Video post – what breaks a fast?

February 17 by in Intermittent fasting

This week I decided to do a video post instead of a regular written one. Why? No reason. Just to change things up. After about five years of writing a weekly blog, I thought it would be a nice change of pace. Here it is:

—
Dr. Jason Fung

Also published on idmprogram.com.

Dr. Fung’s top posts

Intermittent fasting for beginners
How do you repair low metabolism after a low-calorie diet?
Longer fasting regimens – 24 hours or more

Type 2 diabetes

Living low carb with Yvonne Lane
05:51
Yvonne used to see all those pictures of people who'd lost so much weight, but sometimes didn't really believe they were real.
Living low carb with John Holding
04:57
John used to suffer from a myriad of aches and pains which he simply dismissed as “normal”. Known as the big guy at work, he was constantly hungry and grabbing for snacks.
The essential problem with type 2 diabetes
05:09
Dr. Fung's diabetes course part 2: What exactly is the essential problem of type 2 diabetes?
My low-carb story with Marc Gossange
03:01
After living somewhat of a high-carb life and then living in France for a few years enjoying croissants and freshly baked baguettes, Marc was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Why low-fat diets don't work — Dr. Jason Fung's diabetes course
09:16
Does a low-fat diet help with reversing type 2 diabetes? Or, could a low-carb, high-fat diet work better? Dr. Jason Fung looks at the evidence and gives us all the details.
Living low carb with Chris Hannaway
08:19
What does living low carb look like? Chris Hannaway shares his success story, takes us for a spin in the gym and orders food at the local pub.
How to prevent chronic disease – Dr. Trudi Deakin
16:22
In this interview, Kim Gajraj interviews Dr. Trudi Deakin to learn all about her and other health care professionals work at X-PERT Health, a registered charity in the UK.
How to reverse type 2 diabetes
10:21
Dr. Fung's diabetes course part 1: How do you reverse your type 2 diabetes?
Insulin toxicity — Dr. Jason Fung's diabetes course
09:03
Dr. Fung looks at the evidence on what high levels of insulin can do to one’s health and what can be done to lower insulin naturally.
Diet & diabetes – how to normalize your blood sugar
16:26
Dr. Eenfeldt's get-started course part 3: How to improve type 2 diabetes dramatically using a simple lifestyle change.
"I have been following the wrong advice!"
16:39
How Antonio Martinez finally managed to reverse his type 2 diabetes.
Therapeutic fasting
46:09
What if there was a more effective treatment alternative for obesity and type 2 diabetes, that is both simple and free?
How to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes
27:43
How exactly do you as a doctor help patients reverse their type 2 diabetes?
LCHF and diabetes: science and clinical experience
45:59
What is the root of the problem in type 2 diabetes? And how can we treat it? Dr. Eric Westman at the Low Carb USA 2016.
"I knew nothing"
28:51
How come Professor Tim Noakes completely changed his view on what constitutes a healthy diet?
80 pounds lighter and no medications
09:12
Is it possible to reverse your diabetes with the help of a strict low-carb diet? Definitely, and Stephen Thompson did it.
Weight loss and type 2 diabetes reversal on low carb – is it sustainable?
31:51
In this presentation, Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt goes through the scientific and anecdotal evidence, and also what clinical experience tends to show, regarding the long-term effects of low carb.
My Big Fat Diet
42:31
What would happen if an entire town of First Nation people went back to eating the way they used to? A high-fat low-carb diet based on real food?
How to formulate a low-carb keto diet
48:32
Low-carb pioneer Dr. Eric Westman talks about how to formulate an LCHF diet, low carb for different medical conditions and common pitfalls among others.
What's it like being a low-carb doctor on TV?
17:40
What’s it like working with patients and giving controversial low-carb advice in front of a TV audience?
A disease of insulin resistance
09:30
Part 3 of Dr. Fung's diabetes course: The core of the disease, insulin resistance, and the molecule that causes it.
The 2 big lies of type 2 diabetes
42:54
Why is the conventional treatment of Type 2 Diabetes an utter failure? Dr. Jason Fung at the LCHF Convention 2015.
The problem with sugar
50:01
Is it fat or sugar that has triggered the unprecedented epidemics of obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic disease? Taubes at Low Carb USA 2017.
Diet Doctor podcast #7 – Megan Ramos
54:01
In the seventh episode of Diet Doctor Podcast, Megan Ramos, co-director at IDM program, talks about intermittent fasting, diabetes and her work together with Dr. Jason Fung at the IDM clinic.

