Fasting is safely practiced in different ways by many millions of people around the world without medical supervision. Almost every spiritual tradition has some element of fasting in its practice. Fasting can be done on your own as long as there are no contraindications.
However, having a relationship with a PCP is very positive and it can be helpful to have monitoring of weight, blood pressure and blood tests through a knowledgeable provider.
This becomes especially necessary when patients have medications and medical conditions that are deserving of thought. Anyone can watch YouTube videos on intermittent fasting and feel inclined to dive right in. But diabetic medications, blood pressure medications, blood thinners, thyroid meds, mental health and seizure medications and many others all have issues related to timing and relation to meals.
My best recommendation is that if you take any medication or have any medical condition for which you consult with a medical provider, you should have a discussion with them about a fasting practice.
Bringing up fasting with a PCP will likely be met with one of three responses.
- They will be supportive and give you helpful and thoughtful advice.
- They will not be opposed to it but might not be knowledgeable about what to recommend.
- The provider might not support the idea even if it is reasonable.
Make sure your provider is not identifying reasonable reasons to avoid fasting in your care and make sure you are not ignoring contraindications.
Three things to consider if you are not receiving thoughtful medical consultation from your provider.
- Ask them how they would manage your situation if you were getting a colonoscopy. Patients are required to fast for medical procedures frequently and every physician should have protocols they use to handle medications in these situations. Whatever that protocol is, it can be replicated any day it is needed to accommodate a fasting practice.
- Secondly you can have them review this site. Even if they are not supportive they may find it interesting. If they do not agree with a fasting practice they are welcome to write up their formal criticism and send it to me through this site. I take all feedback seriously and would welcome the chance to engage with their perspective.
- I have created this page specifically for providers that outlines the research base that supports a fasting practice. Intermittent fasting regimens are not simply a fad diet. There is solid scientific evidence that supports this practice and that perspective might win them over.