I have inadvertently intermittent fasted for almost my whole life! Never had weight issues, my MS is in check (diagnosed 10 years ago and my latest neurological exam was normal!) I run under 10 min mile. I think the only confusing thing is "go to bed hungry" - maybe "don't go to bed full" is better wording. I've noticed if my stomach is growling, it keeps me up, so have to eat a couple crackers or a teaspoon of peanut butter if I'm feeling rumblely before bed!
You don’t actually go to bed hungry. My mum found her appetite decreased over time with intermittent fasting. I had her start at a 12 hour fast and increase slowly to 16 hours. She loves this way of eating.
I do not skip.breakfast, as my window is from 8AM until 4PM. I have a substantial breakfast and a large lunch. I am also limiting my calories to 1300 per day. This was primarily because of my daughter's wedding. It is.over now, but I intend to stick with my eating pattern. I lost 17lb in 12 weeks. Thank you for your vlogs. They are great. I am in the UK My neurologist retired during covid, so I haven't seen anyone since 2019. I have a telephone appointment on Friday. Hardly ideal.
I use electric wheelchair yand can’t stand or walk. I am a verteran of over 40 yearsg with ms (started when I eas 17yrs old. I listen to what you say, but I figure does this apply to me? Why should I bother?
I have done this for years now, intermittent fasting, and it works well for me and my MS. My pains ( i dont eat pig either, only on christmas eve) , my sleep and my mood, because keeping the weight and feeling healthy is impacting my psychic health as well. I try to combine it with strenght training at least 3 times a week and this makes my oife with MS tolerable.
Did I.F. all my adult life, without knowing the term. I never had time to eat in the morning. When I was young, I never had money to buy anything during the day. Later, I never had time at work to run to cafeteria & stay in line. Now it's fancy term. My terms were : starving student & working parent 😀
Same here, as well as the strength training 3 X per week. How do you cope with fatigue with the training, I find it wastes me a bit which doesn't leave much energy for other things during the week.
IMHO: Go to bed hungry doesn't go well with a lot of people, better to use less restrictive-sounding phrase. Saying"high fat" assumes ppl r educated about "good" fat, which is not always the case & might b misinterpreted. Also, intermittent fasting advice should always have disclaimer on gall bladder stones, just in case your followers get those with/or without trying to fast 😀
Makes perfect sense. Both of us loved your fasting plan and have stuck to it since 1/2/22 and will continue to do so. I have lost 12 lbs (back into a size 8) and my husband 10 ish lbs. I need to kick up my exercise, and have when my body complies. Thank you for all the wisdom Dr. B.
The only thing I found a little bit confusing is when you break your fast at noon you’re obviously not eating continuously until 8 PM are you manage that better talk about that please?
Am a Muslim and this is a month for us to fast for a whole month and we have time to eat and drink, but from sunrise, we Dont eat and drink to sundown Fasting helps me a lot, no 🧠 brain fog 🌫️ functioning a lot better during the day my sleeping is better. Try it share it with me what's your experience
Great video! I’ve been doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting for about 5 years now. I eat super clean, get my exercise in and drink a ton of water throughout the day/night. Mine wasn’t for weight loss, just a way to reprogram my metabolism and in turn help my overall health, which includes my multiple sclerosis. I do eat a few very healthy snacks throughout the 8 hour window of eating (mostly nuts, fresh fruit or Lara bar). I’m unable to eat large amounts at a time (lunch/dinner) reason for healthy snacks. Also, I will have an occasional treat. I don’t deprive myself, especially if I’m at a party, but don’t overindulge. I think it’s important to have a healthy balance when it comes to eating. Just like multiple sclerosis, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to intermittent fasting as well. Figure out what works best for you and your body.🧡
So far I've only changed my timing, start eating at 11AM - end eating at 7 PM. I still snack in between and if there is time before my window closes at 7. Combining that with going from literally liters of soda a day to water only since December, I'm down 13.5 pounds since January 1. Can't wait to see what happens when I start to regularly exercise.
Great video Dr B! I love that you have found IF and are talking about this as an option for people. Personally, I would change the words “High” for “Healthy” in your presentation. Healthy Fats are very different from High Fat.
3 things you say sound negative. skip breakfast, go to be hungry, don’t snack. Sounds like punishments. Instead say ‘keeping in mind your 8 hour window: your first meal is brunch, 6 or 7 hours later have dinner & you’ll get the best results when you don’t eat between your meals.’ See what I mean? peggy in texas
It makes sense, my question is how long does it take to break the habit of always reaching for food? I swear my stomach is a bottomless pit and I don't seem to have that shut off button that says you're full now(🤔 could that be a MS thing? Does anyone else have that issue?
I’m the opposite. I have a poor appetite as I have low grehlin (hunger hormone) due to autoimmune gastritis/pernicious anaemia. I did read a medical journal stating this: “Patients with MS have been found to have higher levels of ghrelin in the cerebrospinal fluid [199] and sometimes, but not always, in plasma [200,201], which may be interpreted as a protective response to the presence of neuroinflammation. MS may also be associated with genetic variation in the gene encoding the ghrelin receptor [202].” There is an article on grehlin from Healthline: What Is Ghrelin? All You Need to Know About This Hormone. Maybe try these tips and see how you go. An excerpt… How to lower ghrelin and reduce hunger Ghrelin seems to be a hormone that can’t be directly controlled with drugs, diets, or supplements. However, there are a few things you can do to help maintain healthy levels: Maintain a moderate weight. Studies show that people with obesity tend to have higher levels of ghrelin (9Trusted Source). Prioritize sleep. Poor sleep increases your levels of ghrelin and has been linked to increased hunger and weight gain (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source). Increase muscle mass. Higher amounts of fat-free mass or muscle are associated with lower levels of ghrelin (4Trusted Source). Eat more protein. A high protein diet increases fullness and reduces hunger. One of the mechanisms behind this is a reduction in ghrelin levels (19Trusted Source). Maintain a stable weight. According to one older study of postmenopausal women, drastic weight changes and yo-yo dieting can disrupt key hormones, including ghrelin (20Trusted Source).”
Sometimes I don't have that shut off button, and I had this issue before MS. MS has actually made some foods taste gross. When I can manage to eat only between noon and 8:00 p.m., l lose weight.
I have 'never full' days myself. For me I think it's just a matter of finding something to distract me. I think it's more boredom than actual hunger for me.
I find that when I eat carbs, I'm hungry all of the time. For me to do 16:8 intermittent fasting, I have to reduce carbs dramatically first...typically, I have to power through a super hard 1-2 weeks where I'm hungry all of the time. I let myself eat 4 meals per day plus snacks during this period, but virtually no carbs (lots of nuts, green beans and hard boiled eggs as snacks). At some point in week 2, I stop feeling hungry. At that point, I drop down to 2 regular meals plus snacks between 12-8 pm. As long as I stay low carb, I find it very easy to maintain and I tend to feel a lot better physically. I pretty much do intermittent fasting January-mid November, but I let myself eat all of the fun carbs from Thanksgiving to Christmas and put up with the consequences. So I've done this "ramp down from carbs before transitioning to intermittent fasting" ~8 times.
Howdy Dr. Aaron 16/8 is a game-changer for me trying to convince family and friends to change to it gives me so much energy and a sense of achievement I find it easy to follow. Carbs are the hidden sugar storage plus you eat more carbs make you feel hungrier. Lots of Water is essential with fasting. Thanks again Dr. Aaron until next time. take care. 😊👍
I think your explanation makes sense - just as an MSer for 20 years not everyone with MS needs to lose weight. I actually have trouble gaining weight but I kind of fell into intermittent fasting because it simplifies my day. I eat from 8-5. I live alone and have limited energy and mobility and eating that way gives me less to stress about. Still working on the whole foods aspect since lots of the time I only have the energy to microwave a meal. Cooking is difficult.