Weight loss

Living low carb with Valerie Mugridge
04:01
Valerie wanted to lose weight by cutting calories, giving up things she really loved, like cheese. But this did not help her with her weight.
How to maximize fat burning
03:52
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 2: How do you maximize fat burning? What should you eat – or not eat?
Living low carb with Yvonne Lane
05:51
Yvonne used to see all those pictures of people who'd lost so much weight, but sometimes didn't really believe they were real.
Living low carb with John Holding
04:57
John used to suffer from a myriad of aches and pains which he simply dismissed as “normal”. Known as the big guy at work, he was constantly hungry and grabbing for snacks.
Diet Doctor Podcast #33 – Dr. David Unwin
43:25
Dr. Unwin was on the verge of retiring as a general practice physician in the UK. Then he found the power of low carb nutrition and began helping his patients in ways he never thought possible.
"I'll do this or I'm going to die trying"
19:23
Kristie Sullivan struggled with her weight for her whole life in spite of trying every diet imaginable, but then she finally lost a 120 pounds and improved her health on a keto diet.
Living low carb with Sue Acres
04:33
Sue used to be 50 pounds (23 kg) overweight and suffered from lupus. Her fatigue and pain was also so severe that she had to use a walking stick to get around. But she has reversed all this on keto.
How to do an LCHF or keto diet
1:00:45
Dr. Eric Westman explains how to do a well-formulated LCHF diet.
The 5 common mistakes on LCHF
09:25
Is it hard to reach your goal weight, are you hungry or do you feel bad? Make sure you're avoiding these mistakes.
How to think about how to eat — Gary Taubes
30:34
In this presentation from the Low Carb Denver conference, the amazing Gary Taubes talks about the conflicting dietary advice we are given and what to make of it all.
My success story with Chuck Hicks
02:39
At nearly 500 lbs (230 kg) Chuck could barely move at all anymore. It wasn’t until he found a keto diet that thing started to change.
Pie-making champion goes low carb
03:23
Learn how this pie-making champion went low carb and how it changed his life.
Part 8 of Dr. Jason Fung's diabetes course
05:21
Dr. Fung gives us an in-depth explanation of how beta cell failure happens, what the root cause is, and what you can do to treat it.
The pathways of insulin resistance
30:41
Are we chasing the wrong guy when it comes to heart disease? And if so, what is the real culprit in the disease?
My success story with Kenneth Russell
02:52
When Kenneth turned 50, he realized that he wouldn't make it to 60 the way he was going.
How to motivate your patients
50:25
In this presentation from Low Carb Denver 2019, Drs. David and Jen Unwin explain how physicians can finetune the art of practicing medicine with strategies from psychology to help their patients reach their goals.
Insulin toxicity — Dr. Jason Fung's diabetes course
09:03
Dr. Fung looks at the evidence on what high levels of insulin can do to one’s health and what can be done to lower insulin naturally.
Therapeutic fasting
46:09
What if there was a more effective treatment alternative for obesity and type 2 diabetes, that is both simple and free?
Q&A with Franziska Spritzler
09:52
Questions about how to formulate an optimal low-carb or keto diet.
Are all calories the same?
20:04
Are all calories created equally – regardless of whether they come from a low-carb, low-fat or a vegan diet?
Insulin resistance and sexual health — Dr. Priyanka Wali
23:24
Is there a connection between insulin resistance and sexual health? In this presentation, Dr. Priyanka Wali presents several studies that have been made on the subject.
My success story with Jim Caldwell
02:23
Jim Caldwell has transformed his health and gone from an all-time high at 352 lbs (160 kg) to 170 lbs (77 kg.
Is obesity caused by too much insulin?
25:27
Is obesity mainly caused by the fat storing hormone insulin? Dr. Ted Naiman answers this question.
The hidden costs of medications
44:51
Can medications prevent or hinder your efforts to lose weight and become healthy? Jackie Eberstein at the Low Carb Cruise 2016.

