Video post – what breaks a fast?

February 17 2019 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
Longer fasting regimens – 24 hours or more
How to renew your body: Fasting and autophagy

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.
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.
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.
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?
"I have been following the wrong advice!"
16:39
How Antonio Martinez finally managed to reverse his type 2 diabetes.
How to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes
27:43
How exactly do you as a doctor help patients reverse their 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.
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.
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.
How to reverse type 2 diabetes
10:21
Dr. Fung's diabetes course part 1: How do you reverse your type 2 diabetes?
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.
Part 7 of Dr. Jason Fung's diabetes course
05:01
Dr. Fung gives us a comprehensive review of what causes fatty liver disease, how it affects insulin resistance and, what we can do to reduce fatty liver.
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.
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.
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 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.
"I knew nothing"
28:51
How come Professor Tim Noakes completely changed his view on what constitutes a healthy diet?
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.
The science of low carb
16:07
Here Dr. Eric Westman – one of the researchers behind the modern scientific trials of low-carb diets – takes you through the results.
Carb-Loaded
1:14:40
This may be the best (and funniest) low-carb movie ever. At least it's a strong contender.
Everything goes in the right direction
09:53
Arjun Panesar is the founder of the diabetes organization diabetes.co.uk, which is very low-carb friendly.
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.
"We are not designed to be chronically ill"
25:54
Trouble shooting high blood-glucose levels
34:01
Are you struggling with high blood glucose, even on a ketogenic diet? There are many factors which can have an impact on blood sugar!

Weight loss

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?
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pie-making champion goes low carb
03:23
Learn how this pie-making champion went low carb and how it changed his life.
Living low carb: Sue Jones and Michael
06:44
How fast can a couple start losing weight and feeling better when they begin a low-carb diet? For UK couple Sue and Michael, it was rapid. “A couple of weeks for sure.”
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.
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.
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?
Will a low carb diet shorten your life?
30:57
In this highly insightful presentation from Low Carb Denver 2019, Robb Wolf takes us through studies which can help us better understand weight loss, food addiction and health on a low-carb diet.
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.
Diet Doctor Podcast #35 with Ben Bikman, PhD
00:00
Why is insulin so important for us to control and why does a ketogenic diet help so many people? Professor Ben Bikman has studied these questions in his lab for years and he is one of the foremost authorities on the subject.
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.
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.
Part 7 of Dr. Jason Fung's diabetes course
05:01
Dr. Fung gives us a comprehensive review of what causes fatty liver disease, how it affects insulin resistance and, what we can do to reduce fatty liver.
Q&A with Franziska Spritzler
09:52
Questions about how to formulate an optimal low-carb or keto 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.
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.
My success story with Katrin Crum
02:45
Katrin was diagnosed as being morbidly obese, and was suffering from a number of health issues. She had tried a lot of different diets over the years but nothing had worked long term.
200 pounds lost and a health journey for the family
15:05
Larry Diamond has transformed his life and lost 125 lbs (57 kg) on a low-carb diet, and here he shares his insights from his journey.
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.
What to do instead of counting calories
16:02
Why is counting calories useless? And what should you do instead to lose weight?

Keto

Keto for beginners: Introduction
08:02
Learn how to do a keto diet right, in part 1 of our video course.
"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 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.
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.
Fat Chance
1:05:43
Is it possible to ride a pushbike across the Australian continent (2,100 miles) without eating carbs?
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.
All things keto with Keto Connect
16:44
What is it like running the very popular YouTube channel Keto Connect?
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?
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 life without migraines
15:44
Elena Gross' life was completely transformed with the ketogenic diet.
Treating cancer with a keto diet
17:07
Can a strict keto diet help prevent or even treat some cancers, like brain cancer?
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?
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.
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.
Diet Doctor Podcast #35 with Ben Bikman, PhD
00:00
Why is insulin so important for us to control and why does a ketogenic diet help so many people? Professor Ben Bikman has studied these questions in his lab for years and he is one of the foremost authorities on the subject.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
My success story with Gillian Szollos
02:55
Gillian had a normal life when she all of a sudden started to get seizures. She suffered terrible side effects from the meds so she started a keto diet.
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.
Q&A with Miriam Kalamian
15:26
Do cancer patients tolerate chemotherapy better when fasting or being in ketosis?
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.

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
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.
Breakfast! Is it really that important?
07:08
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 6: Is it really that important to eat breakfast?
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.
The 7 benefits of fasting
07:33
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 4: About the 7 big benefits of fasting intermittently.
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.
What to do instead of counting calories
16:02
Why is counting calories useless? And what should you do instead to lose weight?
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.
How to get started with fasting
02:30
Dr. Fung about what you need to do to start fasting.
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?
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 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).
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?
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.
What is fasting?
05:21
Dr. Fung's fasting course part 1: A brief introduction to intermittent fasting.
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.
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.
01:03
If you’re wondering if intermittent fasting is right for you, Dr. Bret Scher will help you sort through the hype and learn how to use fasting to reach your health goals. This course is designed for health coaches who want to add intermittent fasting to their toolbox of options for helping clients improve their health.

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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10 comments

1
Virginia
February 17 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
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 2019
We are here in Islamabad, Gujranwala, Risalpur, and Quetta Visit roadstoves to hit the taste of Fast Food lover
6
Karyn
October 17 2019
Understand no sugar in coffee or tea...what about keto-friendly sweetener?
1 comment removed
8
Nikaia
September 24 2020
Is this the same for collagen powders?

Reply: #9
9
Reply to comment #8 by Nikaia
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
September 25 2020

Is this the same for collagen powders?

As collagen has a lot of protein, yes, it likely does break a fast.
10
Annika
October 17 2020
So I'm new to this...I'm guessing I can't have diet sodas during fasts? What about actual coffee creamer that doesn't have sugar?

Reply: #11
11
Reply to comment #10 by Annika
Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
October 17 2020

So I'm new to this...I'm guessing I can't have diet sodas during fasts? What about actual coffee creamer that doesn't have sugar?

We recommend avoiding artificial sweeteners completely, and all sweeteners during a fast. The general consensus is that a small amount of heavy cream is OK if needed during a fast.