You sound like me in a way. I’m fresh dx 12/15/22; but I’ve been in constant pain (legs & back) for a few years. Since 2020, I can barely even eat anymore bc I’m in so much pain and cooking is flat out dangerous (oops my hands went numb & the house went on fire). Freaking exhausted
I’ve been doing this for 3 years and it works well for me . I’m a full time Macmillan nurse and I’ve had MS for 12 years I lost 30lbs. After years of dieting I’ve finally found something that works for me
I switched to a high-fat carnivore diet in May 2021 and started practicing dry fasting. I dry fast for 36 hours each week and 72-110 hours each month (around the full moon)
Thank you for the follow up video on fasting. I adopted the program 16/8 when you first brought it up. It’s been very successful for me and now easy to follow. A cup of black coffee is always enough for me in the morning. When I get home from Peter B Lewis at 1pm I am ready for lunch. After dinner my desert is a small bowl of dried fruit and nuts. By 8:30 an evening cup of coffee and water is enough to satisfy me. At this time it has become a wonderful routine. Thank you, Doug coffee in hand from Lyndhurst.
Funny timing, I just started fasting today.! I’m doing a minimum of a 16/8 but plan on pushing out to 20/4 a couple times a week. I’m currently 218lbs and have a goal of 190-195lbs. Additionally I hired a personal trainer and workout 6 days a week.
I started the intermittent fasting when you first spoke about it. I'm not very disciplined about my diet, so I am only benefiting from the timeframes of eating. However, I've already had to get a smaller belt, and I've lost 5 pounds! Thanks for the great advice.
Great video. I will refine my IF based on your recommendations. I think we need to find the 8 hrs that works best for each of us. E.G. I wouldn’t want to eat as late as 8 pm.
Congratulations on your success with all of these measures! I have heard from dieticians that IF can be disruptive for women's hormone health so I don't want to try it, but I can incorporate some of these other tips. Thanks!
I heard this too, and I wish dr Boster included this in his videos about IF. As women we can fast but make sure you don’t do it for too long (no longer than 12 hours and every day of the week)or during menstruation. But most importantly listen to your body and be aware of the signals that might indicate hormonal imbalance.
It’s perhaps important to remember that food and eating have all sorts of cultural, religious and family aspects to them. Also, as is so very evident in the US and here in the UK, consuming calories all of the time is the norm. People don’t like to feel the exception to the rule. Secondly, people struggle with anything that feels regimented and oppressive about their daily lives; hence, again as we know, diets don’t work. I’m a big fan of IF having been doing the 16/8 for around four years now. But when I explain/describe it to others, I’ve found it’s most well received when I place emphasis on two things: the capacity for it to be beneficial with flexibility as part of it and secondly that once your body has adjusted you don’t even notice that you’ve not eaten since 8pm until noon the next day. That the best part of it is that you don’t walk around with your stomach feeling like you throat’s been slit. It’s so important for everyone to understand that this is not a painful, challenging or restrictive model to adopt! As part of explaining it I say that I nudged the time of my breakfast to work up to not eating until midday. I say if invited out for brunch then of course I’m going to go. Ditto for an evening meal. That there maybe other reasons to vary the time of eating eg: taking medication - in my case: if I need to take over the counter painkillers I always line my stomach first (sound advice btw from a liver consultant I saw a few years ago - always do this with any meds, unless required to take on an empty stomach) It maybe useful to separate out the diet element, from the principals and benefits of IF (well described on various RUclips vids by Mark Mattson) Conversation for another day so-to-speak. This avoids the sense of overload or sense of pressure on the individual concerned. The thought of not being able to reach for a biscuit (cookie) might be enough to put someone off. Personally I do eat one or two biscuits each afternoon when I take my Gabapentin. As an aside, I do eat carbs following the advice of cooking, cooling and reheating - as in with say pasta so as to produce more resistant starch (check out the info from the BBC about experiments/research into this) It’s great to hear how you and patients are benefitting from IF. I’m one of many who also think it’s beneficial. Also Mark Mattson explains the ways in which it is anti-ageing, so I’d say: ‘What’s not to like?!’ 🙂
Thank you Dr. Boster! I LOVE this video! I have been doing intermittent fasting for some time now and my fatigue levels have definitely reduced. I am concerned about the high fat. Dr. Swank and Dr. Jeninek’s (OMS) recommend low fat for MS.
I guess it may depend on the type of fat. High saturated fats most likely would not be good for us MS folks. But I always wonder about "good" fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, omega 3s... I know Swank limits those as well though not as much as saturated ones. For now, I personally am keeping saturated low, but I am testing to see what amount of good fats is right for me. What did you find works best in your case?
I am so glad you have discovered this!!!! The benefits of eating in this different way is soooooo good for my cognition too. This is so important to me as an mser.
I think that sounds pretty straight forward! There are other intermittent fasting “windows”, are there? Would those work too, or is this one the best with MS?
Thanks for yet another great video. Three questions in response to your question: (i) could you please clarify what you mean by 'high fat' in the context of your own personal diet? I heard that too much animal/saturated fat and trans-fats are horrendous for MSers (following Swank); (ii) I also read a study that supports breaking the fast (and restarting it) earlier in the day for more effective weight loss - is this something you've tried or researched? (iii) Lastly, regarding 'going to bed hungry', for those of us whose fatigue gets the better of us earlier in the evening, what's the minimum period you should leave between your last meal and going to bed? I have a 'no eating for (at least) 3 hours before bed' rule. That way, it gives me a bit more leeway if I break my fast a little earlier or later than usual because real life happens. PS. Please boop your cat's nose for me. :)
This is what far the best video you have made in my opinion, and you had a lot of good videos I really want to thank you for this one because I’ve been doing it for about a week now I have multiple sclerosis I’ve been already feeling better looking better lol that’s what people say thank you
I've been doing IF for 10 years. It has helped me keep from gaining weight but as mobility slowed and COVID shutdowns, I gained unwanted lbs in the winter. But during the summer, I tend to lose the winter weight by being more mindful of calories and trying to be more active. IF becomes a lifestyle and not a fad to maintain a lean body that is easier to move.
Thanks for sharing. I have also immersed my eating into an intermittent fasting routine as well. Only eat from 11 am until 6:30 pm. Have focused on healthier consumption as well. However, I do not just eat meals, I snack as well as I am not disciplined enough yet to get all the way into it. Watch the window and focus on what i am eating.
I like intermittent fasting, but your clarity in words, makes it seem easy!! Otherwise, I feel I'd be floundering as to what to do or how to do it. BUT NO DANISH!!??? AAARRRRGGGGGG
Love your videos! It really helped me when I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I eat 16:8 most days with meals broken up at 11:00, 3:00, and 7:00. I just tell people that I have "break"fast, but just way later in the morning. I also like to have a complete meal of those macros at one sitting. Example: with my plain oatmeal, I add unsweetened peanut butter to give it protein and fat, with some applesauce to make it bit more palatable.
Thanks for this video. With prolonged fasting 23:1 (OMAD) and reaching autophagy, is there any research about the body getting rid of damaged myelin and inducing regeneration of new myelin? Peace and thanks Omar
Thank you Dr Boster - awesome video! Yes it absolutely makes sense. Michael Mosley former Dr in UK has published lots of books on fasting. He calls the eating window Time Restricted Eating (TRE). He also advocates for high protein, fat and fibre and low carbs. My husband and I lost about 10kg but then Covid lockdown came along! Since I’ve been diagnosed I’ve found it harder to avoid the carbs and the sugars. Psychology of having a treat when I’m feeling a bit low. I know intermittent fasting works! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Last year I too lost weight with intermittent fasting. However, my favorite meal is breakfast so I never skip my first morning meal. In fact, often I’ll eat a late breakfast, sometimes making it a large meal or “brunch”, because I have all day to burn it off 😊!! Then I eat dinner around 5-6 pm. Note: I had also been drinking one can of (regular) Pepsi every day but cut it back to just 2 to 3 days per week. Between those two changes in my life, I was thrilled to lose 30 pounds in only three (3) months!!
A friend of mine uses the time he went to bed (low key fasting regimen). He does not eat for twelve hours after he went to bed. So if he goes to bed at 11 pm, he doesn’t eat until eleven a.m. (And three squares a day are a modern/industrial invention) (so are snacks). Human bodies have lived on so much less. Our food pyramids have been designed with producers in mind. (Nobody needs five servings of bread a day). As for me, my natural habit is to ‘intermittent fast’. I rarely eat before noon. And! (Most importantly) I avoid foods wrapped in plastic; i.e., processed foods. If we want dessert, I make it from scratch. It’s important to me to expend a modicum of energy in procuring our food stuffs. Buying it pre-made is detrimental to my health. It will shorten my life span. That also means zero soda and absolutely no fast food. None. Full stop.
