Optimum Health Institute Blog - Intermittent Fasting in OHI's program

There’s a resurgent interest in the practice of intermittent fasting (IF) and its benefits—losing weight, reducing cravings, gaining muscle, and giving the digestive tract a rest. With a new year upon us, let’s learn more about IF in our “Based on Science” article from the January 2020 OHI Newsletter (digital version here). It’s packed with helpful tips…

Intermittent Fasting (IF) – How IF fits into the OHI program (Part 2 of 2)

The spiritual aspect of IF

Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam all incorporate fasting into religious observations. So could intermittent fasting become a transformative springboard to elevate your spirituality? Absolutely!

• Fasting can strengthen your resolve.

If you’re struggling with a decision, integrating fasting with prayer can dissolve distractions. By denying the body just a little bit, we’re far more clear-headed and able to be mindful. In stillness we can often find clarity, and hopefully that leads to confidence in your decisions.

• Fasting instills discipline.

Fasting gives us an opportunity to master discipline over our lives and our desires. According to St. Francis of Assisi, fasting helps “to control greediness, and to keep the sensual appetites and the whole body subject to the law of the Spirit; and although we may be able to do but little, the enemy nevertheless stands more in awe of those whom he knows can fast.

• Fasting makes us more humble.

Fasting is an antidote to the amazing technological abilities we wield in the 21st century, because it reminds us of our human frailty. As mortal beings that become tired and weak, we understand the need of a steadfast, loving God.

• Fasting brings you closer to God and others around you.

Sacrifice is the ultimate gesture of love. When we’re mindfully fasting as a form of prayer, we can better understand our weaknesses and have empathy when we see the weaknesses of others.

How IF works within the OHI program

OHI’s holistic healing program places an enormous emphasis on cleansing and nourishing your body, to help you self-heal and restore your body to its natural balance. One reason the OHI Detox Diet is so effective is that it combines principles of calorie reduction, a cleansing -alkaline diet, and intermittent fasting.

• Our calorie-reduced diet limits caloric-intake between 600-1200 calories per day. Calorie deprivation is an ancient fasting practice. Recent studies have shown that many forms of cancers have been stopped, slowed, or reversed by limiting calorie intake.
• Our cleansing-alkaline diet is unique and effective because it includes ultra-rich nutrients and enzymes. The OHI Detox Diet is designed to bring the body from an acidic state to a more alkaline state. The purification and alkalizing effects on the body help to quiet the mind and build a bridge to spirituality.
• At OHI, a combination of IF methods are utilized within the program:
  • The first method includes eating over a span of 9.5 hours during the day (8:30am- 7:00pm) while fasting for the remaining 14.5 hours. During the eating hours, we take-in three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) along with two shots of wheatgrass juice in-between meals. This protocol allows consistent nutrition and calories throughout the day, helping to maintain blood-sugar levels and reducing hunger.
  • The second method includes a seven-day cycle comprised of solid-food days and juicing days: Guests begin their week with two days of eating solid foods, followed by three days of juice fasting, followed by another two days of solid foods. Juice fasting, practiced for many centuries around the world, enhances the detoxification process.
  • OHI’s 21-day holistic healing program places an enormous emphasis on cleansing and nourishing your body, to help you self-heal and restore your body-mind-spirit to its natural balance. The OHI Program promotes healing and longevity by restoring circadian sleep rhythms and aligning our health on all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

By incorporating the principles of intermittent fasting with an all-raw, organic, plant-based diet, OHI guests reach new levels of healthy living and spiritual awareness. It’s just one of the many guided journeys our guests take on the road to a New You in this New Year!

 “What is Intermittent Fasting, and Does It Help You Lose Weight?”, by Tiarra Mukherjee, September 25, 2019, Prevention.com

“Intermittent Fasting 101 — The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide”, by Kris Gunnars, July 25, 2018, Healthline.com

“4 Ways Fasting Benefits Your Spiritual Health”, by Maria Walley, Grottonetwork.com

“What Is Intermittent Fasting, and Will It Help Your Sleep?”, by Michael J Breus Ph.D., Apr 11, 2019, Psychologytoday.com