August 16, 2020

Facts About Fasting

Should we fast?

Shoulder we go through all the hunger pains and stresses, deprive ourselves of food and our life source?

The answer is yes yes yes….

But hold on, how long should we fast for, 12, 24, or 36 hrs?

Is it just a case of restricting our daily calories or do we just delay our first meal of the day?

There are so many different ways to fast, but here are a few reasons why we fast.

When we fast or restrict our calories the body releases growth hormone. Growth hormone is the fountain of youth for the body. It promotes muscle growth, repair, and anti aging. Unfortunately, it declines as we get older.

Fasting will also use up all our blood sugars and then tap into our fat storage for energy. Great for weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels.

When fasting for long enough the body will go into a catabolic state. Although this seems scary, a bodybuilders nightmare actually has great health benefits and could be life saving.

When the body enters into a catabolic state it will use all the old and damaged cells first for its energy.

This is good news as not only does it make way for new cells to be produced it eliminates the damaged cells which have the potential to turn cancerous.

Fasting has been around for centuries and many religious beliefs have embraced it. It is also part of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle which we fully embrace.

A good entry level way to fast is time delayed eating. This is where your first meal is at 10 am and your last meal is at 6 pm with only water in between, any other fluids will affect the fasting process.

From there you can experiment with a longer fast from once a week to every 3months.

The other beneficial side affect of fasting is how mentally strong you become and surprisingly how much energy you have. So give it a try, it’s a great way to kick start your healthy habits, become mentally strong, and trigger off some natural anti aging.

Fast Facts about Fasting:

  • Improves function of cells, genes, and hormones
  • Induces loss of body fat
  • Controls blood sugar levels & type 2 diabetes
  • Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation
  • Induces cell repair
  • Increases levels of endorphins
  • Induces detoxification process
  • Recalibrates your hunger demand signals
  • Increases growth hormone

One Pan Salmon & Fennel with Lime

By Zina Stone • May 1, 2025
 One Pan Salmon & Fennel with Lime 2 servings | 35 minutes  INGREDIENTS 1 bulb Fennel (medium, thinly sliced) 3 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided) Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) 12 ozs Salmon Fillet 2 Lime (divided) 1/4 tsp Fennel Seed (ground)  METHOD Preheat the oven to 400oF (205oC). Place the fennel in a baking dish. Drizzle with half of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Zest some lime over the top and sprinkle with the fennel seed. Slice half of the lime and set aside. Remove the baking dish from the oven and place the salmon on top of the fennel. Drizzle with the remaining oil. Scatter the lime slices around. Place back in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cooked through, depending on thickness. Quarter the remaining lime. Divide fennel and salmon onto plates and serve with the quartered lime, squeezing more lime juice on if needed. Enjoy!  NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is approximately 3/4 cup of fennel and one salmon fillet. More Flavor: Season the salmon with ground coriander or cumin.  Nutrition Facts ​  ​ Amount per serving ​  450 calories  29g fat  12g carbs  4g fiber  5g sugar  39g protein  87mg cholesterol  195mg sodium  2mg iron

Chicken & Broccoli Stew

By Zina Stone • April 22, 2025
 Chicken & Broccoli Stew  2 servings | 30 minutes  INGREDIENTS 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 10 ozs Chicken Breast (cut into cubes) 1/2 tsp Sea Salt (divided) 2 Garlic (clove, minced) 1 1/2 pints Bone Broth 2 cups Broccoli (chopped into florets) 1/2 cup Canned Coconut Milk (full fat) 1/2 Lemon (juiced)  METHOD Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Season the chicken cubes with half of the salt. Add the chicken to the pot and sauté for about five minutes or until browned on all sides. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the broth, cover the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and coconut milk and add the remaining salt. Stir and cover the pot again. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until everything is cooked through. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and enjoy!  NOTES Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Freeze for up to two months. Serving Size: One serving is equal to approximately 1 1/2 cups. More Flavor: Add carrot and celery.  Nutrition Facts ​  ​ Amount per serving ​  515 calories  27g fat  15g carbs  4g fiber  4g sugar  49g protein  156mg cholesterol  1285mg sodium  3mg iron

Sheet Pan Smoky Sweet Salmon & Potatoes

By Zina Stone • April 9, 2025
Sheet Pan Smoky Sweet Salmon & Potatoes 2 servings | 35 minutes INGREDIENTS 2 cups Mini Potatoes (halved) 1 1/2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil(divided) Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste) 12 ozs Salmon Fillet 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika 1/4 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Raw Honey 1 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped) METHOD Preheat the oven to 425oF (220oC). Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with half the oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the salmon dry and then drizzle with the remaining oil. Season with the smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper and then drizzle the honey over top. Rub gently to incorporate with your hands. Move the potatoes around on the baking sheet to make room for the salmon. Place back in the oven and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through. Divide onto plates and garnish with parsley. Enjoy! Notes Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Serving Size: One serving is approximately one cup of potatoes and one salmon fillet. More Flavor: Toss the potatoes with smoked paprika and cumin or your favorite spice blend. Additional Toppings: Top with a squeeze of lemon juice. Nutrition Facts ​ ​ Amount per serving ​  441 calories 18g fat 30g carbs 3g fiber 4g sugar 41g protein 87mg cholesterol 144mg sodium 2mg iron
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