# Intermitent fasting



## acureisoutthere (Jun 28, 2014)

I don't have CFS, so please forgive me. However, I have been suffering from ongoing fatigue for many years. I usually need 10 hours of good sleep every single night. In the past I have tried to change this, but to no avail.

Recently, I've been trying some periods of fasting to see if it makes a difference. I would eat a normal evening meal and then nothing to eat (just water) until 5:30 pm the next day. Then, I would eat a large variety of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits, plus a good probiotic food like home- made kimchi or home- made sauerkraut and avoid all processed foods. I also include a prebiotic food like cooked dry beans or lentils.

The reason for the change in diet after the fasting : we know that our gut microbiome responds quickly to the foods we eat. If we eat the foods that feed our good bacteria, we can influence which species dominate in the digestive tract. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, besides being good for our beneficial species, also raises the potential to gain new beneficial species of bacteria. Since the average American has lost 40% of the diversity of their gut microbiome this seems to be a logical approach. The prebiotic foods help our good species to thrive. The probiotic foods help to promote a gut homeostasis. Something worth mentioning about probiotic foods like home-made sauerkraut : you're getting a hundred fold increase in probiotic bacteria versus a probiotic pill. It just makes much, much more sense to eat a probiotic food, than take a probiotic pill.

The reason to avoid processed foods is because of their added emusifiers and preservatives. If one looks for the studies, these are both harmful to our gut microbiomes. We know that CFS has been connected with damage to the gut microbiome. I've also read during my research that Dr. Thomas Borody has reversed CFS via an FMT. So, although the science is new concerning CFS and the microbiome, it seems that there is a pretty clear connection.

So, if we can avoid all processed foods, follow periods of fasting, and introduce foods that benefit our gut microbiome, will this influence CFS ?

From my personal experiment, it seems I notice a change for the better as long as I am careful to stick to the foods the feed my good gut bacteria. If I am not disciplined enough and then eat foods high is processed sugars (which feed our bad bacteria) then I notice a negative affect.

I am wondering if anyone else has noticed any affect from this approach ?


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## Candide (Jun 14, 2017)

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