Keto

Keto for beginners: Introduction
08:02
Learn how to do a keto diet right, in part 1 of our video course.
A ketogenic diet and fewer vegetables
17:26
Should you NOT eat your vegetables? An interview with psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede.
Part 2 of eating keto with Kristie: Build a keto plate
11:16
Are you confused about what a plate of keto food should look like? Then this part of the course is for you.
"I'll do this or I'm going to die trying"
19:23
Kristie Sullivan struggled with her weight for her whole life in spite of trying every diet imaginable, but then she finally lost a 120 pounds and improved her health on a keto diet.
Part 3 of eating keto with Kristie: Know your portion sizes
15:29
Kristie teaches us how to eyeball the right amounts of fat, protein and carbs in order to ensure that we can easily stay within ketogenic ratios.
Part 1 of eating keto with Kristie: Introduction
01:47
One of the hardest parts of starting a keto diet is figuring out what to eat. Fortunately, Kristie will teach you in this course.
Keto and fast food
10:28
Can you get low-carb food at fast-food restaurants? Ivor Cummins and Bjarte Bakke went to a number of fast-food restaurants to find out.
Diet Doctor Podcast #31 – Dr. Ken Berry
51:26
Dr. Ken Berry wants us all to be aware that much of what our doctors say may be a lie. Maybe not an outright malicious lie, but much of what “we” believe in medicine can be traced back to word-of-mouth teachings without a scientific basis.
Part 4 of eating keto with Kristie: Stocking your keto kitchen
19:03
Kristie shows us exactly what staples she always keeps at home to make keto super simple.
Eating keto to survive cancer
28:51
Audra Wilford on the experience of using a ketogenic diet as part of treating her son Max’s brain tumor.
Is lower insulin the key to better brain health?
46:36
What is the root cause of the Alzheimer's epidemic – and how should we intervene before the disease is fully developed?
Fat Chance
1:05:43
Is it possible to ride a pushbike across the Australian continent (2,100 miles) without eating carbs?
All things keto with Keto Connect
16:44
What is it like running the very popular YouTube channel Keto Connect?
A life without migraines
15:44
Elena Gross' life was completely transformed with the ketogenic diet.
Exploiting cancer metabolism with ketosis
44:42
Can a ketogenic diet be used in cancer treatment? Dr. Angela Poff at the Low Carb USA 2016.
A new life with a keto diet
13:38
If your muscles can't use stored glycogen, is it then a good idea to eat a high-carb diet to compensate for this? Or can a keto diet help treat these rare glycogen storage diseases?
Challenging the dogma
16:47
Dr. Priyanka Wali tried a ketogenic diet and felt great. After reviewing the science she started recommending it to patients.
My success story with Jim Caldwell
02:23
Jim Caldwell has transformed his health and gone from an all-time high at 352 lbs (160 kg) to 170 lbs (77 kg.
LCHF and diabetes: science and clinical experience
45:59
What is the root of the problem in type 2 diabetes? And how can we treat it? Dr. Eric Westman at the Low Carb USA 2016.
Low-carb living
1:00:21
How do you successfully eat low carb for life? And what’s the role of ketosis? Dr. Stephen Phinney answers these questions.
80 pounds lighter and no medications
09:12
Is it possible to reverse your diabetes with the help of a strict low-carb diet? Definitely, and Stephen Thompson did it.
Treating cancer with a keto diet
17:07
Can a strict keto diet help prevent or even treat some cancers, like brain cancer?
Tips for eating out - part 5 of eating keto with Kristie
10:10
Do you find it difficult to stay on your keto plan when you're dining out and still don't want to miss out on those lovely moments with friends and family? Then this episode is for you.
Low-carb ketogenic diets for athletes
55:30
How can low-carb ketogenic diets help athletes perform better, improve endurance, and prevent bonking?