I don’t think it’s necessary to say “Go to bed hungry.” If you eat a good, healthy dinner you won’t be hungry at bedtime…and certainly less hungry than the following morning. If you want to reinforce the message of fasting between dinner and lunch the next day, you could simply say, “No snacks after dinner.” Less punitive sounding for sure! Keep up the great videos.
Aaron. Hey Cynthia here, Did u see that commercial talking about the word " breakfast" a saying break.fast literally means to break. The fast... = breakfast ... With in the first 4 hours of the day What u eat first really matters... Like,it's about the gut bacteria the gut biome Example: if u " break ur fast ( breakfast) with surger , you will Infect.crave suger all day long. Example 2- break fast with no suger, u will actually crave healthy food. Conclusion I have tried this u know my suger addiction. Oh my!!!! It's so true. Broken with suger ill chase the suger high all day. And vice versa I will eat healthy with no suger first 4 hours. I also wanted to agree with u. The subject was. " you can either store or use fat u eat but you can't do both" 💭💦💨Flash flood warning ⚠️ wow Till 3pm in ohio ... I don't feel like a flood today =( 😕 😪 😒 God please 🙏 protect us on not just this day but every day, amen Stay safe guys ... Godbless Sincerely Cynthia #bosterstrong 🤠 #wehavems🧡💥💥💥but not alone!!! 😶🌫️🤠🥸🤯 #stronger together 🤲
I don't love "Go to bed hungry" - it sounds unpleasant (= hard to motivate), and it probably shouldn't be true! If you eat a high protein high fiber meal at 7pm, you won't be going to be hungry at 10, and I think you risk people eating the right amount and then being like "oh I will eat less tomorrow because I am not hungry". I sort of think you mean it as a "cue" and not literally, but I think something like "don't eat before bed" or "digest before bed" (digest before rest? lol) makes more sense.
Been doing intermittent fasting with a low carb diet for a couple of months and there is no doubt to me this tool is truly effective. The downsides for me are an increase in spasticity as I go into ketosis and secondarily, the world around me does not eat this way and staying true to this diet is challenging. There is a revolution taking place for those that are open to challenging the status quo.
Feedback on your suggested language: "Skip breakfast" is good but does not include enough info because it's not clear that one must avoid coffee with cream and sugar, tea with sugar, etc. I also agree with the prior comment that "high fat" may confuse many people and "lots of healthy fats like avocados and ... and ..." might be a better choice. Thanks so much for making this video and asking for feedback!
Why my glicemic levels are high no matter how long I am fasting and how much I do walk/run? It actually increase after 1 hour of intense walk. :( I do not know what to do to avoid being pre diabetic (something I was not just a year ago) considering I am already doing the same things you are doing. My issue is with the basal glycemic index. After eating it doesn’t increase that much. I am constantly between 96 and 130. I lost 20 pounds over 2 months but it is still the same! I had to cut my already scarse food intake. I do eat way less than my little kids as this is the only way for me to loose weight. I do not know why. I am pretty sure all the steroids cause this metabolic issue.
I've wanted to do this. BUT! With Tecfidera my eating schedule is whacky. Need the fat and something substantial to quell side effects twice a day, 12 hrs apart. Do you think its OK to take Tec at 8am on an empty stomach and wait a few more hours to eat? Will that effect the sustained release of the drug significantly?
I have seen the results with the intermittent fasting, I feel better, thanks for trying different things with patients not only drugs route, you’re awesome 👏🏼
Now I understand how people with hyperactive type ADHD tend to be skinny, they usually forget to eat for long periods of time, they run all over the place, then they eat a huge meal and people are jelly because they eat so much while staying very slim.
Hi Aaron. Interesting video! How can you know if people are losing weight because of the metabolic mechanims you describe, rather than just reduced calorie intake due to missing a meal and no snacking?
Keto with a window of eating is basically what you are doing. You suggested in the past a low sugar diet for MS and now you are adding the eating window. Intermittent fasting also make you drink allot which is great for MS.
Its far better for your energy levels throughout the day to skip dinner than skip breakfast but this is a great video. Personally I fast 24 hours once a week and then eat normally (low carb zero added sugar) the rest of the time
Being a Muslim I had to do my first Ramadan (the month where we fast) as an MS patient. We (Muslims) also don’t eat pork either and I cannot describe how great I felt after Ramadan. I’ll be fasting for a long time and I now understand the logic behind fasting..
Intermittent Fasting coupled with healthy eating works well. I'm smaller then I was high school. I do 8:30 to 4:30 or 9 to 5 and do my best to stay with the diet rules. It also helps my MS and I'm able to manage my insulin levels better.
yup yup and yup....lol agree with all of the statements, there is so much new research on IF and cutting all the processed food and sugar and needless carbs...a better way of life for everyone not just for MS..
Hi, Dr. Boster! New viewer, but I've been aware of you for a few years. Dx'd RRMS in 2001. I gained a lot of weight in the first few years after Dx because I had no clue what I needed to be doing. [I married in 2005, topping the scales at 300+ pounds on my wedding day.] I unconsciously began intermittent fasting around 2008 after welcoming my second child. There just wasn't time for me to care for both of my kids under two, keep the fur babies happy, house relatively clean and husband fed! I at first credited the weight loss to the extra physical activity I was experiencing lugging around my non-walking kids. In 2009, I began supplementing D3, which caused a lot of extra weight to fall off. But, then I started keeping a basic food diary, noting that I had eaten simply because some days I couldn't remember if I had. The weight fell off nicely without much change other than adding the D3 supplementation. In the past 4 or 5 years I have heard more about intermittent fasting and realIized I have been doing it for over a decade. Weight fluctuates, but I am consistently down more than 125 pounds since my wedding day. Still definitely have M.S. because the lassitude, vision damage and "cog fog" are ever present, however, I feel better today than I remember having felt in a very long time. (Two decades of M.S. makes it hard to truly remember what life was like "before". ;) ) Just wanted to let you know that I am in agreement that intermittent fasting doesn't seem to cause any additional problems for M.S. (in our cases, at least!) I'm now subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning more information from you!
I'm already an IF convert, but really enjoyed your endorsement of it and also the low carb, high fat eating. I lost 35kg eating this way, and I'm sure it is benefitting me living with MS as well. Not sure about "going to bed hungry" tho as if you're doing it right you shouldn't get hungry 😊 maybe just "no eating after dinner". Love the channel Dr B.🇦🇺
I do Intermittent Fasting, but skipping breakfast is not working for me right now, because I found out that I have to eat 2 or 2 and a half hours after waking or I will start feeling quite symptomatic. Besides MS, I also have hyperthyroidism and symptoms of dysautonomia, so I guess that is the reason. I also have to have a bit bigger window of eating, 9 or 10 hours instead of 8, at least for now. So, I usually eat between 9AM and 6 or 7PM. I rarely snack between meals and that is only a couple of almonds or cashew nuts and dates if I feel lightheaded or similar (I have low blood pressure). So yeah, there is a way to make IF work for one individual's needs and abilities. I can also not tolerate longer fasts (24 hours or more) right now, but hopefully, I will be able to in the future. Always listen to your body, go slow, be patient, and allow time for the body to adapt. I agree that there are benefits to allowing digestion to rest, giving more space for healing and repair to happen.
I have tried the 16/8 Intermittent Fasting. I did have to make some modifications because I have some commodities in addition to my MS. My diet is low fiber due to Gastroparesis. I eat a controlled amount of protein due to kidney damage caused by a previous medication that I was on, so no high protein. My diet isn’t particularly “low-carb” but I’m more particular in the types of carbs I eat. Fruits and ancient grains instead of sweets and processed carbs for example. It’s seems to work. I may not be dropping pounds as easily as others, but I still noticed a difference. I didn’t have any miraculous improvement in my MS symptoms, but I didn’t expect that.
Great info. I have the stop eating at 8 pm down. But I can’t seem to halt morning eating. Time to buckle down. I would love to lose this extra weight that makes everything worse. Especially mobility. Very encouraging.
This all makes very good sense and I have heard it helps with repairing chromasomes too. At what weight would you stop? For me my BMI (body mass index- do you have this in the States?) is 19 so I don’t think it would be right to try it
What about the stress response/cortisol effect on women’s bodies from IF/TRF and the potential consequences w/ MS? From all available research (which is limited on women, of course) it appears that fasting is much more impactful, hormonally speaking, on women, especially during the luteal phase of a woman’s cycle. It’s hard because there are SO many health benefits to fasting but I wonder if women (especially women w/ MS or other inflammatory diseases) should be proceeding with more caution.
