How Do You Know if You’re Taking Fasting Too Far?
Ask an Expert: Should You Be Worried about Your Child's Birthmar…
The Doctors Dos and Don'ts for Putting Things 'Down There'
3 Tips for Cultivating More Gratitude and Kindness
What Is the Blue Poop Challenge -- And Should You Do It?
Is Drinking Chlorophyll Water Good for Your Health?
Can You Bring More Kindness and Compassion into Your Life?
How to Treat Summer Sandal Blisters
Is the TikTok Ab-Dance Worth Your Ten Minutes?
How to Treat Dry and Cracked Heels
How Long Should It Take for Your Food to Travel through Your Sys…
FDA-Approved Weight Loss Medication a Game Changer?
Legal Expert Wendy Murphy on the Importance of Public Uprisings
The Doctors' Best Dog Advice from Our Favorite Pet Lovers
Ask an Expert: How to Avoid Filler Fatigue
Ask an Expert: Are You Applying Sunscreen Wrong?
The Doctors Get Real about Popular TikTok Hacks
Ask an Expert: Essential Summer Sleep Tips to Beat the Heat
Ask an Expert: The Vital Post-Surgery Steps You Need to Follow
Cult Expert Rick Ross Identifies Popular Groups That Could Be Cu…
Fasting has been practiced for thousands of years, but now that intermittent fasting is a hot nutrition trend, The Doctors help determine when fasting can provide possible health benefits, and when it can be dangerous.
Watch: What Is Water Fasting and Can It Be Safe?
Going without food for certain hours in the day is thought to provide health benefits, but extreme fasting -- for instance, a water fast which eliminates everything but water sometimes for up to 30 days -- can pose a serious health risk. Dr. Alan Goldhamer of the TrueNorth Health Center joins Dr. Ian Smith to discuss the science and safety of these types of fasts.
Dr. Goldhamer contends when done safely, fasting can be very beneficial and even possibly help to heal the body, but he warns that not everyone is a good candidate for a fast. He stresses that anyone doing a long-term fast be supervised. He says at his facility these patients are checked twice daily to ensure they are safe while on a water fast. He also notes a water fast is usually anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and varies for each patient, and tells The Doctors 30 days of water fasting is not common.
He tells Dr. Ian Smith at his TrueNorth facility that fasting has been successful at treating people with issues like high blood pressure, but he warns, "Fasting is not a magic cure. It is just a way to create an environment where the body can more rapidly heal itself." He also notes patients will need to lead a healthy lifestyle after their fast to ensure they continue to benefit from the effects.
Watch: Who Benefits from Fasting and Who Doesn’t
Dr. Ian and Dr. Goldhamer agree intermittent fasting can usually be done safely by most people on their own, but they stress something like a water fast should only be done in a controlled and supervised setting.
Find out more about two different types of popular intermittent fasting from Dr. Ian, in the video below and more information on intermittent fasting can be found here.
