Feast or Fast? How Timing and Nutrition Shape Metabolic Health

With so many diet trends dominating the health space—Mediterranean, ketogenic, carnivore, fasting mimicking, elimination diets—it can be overwhelming to figure out what’s actually best for you. But what if the answer isn’t just about what you eat, but also when you eat?

During Metabolic Health Day, Dr. Nasha Winters delivered an eye-opening talk titled To Feast or Fast: The Role of Diet in Metabolic Health, available in our 2024 Virtual Metabolic Health Day event space. In this session, she explored the importance of metabolic flexibility, how fasting can be a powerful tool for healing, and why personalization is key when determining the best eating patterns for long-term health.

Fasting: A Powerful Yet Forgotten Healing Tool

Fasting is nothing new. Humans have practiced it for thousands of years, whether for spiritual reasons or as a natural response to food scarcity. Even medical professionals once relied on fasting as a therapeutic tool—until the mid-20th century when it fell out of favor due to misinformation and industry influence.

Dr. Winters shared how fasting can be a cornerstone of metabolic health, especially for those looking to prevent or manage metabolic disorders, cancer, and other chronic diseases. The benefits of fasting include:

✅ Enhancing metabolic flexibility – helping the body switch between burning glucose and fat for fuel
✅ Supporting detoxification – allowing the body to clear out damaged cells through a process called autophagy
✅ Regenerating mitochondria – improving energy production at the cellular level
✅ Reducing inflammation and insulin resistance – key factors in chronic disease prevention
✅ Possibly slowing tumor growth – as shown in historical and emerging research

She emphasized that fasting is a deeply natural process, one that our ancestors engaged in regularly out of necessity. In fact, fasting has been a part of every major spiritual tradition and was widely used in medical practice until relatively recently.

Science Supports Fasting’s Benefits

While fasting has long been known to promote healing, modern research continues to confirm its benefits. One compelling study on dawn-to-dusk dry fasting (a form of intermittent fasting where no food or liquids are consumed during daylight hours) found that:

✔️ Metabolic markers improved significantly in individuals with metabolic syndrome
✔️ Inflammation levels dropped, reducing risk factors for chronic disease
✔️ Cellular repair mechanisms were activated, enhancing autophagy and mitochondrial function
✔️ Tumor-suppressing effects were observed at a cellular level

This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that strategic fasting periods can enhance metabolic health, optimize cellular function, and even provide protective effects against chronic disease and cancer (Mindikoglu et al., 2022).

Balancing Feasting and Fasting for Your Unique Needs

Of course, fasting isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Dr. Winters emphasized that while some may thrive with longer fasts, others may benefit more from time-restricted eating or fasting-mimicking diets. She also highlighted the importance of using data over dogma—rather than blindly following trends, individuals should personalize their fasting and feasting schedules based on their health status, genetic makeup, and personal biomarkers.

She encouraged attendees to track glucose and ketone levels with tools like Keto-Mojo or use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to see how different foods and fasting schedules impact their metabolism. This personalized approach can help determine what truly supports metabolic health rather than relying on broad dietary recommendations. (And, if you make a purchase from Keto-Mojo using this link, a portion of your purchase price will help support cancer patient grants!)

Watch the Full Talk in the Metabolic Health Day Virtual Event Space!

Dr. Winters' full talk is available for free in our 2024 Virtual Metabolic Health Day event space. If you missed it live, you can still access it—along with many other expert presentations—at any time.

💡 Join the event space here!

Our virtual event space is completely free to access, but we encourage donations to support grants for cancer patients seeking metabolic health treatments. Every contribution helps someone gain access to the care they need.

Metabolic Health Day Goes LIVE! Join Us for Our First In-Person Conference

For years, we’ve envisioned a space where healthcare professionals, researchers, farmers, advocates, and patients can unite to challenge and redefine our understanding of both human and planetary health.

That vision is now becoming a reality at our inaugural two-day Metabolic Health Day Conference, taking place on:

📅 October 10-11, 2025
📍 Loews Ventana Canyon Resort | Tucson, AZ

This event is dedicated to exploring the many facets of metabolic health—from the impact of our environment on well-being to innovative approaches in prevention and care.

Although our expert presenters are still being finalized, you can look forward to a series of thought-provoking talks, including:

🌱 The Microbiome: Exploring the connection between soil health and human health
🧠 Mental Health & Metabolic Disorders: Unpacking the interplay between the mind and body
🌿 Environmental Stress: Understanding how our surroundings shape metabolic health
🤝 Prevention Initiatives: Highlighting early interventions and community-based strategies

We’re also proud to feature a diverse lineup of voices, including farmers who will share firsthand insights on how sustainable agricultural practices can enhance metabolic well-being.

Whether you’re a provider, researcher, patient, or simply someone passionate about advancing the future of health, this summit offers a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and be inspired by fresh perspectives in the field.

Registration Details

🎟 Early Bird Pricing: $699 (Expires May 16, 2025)
🎟 Regular Price: $799 (After May 16, 2025)

💡 Click Here to Secure Your Spot Now!

We can’t wait to stand beside you in Tucson as we advance the future of metabolic health—together!

Reference

Mindikoglu AL, Park J, Opekun AR, Abdulsada MM, Wilhelm ZR, Jalal PK, Devaraj S, Jung SY. Dawn-to-dusk dry fasting induces anti-atherosclerotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic proteome in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in subjects with metabolic syndrome. Metabol Open. 2022 Nov 1;16:100214. doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2022.100214. PMID: 36506940; PMCID: PMC9731888.