Commusings: The Magic of Metabolic Flexibility by Dr. Will Cole

Dear Commune Community, 

While most of my spiritual explorations focus on Eastern mysticism, I will, from time to time, poke at the Abrahamic traditions. In doing so, I discovered a convergence between Jesus, Muhammad and my preferred mystic, the Buddha.

You’re probably thinking of their impeccable fashion sense. Indeed, the three great prophets opted for magnificent, diaphanous garments. Jesus wore a mantle, a large type of shawl ornamented with tassels. Muhammad commonly dressed in long shirts called jubbas. Purportedly his preferred color was green. And the Buddha wore a splendid if simple Kashaya robe. However, there is a consilience among these prophets unrelated to style.

All three of these mystics embarked on spiritual walkabouts – solitary journeys of contemplation, discovery and self-inquiry. Jesus to the desert, Muhammad to the cave, Buddha through the mountains of Nepal. Furthermore, as part of these spiritual inquests, they all temporarily suspended their consumption of food.

Fasting is ancient. And while Christianity, Islam and Buddhism don’t always see eye to eye in terms of religious and political beliefs, their respective prophets, Jesus, Muhammed and Buddha were all dedicated fasters.

As Jesus confronted the devil, he was tempted neither by Satan’s offerings nor evidently by lunch. This 40-day period of asceticism became known as Lent. Muhammad “intermittent fasted” on the regular and recommended time-restricted eating to all Muslims on the 13th, 14th and 15th of every month. These days of the lunar calendar are known as the “White Days” due to the full moon. In fact, in Islam, fasting (sawm) is a requirement for attaining God-consciousness and one of the five pillars of the faith. Further, it is mythologized that Muhammed received the Koran during the 9th month of the Muslim calendar from the Angel Gabriel in a fasted state. The 9th month of the Islamic calendar is called Ramadan and one of its primary observances is fasting. Lastly, it is also said that the Buddha existed for a time, prior to his bodhi tree revelation, on a singular daily grain of rice.

Many religious traditions are built upon the notion that transcendence rests upon the perceived duality between spirit and body. We must eschew the corporeal for it is conjured from dust and to dust it will return. The body is ephemeral and subject to decay. Hence, we lift ourselves up and out of our impermanence and into the eternal spiritual realm. We sublimate the appetite to grasp the infinite and find enlightenment.

But one need not be a follower of ancient scrolls to observe how cycles of fasting and eating are inherent to life’s foundational fabric. The oppositional states of abundance and scarcity that foster balance between physiological growth and repair are part of human engineering.

Over hundreds of thousands of years, humans have evolved adaptively in relationship to these environmental prerogatives. For example, humans have developed genetic pathways that signal the body to store fat in anticipation of the impending winter, which served as a naturally imposed sort of fast, a forced monasticism.

However, modernity has hijacked our biology. It’s not that food scarcity no longer exists. It does. But more people in the world today suffer from being overfed than underfed. Our incessant eating keeps us in a constant cycle of growth at the expense of repair.

We must now self-impose health-conferring stressors like fasting as a means to realign with nature’s engineering.

Dr. Will Cole has been instrumental in my health journey. His books on fasting and “ketotarianism” were among the sharpest arrows in my quiver as I confronted my pre-diabetes. I am thrilled to launch his new Commune course on fasting and feature his essay today extolling some of fasting’s many virtues.

A wee bit peckish at [email protected] and pecking away on IG @jeffkrasno.

In love, include me,
Jeff

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The Magic of Metabolic Flexibility
by Dr. Will Cole 

When I mention "intermittent fasting," does it conjure thoughts of hunger, strict diets, and shedding pounds? If that's where your mind goes, trust me, you're not alone. But let me share something I delve into in my new Commune course, Intermittent Fasting, and my book, Intuitive Fasting: fasting goes far beyond just weight loss. In fact, losing weight doesn’t have to be the main focus of fasting at all.

But, if not for weight loss, what's the real deal with intermittent fasting? It all comes down to something called “metabolic flexibility.” This has been a game-changer for my own health. 

