466: Cynthia Thurlow on What Makes Fasting Unique for Women

I’m here with Cynthia Thurlow, who is the CEO and founder of the Everyday Wellness Project. She’s also a nurse practitioner and a globally recognized expert when it comes to intermittent fasting and nutritional health. In fact, she has a TED talk on intermittent fasting that has been watched over 8 million times!

We go really, really specific on the differences between fasting for men and women, how to fast without stressing out your body, and some really important reasons to stop snacking. If you fast or practice time-restricted eating (or are considering it), this is the episode for you!

Episode Highlights With Cynthia Thurlow

• The reason for the differences in fasting between men and women
• How to navigate fasting as a woman during fertile years
• The time of the month that it is better not to do much intensive fasting
• A reason to stop snacking
• The importance of hydration and electrolytes with any type of fasting
• How snacking keeps insulin elevated and makes weight loss difficult
• The reason our body (liver especially) needs a break from food between meals
• What the mitigating motor complex is and why it’s important
• Why not to over-exercise and what we get wrong about this
• The importance of electrolyte balance, especially during fasting
• How fasting changes after menopause
• Her tips for mitigating stress and staying in parasympathetic mode
• And more!

Resource We Mention

• Cynthia Thurlow
• Levels
• Everyday Wellness Podcast
• TEDx Talks by Cynthia Thurlow
• The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn O’Brien
• Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss
• Metabolical by Robert Lustig

More From Wellness Mama

• 455: Gin Stephens on the Real Deal About Intermittent Fasting for Women
• 444: The Rain Barrel Effect, Inflammation, Fasting & Hormones With Dr. Stephen Cabral
• 345: How to Use Circadian Fasting to Improve Health & Slow Aging With Dr. Amy Shah
• 255: Dr. Valter Longo on a Fasting Mimicking Diet and Increasing Healthspan
• 201: Understanding Fasting & Keto for Women (Even During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding) + Instant Pot Tips
• 134: Five Benefits of Fasting, Autophagy, Diet Variat