Looking good Doc. Love the sweatshirt. Ty for continuing to educate us on IF. Many people have questions on why or how it works. Excellent video to use. #sharingiscaring #wehavems ❤️
I've been diagnosed with MS in the last six months. I'm still having a hard time accepting it as part of my reality primarily because my entire life is dedicated to health...mental, physical, spiritual and emotional. I'm not trying to yield to sickness. At the same time, I've accepted it enough to be taking Ocrevus and have had my first two, half doses. I was doing 16/8 long before this diagnosis and really value the benefits. My eating plan is high vegetables/fiber (10ish cups per day), 4-8 ounces of lean protein (fish, chicken, eggs, vegetable) and 2-4 Tbsp of healthy fats. I supplement with shakes and bars if I need them. I avoid sugar, refined carbs and grains and don't each much yellow vegetables. It's kind of Mediterranean ish without grains and wine. Low ish calories but the vegetables and protein keep me from being hungry. I'm rarely hungry...a change from feeling like I was chronically starving in the past. I think people have to sort out their own macros but if they eat whole foods, get rid of processed foods and sugar, and eat 10 cups of fresh veggies (salads) or 5-6 cooked (steamed), the rest kind of takes care of itself. I've eliminated dairy too because it causes inflammation in me. I'm always trying to simplify it for my friends, too but there simply are a few details. One friend told me she took my advice and got rid of just flour and sugar and completely cleared up her psoriasis. Sometimes I just say build ten cups of veggies into your diet, then let's talk again. It seems to overwhelm people, if you tell them even the basic list you have presented or that I prefer to present but I don't think your list is unreasonable or overwhelming. However, I've been figuring out what works for me for 30 years, too. High fat stopped working with my high protein once I hit my mid 30s and it took about ten years to recalibrate because I had followed Atkins for about 15 years until it didn't work anymore. If I had it to do over I'd have done this all along but who knows if it would have worked the whole time either. Obviously, as you know the key is keeping our insulin low and burning fat through timing and food choices. I find I burn more fat if I eat less fat but I'm a 49 year old female too. No more than 2-4Tbsp of healthy fat for me/day. I don't think I answered your question. Lol but hopefully this will help someone.
The end - skip bkft ( I changed to drink water 💦 for breakfast) I found I get more in - daily - as I am drinking it mainly early ( so I’m also not up peeing at night) The no snacks ( just on junk) been eating fruits/ veggies if I’m hungry in between “ LUPPER” lunch / supper ie- my main meal. Then more again after wards in evening. As you say- we are all different. But the explanation works well- Just add the breakfast is water 😉💦
In reference to “bio-hacking” and Brain health. Are you familiar with any of the ongoing research regarding the use of MCT in Alzheimer’s and other conditions involving the brain? Curious to have your take on the potential crossovers of those findings with MS?
Hi. I have been following you for sometime now and appreciate your vids. Was diagnosed in 1979, but had signs from 1970. I'm now 69. 5 years ago I had signs of GCA, diagnosis end of December 2017. Given Steroids = weight gain. Couldn't get off steroids until April 21...didn't lose all weight increase, so chose to do ALL you do = complete loss = happy Mary 😊 Am from England & happy with your language. Bless you for what you do. mary
In response to your question, you might choose language that focuses on one aspect at a time. This video leads with “not what you eat but when you eat,” yet at the end you throw in advice on what to eat: an Atkins-style diet. Maybe one message at a time, or, conversely, put it all together as a comprehensive Boster Center MS Dietary Program, if there is evidence to back it up. (My reading of the literature is that the evidence on both lipolysis and Atkins is debated because they get conflated with simple calorie restriction in the weight-loss effort.) Finally, when discussing the subject, maybe note up front that your food recommendations are not entirely consistent with the popular MS diet (OMS, Swank, Wahls); you might do the pros and cons of each, including your of own recommendations, basing them, of course, on available data. Thanks for your videos. I enjoy them and I learn from them.
Hi Dr. Boster, I've been doing IMF for sometime and I've lost 27lbs!!! I do 8pm-10am=14 hrs...bc I enjoy having breakfast and have my Chaga mushroom coffee! The only part of your video I didn't agree with is the brkfst! Of course I think you're amazing and we appreciate you!🥰🙏🏽👍🏽
Hi Dr. Boster! I started intermittent August 1, 2022 after I heard about it from you a while ago. Since then, I've lost 10 lbs in 6 weeks. I am a type 2 diabetic so I watch my blood sugar levels and can only fast for 15 hours. I'm happy with the weight loss and will keep it up. Question: will I have to continue the 15 hour fast after I'm down 15 more lbs to keep it off?
Dear Aaron, thanks for all your videos. How about fasting from 8 to 4? It suits better to my daily routine. I take the medicine with my breakfast and I need enough energy in the morning. Greetings from Budapest :)
Hello doctor, I came across channel last night while looking for using the spoon theory when you have MS and I ended up getting only few hour of sleep because I went from video to video (I'm recently diagnosed). Thank you for all your videos and advice. This video opened a different can of worms for me: looking for walking treadmills 😅. I live in Canada, everything is frozen and cold but I work from home, I can totally walk and work and not worry about slips and falls on the ice. Would you be able to share the brand of the treadmill? I'm seeing mixed reviews on the ones I found. Thanks again for all of this work. I will continue watching the rest of your videos.
I have been intermittent fasting (14-16 hour fasting period) and following a similar diet to yourself for over 2 years now. Since I began fasting, I have easily maintained my prior weight loss of 20 pounds that took place during the summer of 2020 while I was working on my new home. It was during that time that my RRMS symptoms became apparent and likely resulted in a mild relapse. In retrospect, it is likely that my MS began around 2013 with fatigue and visual problems that were attributed to allergies since my vision had not worsened on my annual eye exams - it has since worsened to 20/200 in the right eye since my last exam with optic neve atrophy shown on my MRI. However I was only formally diagnosed at the end of 2021 and received my first Tysabri infusion last month. I relayed my back story because I noticed that fasting improved my overall energy and cognitive function prior to my MS diagnosis. It's my belief that fasting has been beneficial to limiting inflammation and improving my physical symptoms overall. However, I have noticed a notable reduction in cog fog and fatigue since beginning Tysabri, so I'm not sure how much fasting played a role in managing my MS activity as seen on an MRI (although I did not have any active lesions at the time of diagnosis). Thanks for your videos, the info is certainly interesting and beneficial to all of us living with MS. I hope you'll soon be able to post videos about new ground breaking re-myelination treatments!
![Do Ketosis and Fasting Treat Multiple Sclerosis? [Review of Scientific Evidence]](/img/1.gif)
I have inadvertently intermittent fasted for almost my whole life! Never had weight issues, my MS is in check (diagnosed 10 years ago and my latest neurological exam was normal!) I run under 10 min mile. I think the only confusing thing is "go to bed hungry" - maybe "don't go to bed full" is better wording. I've noticed if my stomach is growling, it keeps me up, so have to eat a couple crackers or a teaspoon of peanut butter if I'm feeling rumblely before bed!
You don’t actually go to bed hungry. My mum found her appetite decreased over time with intermittent fasting. I had her start at a 12 hour fast and increase slowly to 16 hours. She loves this way of eating.
I cannot do this. When I am hungry I feel extremely nauseous and shakey, get a migraine...
I do not skip.breakfast, as my window is from 8AM until 4PM. I have a substantial breakfast and a large lunch. I am also limiting my calories to 1300 per day. This was primarily because of my daughter's wedding. It is.over now, but I intend to stick with my eating pattern. I lost 17lb in 12 weeks. Thank you for your vlogs. They are great. I am in the UK
My neurologist retired during covid, so I haven't seen anyone since 2019. I have a telephone appointment on Friday. Hardly ideal.
Hi Doc. But patients on Tacfidera BD dose should have their breakfast right? Your opinion on that please
I use electric wheelchair yand can’t stand or walk. I am a verteran of over 40 yearsg with ms (started when I eas 17yrs old. I listen to what you say, but I figure does this apply to me? Why should I bother?