Metabolic flexibility is how well your metabolism shifts between using carbs or fats for energy. Most of us rely heavily on sugar as fuel, which, honestly, isn't great. It's a dirty fuel that messes with your blood sugar, causing inflammation and leading to health issues like heart disease, fatigue, and diabetes. On the other hand, burning fat for fuel – which at the cellular level means using ketones – is more efficient and provides long-lasting energy for your body.

Fasting triggers significant changes in your body's functioning, like improved glucose regulation (i.e. not having large spikes in blood sugar), blood pressure, and heart rate, which are entirely separate from fasting’s impact on your weight. Instead, intermittent fasting wakes up powerful healing mechanisms within you, creating profound positive shifts in your health that extend way beyond just losing weight.

These are just a few of the ways intermittent fasting drastically improved my health.

1. It improved my digestion

For years I struggled with unexplained bloating. I went from eating a conventional vegan diet to incorporating more meat yet still struggled with digestive issues. It wasn’t until I tried a fasting protocol that I found some relief, even before changing my diet at all! After more research, I learned how intermittent fasting reduces gut inflammation, and can even help improve conditions like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and IBS, while also improving markers for gut inflammation. Intermittent fasting is now a regular practice of mine if I notice my gut needs a reset.

2. It boosted my brain function

As a functional medicine doctor who is always trying to uncover the root cause of a patient’s issues, I need my mind sharp and clear. Research shows that fasting helps brain cells resist stress, promotes autophagy (the very necessary process of cellular recycling), enhances mitochondrial function, fortifies antioxidant defenses, and supports DNA repair. Plus, it increases factors in the brain that aid neuroplasticity—your brain's ability to reorganize and create new connections. Needless to say, I have certainly noticed a difference in my mental clarity.

3. It stabilized my blood sugar

When I first started my functional medicine clinic, I was still learning what foods my body loved and which ones it didn’t like as much. I ended up eating a lot of gluten-free snacks and things that didn’t do my blood sugar levels any favors when eaten in excess. Research is demonstrating that intermittent fasting significantly improves insulin sensitivity and lowers insulin levels. Higher insulin sensitivity means that the body’s cells use blood glucose more effectively, which is why when I finally started fasting I noticed I was way less “hangry” and I didn’t have that dreaded afternoon slump every day.

4. It enhanced my mood

Remember when I said how hangry I used to get? Not only was my mood stabilized as my body got better at regulating blood sugar, but I just felt happier overall. Studies show that intermittent fasting can increase levels of feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin, tryptophan, and endorphins and I welcomed these happiness boosters with open arms.

5. It increased my energy levels

If I could only take one benefit of intermittent fasting, it would be difficult not to choose this one. Entering ketosis during intermittent fasting encourages the body to burn fat instead of sugar for energy. And since this state can lead to increased production of mitochondria (the energy powerhouses of our cells), it meant more energy for me. 

As we (slowly) wake up to many of the negative aspects of diet culture, it can be tempting to put intermittent fasting into the category of “yet another fad diet.” After all, what could be more restrictive than simply “not eating.” But that’s a very superficial understanding of intermittent fasting, which is not about calorie restriction at all, but simply giving our body a chance to truly rest and digest between meals. (And remember, most of that time you should be enjoying a full night of deep restorative sleep!) 

In terms of the benefits, fasting is also not even primarily about weight loss. That’s certainly not where I have experienced its benefits in my life. Remember, it’s about metabolic flexibility, which in turn is connected with longevity, energy, digestion, and improved mood. It’s definitely not about “shedding pounds.” I actually see intermittent fasting as a means to break free from diet culture and show your body some extra love and care in line with how we have evolved physiologically over the past hundreds of thousands of years. Plus, it can help you feel amazing.

Dr. Will Cole is a leading functional medicine expert who consults with patients around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers over a decade ago. He is also the host of the popular The Art Of Being Well podcast and the bestselling author of four books including Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum and Gut Feelings.