Today we will skip “Recipe Wednesday” because it is the Fast of Esther; this fast day runs from sunrise to sunset and commemorates the fast that Esther and the Jewish People undertook before her meeting with King Achashverosh.
There has been a lot written about fasting over the last few years, and much of it is promising. Research indicates that intermittent fasting (not a complete fast, but fasting for parts of the day or parts of a week) may not only help with weight loss, but lower insulin levels in diabetics and pre-diabetics. T
I have been following my own form of intermittent fasting for several years now. Once dinner is over–whenever that is–I stop eating. Before I put this “rule” in place, I used to graze all night long to the tune of hundreds of calories. My eating does not take place 24/7 but is now limited to certain times of the day. Note that others have their own systems. I know of some folks who eat from 7-9 am, 12-1 pm and then from 5-8 pm; there is no snacking between those periods.
The attached article from Harvard was published last year and gives a pretty clear summary of the latest findings, as well as what exactly intermittent fasting (IF) is. As I mentioned above, there is more than one model for IF. Do some research and see if this is something that you might want to try yourself.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156
In the meantime, wishing those of you who are fasting a Tzom Kal, an easy fast…and a Happy Purim!
Kosher Fitness 