I have done this for years now, intermittent fasting, and it works well for me and my MS. My pains ( i dont eat pig either, only on christmas eve) , my sleep and my mood, because keeping the weight and feeling healthy is impacting my psychic health as well. I try to combine it with strenght training at least 3 times a week and this makes my oife with MS tolerable.
Why no pig?
Did I.F. all my adult life, without knowing the term. I never had time to eat in the morning. When I was young, I never had money to buy anything during the day. Later, I never had time at work to run to cafeteria & stay in line. Now it's fancy term. My terms were : starving student & working parent 😀
Same here, as well as the strength training 3 X per week. How do you cope with fatigue with the training, I find it wastes me a bit which doesn't leave much energy for other things during the week.
IMHO: Go to bed hungry doesn't go well with a lot of people, better to use less restrictive-sounding phrase. Saying"high fat" assumes ppl r educated about "good" fat, which is not always the case & might b misinterpreted. Also, intermittent fasting advice should always have disclaimer on gall bladder stones, just in case your followers get those with/or without trying to fast 😀
Makes perfect sense. Both of us loved your fasting plan and have stuck to it since 1/2/22 and will continue to do so. I have lost 12 lbs (back into a size 8) and my husband 10 ish lbs. I need to kick up my exercise, and have when my body complies. Thank you for all the wisdom Dr. B.
The only thing I found a little bit confusing is when you break your fast at noon you’re obviously not eating continuously until 8 PM are you manage that better talk about that please?
I don’t follow a plan. MS destroyed my appetite and I have to force myself to eat
What if I am close to underweight?
Am a Muslim and this is a month for us to fast for a whole month and we have time to eat and drink, but from sunrise, we Dont eat and drink to sundown Fasting helps me a lot, no 🧠 brain fog 🌫️ functioning a lot better during the day my sleeping is better. Try it share it with me what's your experience
Great video! I’ve been doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting for about 5 years now. I eat super clean, get my exercise in and drink a ton of water throughout the day/night.
Mine wasn’t for weight loss, just a way to reprogram my metabolism and in turn help my overall health, which includes my multiple sclerosis.
I do eat a few very healthy snacks throughout the 8 hour window of eating (mostly nuts, fresh fruit or Lara bar). I’m unable to eat large amounts at a time (lunch/dinner) reason for healthy snacks.
Also, I will have an occasional treat. I don’t deprive myself, especially if I’m at a party, but don’t overindulge. I think it’s important to have a healthy balance when it comes to eating.
Just like multiple sclerosis, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to intermittent fasting as well. Figure out what works best for you and your body.🧡
Thank you for explaining what is metabolically happening! People just say, "you burn fat," but never explain why! This is very clear. Thanks!
So far I've only changed my timing, start eating at 11AM - end eating at 7 PM. I still snack in between and if there is time before my window closes at 7. Combining that with going from literally liters of soda a day to water only since December, I'm down 13.5 pounds since January 1. Can't wait to see what happens when I start to regularly exercise.
Great video Dr B! I love that you have found IF and are talking about this as an option for people. Personally, I would change the words “High” for “Healthy” in your presentation. Healthy Fats are very different from High Fat.
3 things you say sound negative. skip breakfast, go to be hungry, don’t snack. Sounds like punishments. Instead say ‘keeping in mind your 8 hour window: your first meal is brunch, 6 or 7 hours later have dinner & you’ll get the best results when you don’t eat between your meals.’ See what I mean? peggy in texas
It makes sense, my question is how long does it take to break the habit of always reaching for food? I swear my stomach is a bottomless pit and I don't seem to have that shut off button that says you're full now(🤔 could that be a MS thing? Does anyone else have that issue?
I’m the opposite. I have a poor appetite as I have low grehlin (hunger hormone) due to autoimmune gastritis/pernicious anaemia. I did read a medical journal stating this: “Patients with MS have been found to have higher levels of ghrelin in the cerebrospinal fluid [199] and sometimes, but not always, in plasma [200,201], which may be interpreted as a protective response to the presence of neuroinflammation. MS may also be associated with genetic variation in the gene encoding the ghrelin receptor [202].”
There is an article on grehlin from Healthline: What Is Ghrelin? All You Need to Know About This Hormone. Maybe try these tips and see how you go. An excerpt…
How to lower ghrelin and reduce hunger
Ghrelin seems to be a hormone that can’t be directly controlled with drugs, diets, or supplements.
However, there are a few things you can do to help maintain healthy levels:
Maintain a moderate weight. Studies show that people with obesity tend to have higher levels of ghrelin (9Trusted Source).
Prioritize sleep. Poor sleep increases your levels of ghrelin and has been linked to increased hunger and weight gain (17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source).
Increase muscle mass. Higher amounts of fat-free mass or muscle are associated with lower levels of ghrelin (4Trusted Source).
Eat more protein. A high protein diet increases fullness and reduces hunger. One of the mechanisms behind this is a reduction in ghrelin levels (19Trusted Source).
Maintain a stable weight. According to one older study of postmenopausal women, drastic weight changes and yo-yo dieting can disrupt key hormones, including ghrelin (20Trusted Source).”
Sometimes I don't have that shut off button, and I had this issue before MS. MS has actually made some foods taste gross. When I can manage to eat only between noon and 8:00 p.m., l lose weight.
I have 'never full' days myself. For me I think it's just a matter of finding something to distract me. I think it's more boredom than actual hunger for me.
Thank you both for your replies.
I find that when I eat carbs, I'm hungry all of the time. For me to do 16:8 intermittent fasting, I have to reduce carbs dramatically first...typically, I have to power through a super hard 1-2 weeks where I'm hungry all of the time. I let myself eat 4 meals per day plus snacks during this period, but virtually no carbs (lots of nuts, green beans and hard boiled eggs as snacks). At some point in week 2, I stop feeling hungry. At that point, I drop down to 2 regular meals plus snacks between 12-8 pm. As long as I stay low carb, I find it very easy to maintain and I tend to feel a lot better physically.
I pretty much do intermittent fasting January-mid November, but I let myself eat all of the fun carbs from Thanksgiving to Christmas and put up with the consequences. So I've done this "ramp down from carbs before transitioning to intermittent fasting" ~8 times.
Howdy Dr. Aaron 16/8 is a game-changer for me trying to convince family and friends to change to it gives me so much energy and a sense of achievement I find it easy to follow. Carbs are the hidden sugar storage plus you eat more carbs make you feel hungrier. Lots of Water is essential with fasting. Thanks again Dr. Aaron until next time. take care. 😊👍
I misread this as "cats are the hidden sugar storage..." 😄😄😄
I think your explanation makes sense - just as an MSer for 20 years not everyone with MS needs to lose weight. I actually have trouble gaining weight but I kind of fell into intermittent fasting because it simplifies my day. I eat from 8-5. I live alone and have limited energy and mobility and eating that way gives me less to stress about. Still working on the whole foods aspect since lots of the time I only have the energy to microwave a meal. Cooking is difficult.
You sound like me in a way. I’m fresh dx 12/15/22; but I’ve been in constant pain (legs & back) for a few years. Since 2020, I can barely even eat anymore bc I’m in so much pain and cooking is flat out dangerous (oops my hands went numb & the house went on fire). Freaking exhausted
I’ve been doing this for 3 years and it works well for me .
I’m a full time Macmillan nurse and I’ve had MS for 12 years I lost 30lbs. After years of dieting I’ve finally found something that works for me
Ive been watching you since i was first diagnosed in 2020. I was lost but ive enjoyed all your info ive received
I switched to a high-fat carnivore diet in May 2021 and started practicing dry fasting. I dry fast for 36 hours each week and 72-110 hours each month (around the full moon)
Thank you for the follow up video on fasting. I adopted the program 16/8 when you first brought it up. It’s been very successful for me and now easy to follow. A cup of black coffee is always enough for me in the morning. When I get home from Peter B Lewis at 1pm I am ready for lunch. After dinner my desert is a small bowl of dried fruit and nuts. By 8:30 an evening cup of coffee and water is enough to satisfy me. At this time it has become a wonderful routine. Thank you, Doug coffee in hand from Lyndhurst.
Doug, that is fantastic!! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Funny timing, I just started fasting today.! I’m doing a minimum of a 16/8 but plan on pushing out to 20/4 a couple times a week. I’m currently 218lbs and have a goal of 190-195lbs. Additionally I hired a personal trainer and workout 6 days a week.
