslims, it’s a time for increased worship, religious reflection and charity. Socially, it often brings families and friends together in festive gatherings around meals to break their fast. Ramadan is followed by the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr. First day of Ramadan expected around Feb. 18-19 Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month cycles through the seasons. The start of the month traditionally depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. This year, the first day of Ramadan is expected to be on or around Feb. 18 or 19. The actual start date may vary among countries and Muslim communities due to declarations by multiple Islamic authorities around the globe on whether the crescent had been sighted or different methodologies used to determine the beginning of the month. This year, the start of Ramadan is expected around the same …

Ramadan 2026: Experts’ top tips for healthy fasting during the holy month

Ramadan 2026: Experts’ top tips for healthy fasting during the holy month

Published by Daniella Wilson

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Ramadan, a month dedicated to spiritual reflection and appreciating the value of sustenance, evokes fond childhood memories for Manal Elfakhani. She recalls breaking her fast at the mosque with family, often enjoying sweet semolina flour cookies she now bakes herself. For about a month, many Muslims observe a fast, abstaining from food and drink from dawn until sunset. While most people can safely participate, Ms Elfakhani, a nutrition expert at Pennsylvania State University, says that thoughtful planning and nutritional consideration can significantly enrich the experience. Certain groups are exempt from fasting, including young children, the elderly, and those who are pregnant, menstruating, or breastfeeding. People managing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or other chronic illnesses should consult their doctor before fasting, especially if …

Intermittent fasting probably doesn’t help with weight loss

Intermittent fasting probably doesn’t help with weight loss

Published by skeptic

There may be no need to go hungry – intermittent fasting doesn’t cause weight loss anyway Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images Intermittent fasting appears to be no more effective for weight loss than doing nothing at all, according to a review of studies involving people who were overweight or had obesity. The diet has become a popular weight-loss strategy in recent years and involves alternating between periods of fasting and normal eating. This can include eating only during a set window each day, such as the 16:8 diet, where you fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8-hour period; or eating normally on some days and very little on others, like the 5:2 diet, where you eat as normal on five days a week and restrict calories on the other two. The idea is that limiting when people can eat reduces their overall calorie intake, but one randomised-controlled trial found it is no better for weight loss than calorie counting. To learn more, Luis Garegnani at the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires in Argentina and …

How fasting can dramatically reduce symptoms of stomach condition

How fasting can dramatically reduce symptoms of stomach condition

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Intermittent fasting within an eight-hour window can significantly reduce symptoms of Crohn’s disease, a new study has found. Crohn’s disease, according to the NHS, is a long-term condition where part of the gut becomes inflamed. It cannot currently be cured and the common symptoms include: diarrhoea, blood or mucus in your poo and stomach pain. Researchers at the University of Calgary found that time-restricted feeding can reduce disease activity by 40 per cent and halve abdominal discomfort in over 12 weeks in people living with Crohn’s disease. Participants of the clinical trial, funded by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, followed the intermittent fasting schedule by eating for 8 hours a day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours, without any instructions to cut calories. On average, the subjects lost an average of about 5.5 pounds during the study, while those in …

Cardiologists Tell Us What You Really Need to Know About Intermittent Fasting and Heart Health

Cardiologists Tell Us What You Really Need to Know About Intermittent Fasting and Heart Health

Published by Jenni Sidey

New research on intermittent fasting made splashy headlines last week. The abstract, presented at an American Heart Association conference, found that intermittent fasting—specifically, the restriction of food consumption to an 8-hour period each day—was associated with a 91% increase in risk of cardiovascular death. (Insert needle-scratch.) This is shocking intel, not just because the statistic is so staggering, but because it flies in the face of what we’ve previously known to be true about the benefits of intermittent fasting, which would suggest it has the opposite impact on heart health. The practice, in fact, is supposed to be good for your heart. However, experts say that prior research shouldn’t necessarily be discarded in favor of these new findings and that you don’t need to panic if you get your calories within a restricted window of time each day. Here, they unpack everything we know to date on intermittent fasting’s impact on heart health. What is intermittent fasting? Generally speaking, intermittent fasting is a dietary approach where you are in a fasted state for some period …

Tell us: what questions do you have about fasting for health reasons? | Health

Tell us: what questions do you have about fasting for health reasons? | Health

Published by Sam Flores

The team from our It’s Complicated Youtube channel are looking at how eating throughout the day has become normal in many Western contexts, what that might be doing to our bodies, and whether this new wave of wellness fasting really does what it claims. We’d like to know what you want explained. If you could sit down with a leading expert on fasting, what would you ask them? Send us your questions, large or small via the form below. Your questions could help shape our reporting and be featured in the show. Send your question You can post your question using this form. Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For alternative ways to get in touch securely please see our tips guide. Post your question about fasting for …