Intermittent fasting

How to maximize fat burning
03:52
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 2: How do you maximize fat burning? What should you eat – or not eat?
The top 5 tips to make fasting easier
05:19
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 8: Dr. Fung's top tips for fasting
Breakfast! Is it really that important?
07:08
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 6: Is it really that important to eat breakfast?
The top 5 myths of fasting
08:23
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 5: The 5 top myths about fasting – and exactly why they are not true.
The most common questions
05:38
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 7: Answers to the most common questions about fasting.
How to fast - the different options
06:47
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 3: Dr. Fung explains the different popular fasting options and makes it easy for you to choose the one that fits you best.
Therapeutic fasting
46:09
What if there was a more effective treatment alternative for obesity and type 2 diabetes, that is both simple and free?
The 7 benefits of fasting
07:33
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 4: About the 7 big benefits of fasting intermittently.
The cause of obesity
38:45
What is the real cause of obesity? What causes weight gain? Dr. Jason Fung at Low Carb Vail 2016.
The power of a 7-day fast
03:34
How do you fast for 7 days? And in what ways could it be beneficial?
The 2 big lies of type 2 diabetes
42:54
Why is the conventional treatment of Type 2 Diabetes an utter failure? Dr. Jason Fung at the LCHF Convention 2015.
How to get started with fasting
02:30
Dr. Fung about what you need to do to start fasting.
Achieve ketosis through fasting
19:58
What is the best way to achieve ketosis? Engineer Ivor Cummins discusses the topic in this interview from the PHC conference 2018 in London.
What to do instead of counting calories
16:02
Why is counting calories useless? And what should you do instead to lose weight?
The perfect treatment for diabetes and weight loss
45:20
Do doctors treat type 2 diabetes completely wrong today – in a way that actually makes the disease worse?
Q&A about low carb & fasting
38:17
Jonny Bowden, Jackie Eberstein, Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore answers questions related to low carb and fasting (and some other topics).
Can fasting be problematic for women?
05:54
Can fasting be problematic for women? We'll get the answers from top low-carb experts here.
Diet Doctor Podcast #23 – Dr. Jason Fung
59:15
If fasting has been around since the beginning of time, why is it so controversial? Dr. Jason Fung has a different perspective.
Clinical use of therapeutic fasting
44:18
How do you help patients get started with fasting? How do you tailor it to suit the individual?
What is fasting?
05:21
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 1: A brief introduction to intermittent fasting.
Understanding and treating type 2 diabetes – Dr. Jason Fung
59:44
In this video, Dr. Jason Fung gives a presentation on diabetes to a room full of medical professionals.
Diet Doctor Podcast with Joseph Antoun
48:22
In this episode, Dr. Joseph Antoun talks about fasting for health and longevity.

More with Dr. Fung

All posts by Dr. Fung

Dr. Fung has his own blog at idmprogram.com. He is also active on Twitter.

Dr. Fung’s books The Obesity Code, The Complete Guide to Fasting and The Diabetes Code are available on Amazon.¹

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6 comments

1
Virginia
February 17
I have been reading about autophagy and like the idea of cleaning out the weak and dead stuff from my body. Makes room for healthy new stuff ❤️ My question is does the little bit of cream or tea or broth stop the autophagy aspect of fasting? You mentioned most of the benefits would still be there. I have looked at a lot of videos and stuff on line and came to the conclusion it has to be water fast for this autophagy to happen. I also read it works best from hour 12 to 48 hours after eating. I am just a little bit confused about it. Would love clarification if possible! And Thank You! I love this site and all the wisdom you and the others pass on :)

Replies: #2, #3
2
Reply to comment #1 by Virginia
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
February 18
In an answer on another page, Dr Fung has said that a small amount of cream shouldn't break a fast for most people. Unsweetened tea, coffee and bone broth are generally find while fasting.
3
Reply to comment #1 by Virginia
Aaron
February 20
Hi Virginia. As I understand autophagy it is regulated by mTOR (and the AMPK molecule). Insulin is also involved in that the genes that carry out autophagy are regulated by insulin. When mTOR is upregulated, then no autophagy. When AMPK is low (indicating high energy in cells), also no autophagy. When insulin is high, no autophagy.

mTOR is very sensitive to dietary amino acids, so cream in your coffee would not add protein and so have little to no effect. Any energy intake would effect AMPK (fat, protein, or carbs) but I understand AMPK to be a long term process. Over long periods of time if AMPK is low, then autophagy may be halted. Seems like cream in your coffee would have little effect on AMPK.

Cream in your coffee would not have much effect on insulin either.

Given that mTOR is sensitive to dietary protein, my own wondering is whether broth would have an effect and should be avoided in favor of fat (cream). I'm just learning all of this myself so maybe someone else has some insight there. And I'm not at all an expert so I welcome comments that would help me learn more!

Personally, I fast 20 hours most days and 60 - 72 hours about 3 times a month. I have (1) coffee with heavy cream every day, whether I fast or not. It does not at all seem to effect weight loss or how I feel during fasting. Maybe I'd eek out a little more benefit without the heavy cream, but my guess is it's negligible? Anyone have ideas on what benefit(s) I may be missing out on?
4
Cassieoz
February 23
My understanding is that it depends on the reason for fasting. If it's to drop insulin the a little cream or fat in coffee wont make a significany difference. If your aim is autophagy then the fast is a 'no calorie' fast.
5
Fast Food in Islamabad
May 29
We are here in Islamabad, Gujranwala, Risalpur, and Quetta Visit roadstoves to hit the taste of Fast Food lover
6
Karyn
October 17
Understand no sugar in coffee or tea...what about keto-friendly sweetener?