Good for you Vaughn! You got this!
@vaughnprecision Hi, I hope you're doing wonderfully. I wanted to ask how you've been doing on your fasting plan?
I started the intermittent fasting when you first spoke about it. I'm not very disciplined about my diet, so I am only benefiting from the timeframes of eating. However, I've already had to get a smaller belt, and I've lost 5 pounds! Thanks for the great advice.
Great video. I will refine my IF based on your recommendations. I think we need to find the 8 hrs that works best for each of us. E.G. I wouldn’t want to eat as late as 8 pm.
Congratulations on your success with all of these measures! I have heard from dieticians that IF can be disruptive for women's hormone health so I don't want to try it, but I can incorporate some of these other tips. Thanks!
I heard this too, and I wish dr Boster included this in his videos about IF. As women we can fast but make sure you don’t do it for too long (no longer than 12 hours and every day of the week)or during menstruation. But most importantly listen to your body and be aware of the signals that might indicate hormonal imbalance.
It’s perhaps important to remember that food and eating have all sorts of cultural, religious and family aspects to them. Also, as is so very evident in the US and here in the UK, consuming calories all of the time is the norm. People don’t like to feel the exception to the rule.
Secondly, people struggle with anything that feels regimented and oppressive about their daily lives; hence, again as we know, diets don’t work.
I’m a big fan of IF having been doing the 16/8 for around four years now. But when I explain/describe it to others, I’ve found it’s most well received when I place emphasis on two things: the capacity for it to be beneficial with flexibility as part of it and secondly that once your body has adjusted you don’t even notice that you’ve not eaten since 8pm until noon the next day. That the best part of it is that you don’t walk around with your stomach feeling like you throat’s been slit.
It’s so important for everyone to understand that this is not a painful, challenging or restrictive model to adopt! As part of explaining it I say that I nudged the time of my breakfast to work up to not eating until midday. I say if invited out for brunch then of course I’m going to go. Ditto for an evening meal. That there maybe other reasons to vary the time of eating eg: taking medication - in my case: if I need to take over the counter painkillers I always line my stomach first (sound advice btw from a liver consultant I saw a few years ago - always do this with any meds, unless required to take on an empty stomach)
It maybe useful to separate out the diet element, from the principals and benefits of IF (well described on various RUclips vids by Mark Mattson) Conversation for another day so-to-speak. This avoids the sense of overload or sense of pressure on the individual concerned.
The thought of not being able to reach for a biscuit (cookie) might be enough to put someone off. Personally I do eat one or two biscuits each afternoon when I take my Gabapentin.
As an aside, I do eat carbs following the advice of cooking, cooling and reheating - as in with say pasta so as to produce more resistant starch (check out the info from the BBC about experiments/research into this)
It’s great to hear how you and patients are benefitting from IF. I’m one of many who also think it’s beneficial. Also Mark Mattson explains the ways in which it is anti-ageing, so I’d say: ‘What’s not to like?!’ 🙂
Thank you Dr. Boster! I LOVE this video! I have been doing intermittent fasting for some time now and my fatigue levels have definitely reduced. I am concerned about the high fat. Dr. Swank and Dr. Jeninek’s (OMS) recommend low fat for MS.
Fat has no effect on insulin. The exception would be man made transfats which interferes with cell membranes and can affect insulin sensitivity.
I guess it may depend on the type of fat. High saturated fats most likely would not be good for us MS folks. But I always wonder about "good" fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, omega 3s... I know Swank limits those as well though not as much as saturated ones. For now, I personally am keeping saturated low, but I am testing to see what amount of good fats is right for me. What did you find works best in your case?
I am so glad you have discovered this!!!! The benefits of eating in this different way is soooooo good for my cognition too. This is so important to me as an mser.
I think that sounds pretty straight forward! There are other intermittent fasting “windows”, are there? Would those work too, or is this one the best with MS?
Thanks for yet another great video. Three questions in response to your question: (i) could you please clarify what you mean by 'high fat' in the context of your own personal diet? I heard that too much animal/saturated fat and trans-fats are horrendous for MSers (following Swank); (ii) I also read a study that supports breaking the fast (and restarting it) earlier in the day for more effective weight loss - is this something you've tried or researched? (iii) Lastly, regarding 'going to bed hungry', for those of us whose fatigue gets the better of us earlier in the evening, what's the minimum period you should leave between your last meal and going to bed? I have a 'no eating for (at least) 3 hours before bed' rule. That way, it gives me a bit more leeway if I break my fast a little earlier or later than usual because real life happens.
PS. Please boop your cat's nose for me. :)
This is what far the best video you have made in my opinion, and you had a lot of good videos I really want to thank you for this one because I’ve been doing it for about a week now I have multiple sclerosis I’ve been already feeling better looking better lol that’s what people say thank you
Thank you Doc! Cute cat too!!!
I've been doing IF for 10 years. It has helped me keep from gaining weight but as mobility slowed and COVID shutdowns,
I gained unwanted lbs in the winter. But during the summer, I tend to lose the winter weight by being
more mindful of calories and trying to be more active. IF becomes a lifestyle and not a fad to maintain a lean body
that is easier to move.
Thanks for sharing. I have also immersed my eating into an intermittent fasting routine as well. Only eat from 11 am until 6:30 pm. Have focused on healthier consumption as well. However, I do not just eat meals, I snack as well as I am not disciplined enough yet to get all the way into it. Watch the window and focus on what i am eating.
Currently doing it and low carb diet. It has been amazing for me 🙋🏽♀️☺️
Can you make a video going into the specifics of your high protein, high fat, high fiber, low carb diet?
keto + IF has been life changing
Amen my sista from anotha mista!
I like intermittent fasting, but your clarity in words, makes it seem easy!! Otherwise, I feel I'd be floundering as to what to do or how to do it.
BUT NO DANISH!!??? AAARRRRGGGGGG
Love your videos! It really helped me when I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I eat 16:8 most days with meals broken up at 11:00, 3:00, and 7:00. I just tell people that I have "break"fast, but just way later in the morning. I also like to have a complete meal of those macros at one sitting. Example: with my plain oatmeal, I add unsweetened peanut butter to give it protein and fat, with some applesauce to make it bit more palatable.
Love the cat snoozing.
Thanks for this video.
With prolonged fasting 23:1 (OMAD) and reaching autophagy, is there any research about the body getting rid of damaged myelin and inducing regeneration of new myelin?
Peace and thanks
Omar
Thank you Dr Boster - awesome video! Yes it absolutely makes sense. Michael Mosley former Dr in UK has published lots of books on fasting. He calls the eating window Time Restricted Eating (TRE). He also advocates for high protein, fat and fibre and low carbs. My husband and I lost about 10kg but then Covid lockdown came along! Since I’ve been diagnosed I’ve found it harder to avoid the carbs and the sugars. Psychology of having a treat when I’m feeling a bit low. I know intermittent fasting works! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Last year I too lost weight with intermittent fasting. However, my favorite meal is breakfast so I never skip my first morning meal. In fact, often I’ll eat a late breakfast, sometimes making it a large meal or “brunch”, because I have all day to burn it off 😊!! Then I eat dinner around 5-6 pm. Note: I had also been drinking one can of (regular) Pepsi every day but cut it back to just 2 to 3 days per week. Between those two changes in my life, I was thrilled to lose 30 pounds in only three (3) months!!
A friend of mine uses the time he went to bed (low key fasting regimen). He does not eat for twelve hours after he went to bed. So if he goes to bed at 11 pm, he doesn’t eat until eleven a.m. (And three squares a day are a modern/industrial invention) (so are snacks). Human bodies have lived on so much less. Our food pyramids have been designed with producers in mind. (Nobody needs five servings of bread a day). As for me, my natural habit is to ‘intermittent fast’. I rarely eat before noon. And! (Most importantly) I avoid foods wrapped in plastic; i.e., processed foods. If we want dessert, I make it from scratch. It’s important to me to expend a modicum of energy in procuring our food stuffs. Buying it pre-made is detrimental to my health. It will shorten my life span. That also means zero soda and absolutely no fast food. None. Full stop.
I don’t think it’s necessary to say “Go to bed hungry.” If you eat a good, healthy dinner you won’t be hungry at bedtime…and certainly less hungry than the following morning. If you want to reinforce the message of fasting between dinner and lunch the next day, you could simply say, “No snacks after dinner.” Less punitive sounding for sure! Keep up the great videos.
High fat is confusing…. High fat = bad cholesterol
Aaron.
Hey Cynthia here,
Did u see that commercial talking about the word " breakfast" a saying break.fast literally means to break. The fast... = breakfast ...
With in the first 4 hours of the day
What u eat first really matters...
Like,it's about the gut bacteria the gut biome
Example: if u " break ur fast ( breakfast) with surger , you will Infect.crave suger all day long.
Example 2- break fast with no suger, u will actually crave healthy food.
Conclusion
I have tried this u know my suger addiction.
Oh my!!!!
It's so true.
Broken with suger ill chase the suger high all day.
And vice versa I will eat healthy with no suger first 4 hours.
I also wanted to agree with u.
The subject was.
" you can either store or use fat u eat but you can't do both"
💭💦💨Flash flood warning ⚠️ wow
Till 3pm in ohio ...
I don't feel like a flood today =( 😕 😪 😒
God please 🙏 protect us on not just this day but every day, amen
Stay safe guys ...
Godbless
Sincerely
Cynthia
#bosterstrong 🤠
#wehavems🧡💥💥💥but not alone!!! 😶🌫️🤠🥸🤯
#stronger together 🤲
Thx for the feedback Aaron ❤️ thx 4 ur content =) 😀 🙏 👍 👌 🙌 👏
I don't love "Go to bed hungry" - it sounds unpleasant (= hard to motivate), and it probably shouldn't be true! If you eat a high protein high fiber meal at 7pm, you won't be going to be hungry at 10, and I think you risk people eating the right amount and then being like "oh I will eat less tomorrow because I am not hungry". I sort of think you mean it as a "cue" and not literally, but I think something like "don't eat before bed" or "digest before bed" (digest before rest? lol) makes more sense.
Been doing intermittent fasting with a low carb diet for a couple of months and there is no doubt to me this tool is truly effective. The downsides for me are an increase in spasticity as I go into ketosis and secondarily, the world around me does not eat this way and staying true to this diet is challenging. There is a revolution taking place for those that are open to challenging the status quo.
Feedback on your suggested language: "Skip breakfast" is good but does not include enough info because it's not clear that one must avoid coffee with cream and sugar, tea with sugar, etc. I also agree with the prior comment that "high fat" may confuse many people and "lots of healthy fats like avocados and ... and ..." might be a better choice. Thanks so much for making this video and asking for feedback!
Why my glicemic levels are high no matter how long I am fasting and how much I do walk/run? It actually increase after 1 hour of intense walk. :( I do not know what to do to avoid being pre diabetic (something I was not just a year ago) considering I am already doing the same things you are doing. My issue is with the basal glycemic index. After eating it doesn’t increase that much. I am constantly between 96 and 130. I lost 20 pounds over 2 months but it is still the same! I had to cut my already scarse food intake. I do eat way less than my little kids as this is the only way for me to loose weight. I do not know why. I am pretty sure all the steroids cause this metabolic issue.
I've wanted to do this. BUT! With Tecfidera my eating schedule is whacky. Need the fat and something substantial to quell side effects twice a day, 12 hrs apart. Do you think its OK to take Tec at 8am on an empty stomach and wait a few more hours to eat? Will that effect the sustained release of the drug significantly?
I have seen the results with the intermittent fasting, I feel better, thanks for trying different things with patients not only drugs route, you’re awesome 👏🏼
Now I understand how people with hyperactive type ADHD tend to be skinny, they usually forget to eat for long periods of time, they run all over the place, then they eat a huge meal and people are jelly because they eat so much while staying very slim.
How do you see treatment of MS through Accupuncture? That too scalp acupuncture and cupping
I think the language you used is makes Intermittent Fasting less daunting. So many people talk about dirty fast, clean fasts, etc.
Hi Aaron. Interesting video! How can you know if people are losing weight because of the metabolic mechanims you describe, rather than just reduced calorie intake due to missing a meal and no snacking?
You wouldn’t go to be hungry if you stopped eating at 8pm, isn’t that late to still be eating? I eat at 11am and 5pm.
Keto with a window of eating is basically what you are doing. You suggested in the past a low sugar diet for MS and now you are adding the eating window. Intermittent fasting also make you drink allot which is great for MS.
Its far better for your energy levels throughout the day to skip dinner than skip breakfast but this is a great video. Personally I fast 24 hours once a week and then eat normally (low carb zero added sugar) the rest of the time
I can’t keep up the I.F as a life style. I know this about myself. I will lose the weight and then go back to my normal eating and gain it all back.
Is it possible to have a glass of wine after 8 o’clock or is the intermittent fasting spoilt
then ?
Thanks for your answer!
Brigitte
Well, you hav to tak your medicin on an empty stomach in the morning. It really hurts..
Being a Muslim I had to do my first Ramadan (the month where we fast) as an MS patient. We (Muslims) also don’t eat pork either and I cannot describe how great I felt after Ramadan. I’ll be fasting for a long time and I now understand the logic behind fasting..
Intermittent Fasting coupled with healthy eating works well. I'm smaller then I was high school. I do 8:30 to 4:30 or 9 to 5 and do my best to stay with the diet rules. It also helps my MS and I'm able to manage my insulin levels better.
yup yup and yup....lol agree with all of the statements, there is so much new research on IF and cutting all the processed food and sugar and needless carbs...a better way of life for everyone not just for MS..
I will ask my doctor about fasting
Why do you consume low carbs? You need carbs
Hi, Dr. Boster! New viewer, but I've been aware of you for a few years. Dx'd RRMS in 2001. I gained a lot of weight in the first few years after Dx because I had no clue what I needed to be doing. [I married in 2005, topping the scales at 300+ pounds on my wedding day.] I unconsciously began intermittent fasting around 2008 after welcoming my second child. There just wasn't time for me to care for both of my kids under two, keep the fur babies happy, house relatively clean and husband fed! I at first credited the weight loss to the extra physical activity I was experiencing lugging around my non-walking kids. In 2009, I began supplementing D3, which caused a lot of extra weight to fall off. But, then I started keeping a basic food diary, noting that I had eaten simply because some days I couldn't remember if I had. The weight fell off nicely without much change other than adding the D3 supplementation. In the past 4 or 5 years I have heard more about intermittent fasting and realIized I have been doing it for over a decade. Weight fluctuates, but I am consistently down more than 125 pounds since my wedding day. Still definitely have M.S. because the lassitude, vision damage and "cog fog" are ever present, however, I feel better today than I remember having felt in a very long time. (Two decades of M.S. makes it hard to truly remember what life was like "before". ;) ) Just wanted to let you know that I am in agreement that intermittent fasting doesn't seem to cause any additional problems for M.S. (in our cases, at least!) I'm now subscribed to your channel and look forward to learning more information from you!
I'm already an IF convert, but really enjoyed your endorsement of it and also the low carb, high fat eating. I lost 35kg eating this way, and I'm sure it is benefitting me living with MS as well. Not sure about "going to bed hungry" tho as if you're doing it right you shouldn't get hungry 😊 maybe just "no eating after dinner". Love the channel Dr B.🇦🇺
I have read that IF is good for autoimmune disease?
It helps me so much! I did it to help with fatigue. It's helped me.
I do Intermittent Fasting, but skipping breakfast is not working for me right now, because I found out that I have to eat 2 or 2 and a half hours after waking or I will start feeling quite symptomatic. Besides MS, I also have hyperthyroidism and symptoms of dysautonomia, so I guess that is the reason. I also have to have a bit bigger window of eating, 9 or 10 hours instead of 8, at least for now. So, I usually eat between 9AM and 6 or 7PM. I rarely snack between meals and that is only a couple of almonds or cashew nuts and dates if I feel lightheaded or similar (I have low blood pressure). So yeah, there is a way to make IF work for one individual's needs and abilities. I can also not tolerate longer fasts (24 hours or more) right now, but hopefully, I will be able to in the future. Always listen to your body, go slow, be patient, and allow time for the body to adapt. I agree that there are benefits to allowing digestion to rest, giving more space for healing and repair to happen.
I have tried the 16/8 Intermittent Fasting. I did have to make some modifications because I have some commodities in addition to my MS. My diet is low fiber due to Gastroparesis. I eat a controlled amount of protein due to kidney damage caused by a previous medication that I was on, so no high protein. My diet isn’t particularly “low-carb” but I’m more particular in the types of carbs I eat. Fruits and ancient grains instead of sweets and processed carbs for example. It’s seems to work. I may not be dropping pounds as easily as others, but I still noticed a difference. I didn’t have any miraculous improvement in my MS symptoms, but I didn’t expect that.
Hi. Sorry - if you don't mind me asking was it MS medication that caused the kidney damage? If so, which one? Thanks.
I like you four point plan, but my tummy probably doesn’t like the idea of going to bed hungry!
Great info. I have the stop eating at 8 pm down. But I can’t seem to halt morning eating. Time to buckle down. I would love to lose this extra weight that makes everything worse. Especially mobility. Very encouraging.
This all makes very good sense and I have heard it helps with repairing chromasomes too. At what weight would you stop? For me my BMI (body mass index- do you have this in the States?) is 19 so I don’t think it would be right to try it
I think that you should explain number four into examples of what people could eat
What about the stress response/cortisol effect on women’s bodies from IF/TRF and the potential consequences w/ MS? From all available research (which is limited on women, of course) it appears that fasting is much more impactful, hormonally speaking, on women, especially during the luteal phase of a woman’s cycle. It’s hard because there are SO many health benefits to fasting but I wonder if women (especially women w/ MS or other inflammatory diseases) should be proceeding with more caution.
Looking good Doc.
Love the sweatshirt.
Ty for continuing to educate us on IF. Many people have questions on why or how it works.
Excellent video to use.
#sharingiscaring
#wehavems
❤️
I would add
"Eat until you are full"✌
What if you are a Diabetic?
I've been diagnosed with MS in the last six months. I'm still having a hard time accepting it as part of my reality primarily because my entire life is dedicated to health...mental, physical, spiritual and emotional. I'm not trying to yield to sickness. At the same time, I've accepted it enough to be taking Ocrevus and have had my first two, half doses. I was doing 16/8 long before this diagnosis and really value the benefits. My eating plan is high vegetables/fiber (10ish cups per day), 4-8 ounces of lean protein (fish, chicken, eggs, vegetable) and 2-4 Tbsp of healthy fats. I supplement with shakes and bars if I need them. I avoid sugar, refined carbs and grains and don't each much yellow vegetables. It's kind of Mediterranean ish without grains and wine. Low ish calories but the vegetables and protein keep me from being hungry. I'm rarely hungry...a change from feeling like I was chronically starving in the past. I think people have to sort out their own macros but if they eat whole foods, get rid of processed foods and sugar, and eat 10 cups of fresh veggies (salads) or 5-6 cooked (steamed), the rest kind of takes care of itself. I've eliminated dairy too because it causes inflammation in me. I'm always trying to simplify it for my friends, too but there simply are a few details. One friend told me she took my advice and got rid of just flour and sugar and completely cleared up her psoriasis. Sometimes I just say build ten cups of veggies into your diet, then let's talk again. It seems to overwhelm people, if you tell them even the basic list you have presented or that I prefer to present but I don't think your list is unreasonable or overwhelming. However, I've been figuring out what works for me for 30 years, too. High fat stopped working with my high protein once I hit my mid 30s and it took about ten years to recalibrate because I had followed Atkins for about 15 years until it didn't work anymore. If I had it to do over I'd have done this all along but who knows if it would have worked the whole time either. Obviously, as you know the key is keeping our insulin low and burning fat through timing and food choices. I find I burn more fat if I eat less fat but I'm a 49 year old female too. No more than 2-4Tbsp of healthy fat for me/day. I don't think I answered your question. Lol but hopefully this will help someone.
The end - skip bkft ( I changed to drink water 💦 for breakfast) I found I get more in - daily - as I am drinking it mainly early ( so I’m also not up peeing at night)
The no snacks ( just on junk) been eating fruits/ veggies if I’m hungry in between “ LUPPER” lunch / supper ie- my main meal.
Then more again after wards in evening.
As you say- we are all different.
But the explanation works well-
Just add the breakfast is water 😉💦
brilliant, thank you!
I’ll do it!
In reference to “bio-hacking” and Brain health. Are you familiar with any of the ongoing research regarding the use of MCT in Alzheimer’s and other conditions involving the brain? Curious to have your take on the potential crossovers of those findings with MS?
QUESTION: does taking morning and evening pills/supplements affect the fast? I have a bunch...
Hi Dr. Boster ,
I’m confused about taking in high fats when I eat?
Shouldn’t I lower my fat and salt and sugar intake??
I am Vegan Dr. Boster 🌱
IMHO fat is not the enemy. Sugar is!
Hi. I have been following you for sometime now and appreciate your vids. Was diagnosed in 1979, but had signs from 1970. I'm now 69.
5 years ago I had signs of GCA, diagnosis end of December 2017. Given Steroids = weight gain. Couldn't get off steroids until April 21...didn't lose all weight increase, so chose to do ALL you do = complete loss = happy Mary 😊
Am from England & happy with your language.
Bless you for what you do. mary
In response to your question, you might choose language that focuses on one aspect at a time. This video leads with “not what you eat but when you eat,” yet at the end you throw in advice on what to eat: an Atkins-style diet. Maybe one message at a time, or, conversely, put it all together as a comprehensive Boster Center MS Dietary Program, if there is evidence to back it up. (My reading of the literature is that the evidence on both lipolysis and Atkins is debated because they get conflated with simple calorie restriction in the weight-loss effort.) Finally, when discussing the subject, maybe note up front that your food recommendations are not entirely consistent with the popular MS diet (OMS, Swank, Wahls); you might do the pros and cons of each, including your of own recommendations, basing them, of course, on available data. Thanks for your videos. I enjoy them and I learn from them.
Hi Dr. Boster, I've been doing IMF for sometime and I've lost 27lbs!!! I do 8pm-10am=14 hrs...bc I enjoy having breakfast and have my Chaga mushroom coffee! The only part of your video I didn't agree with is the brkfst! Of course I think you're amazing and we appreciate you!🥰🙏🏽👍🏽
Hi Dr. Boster! I started intermittent August 1, 2022 after I heard about it from you a while ago. Since then, I've lost 10 lbs in 6 weeks. I am a type 2 diabetic so I watch my blood sugar levels and can only fast for 15 hours. I'm happy with the weight loss and will keep it up. Question: will I have to continue the 15 hour fast after I'm down 15 more lbs to keep it off?
Dear Aaron, thanks for all your videos. How about fasting from 8 to 4? It suits better to my daily routine. I take the medicine with my breakfast and I need enough energy in the morning. Greetings from Budapest :)
Fiber is a carb isn’t it? How do you do high fiber, low carb? What food is that?
Hello doctor, I came across channel last night while looking for using the spoon theory when you have MS and I ended up getting only few hour of sleep because I went from video to video (I'm recently diagnosed). Thank you for all your videos and advice. This video opened a different can of worms for me: looking for walking treadmills 😅. I live in Canada, everything is frozen and cold but I work from home, I can totally walk and work and not worry about slips and falls on the ice. Would you be able to share the brand of the treadmill? I'm seeing mixed reviews on the ones I found. Thanks again for all of this work. I will continue watching the rest of your videos.
I have been intermittent fasting (14-16 hour fasting period) and following a similar diet to yourself for over 2 years now. Since I began fasting, I have easily maintained my prior weight loss of 20 pounds that took place during the summer of 2020 while I was working on my new home. It was during that time that my RRMS symptoms became apparent and likely resulted in a mild relapse. In retrospect, it is likely that my MS began around 2013 with fatigue and visual problems that were attributed to allergies since my vision had not worsened on my annual eye exams - it has since worsened to 20/200 in the right eye since my last exam with optic neve atrophy shown on my MRI. However I was only formally diagnosed at the end of 2021 and received my first Tysabri infusion last month.
I relayed my back story because I noticed that fasting improved my overall energy and cognitive function prior to my MS diagnosis. It's my belief that fasting has been beneficial to limiting inflammation and improving my physical symptoms overall. However, I have noticed a notable reduction in cog fog and fatigue since beginning Tysabri, so I'm not sure how much fasting played a role in managing my MS activity as seen on an MRI (although I did not have any active lesions at the time of diagnosis).
Thanks for your videos, the info is certainly interesting and beneficial to all of us living with MS. I hope you'll soon be able to post videos about new ground breaking re-myelination treatments!