Fasting - WKTV Journal

Putting off meals for an extended period of time can lead some to over-indulge when it comes time to eat. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Sarah Mahoney, Spectrum Health Beat

Intermittent fasting—the fancy term for going up to 14 or 16 hours without eating anything—is all the rage these days.

Dietitians and their celebrity clients are touting it as the latest and greatest weight-loss tool.

And there’s been some promising evidence that the approach may even lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, one of the most serious chronic illnesses in the world.

Researchers who have linked intermittent fasting to improved sensitivity to insulin also recently discovered it might lower pancreatic fat in rats. And that may reduce the odds of developing diabetes.

In a small study of humans with pre-diabetes, participants who ate from the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. saw significant improvements in their insulin sensitivity and blood pressure.

But don’t approach intermittent fasting without some measure of caution.

Kristi Veltkamp, MS, RD, outpatient dietitian at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital, said it makes sense to take intermittent fasting with a healthy sprinkling of skepticism, especially when it comes to its relationship to diabetes prevention.

“Some people do lose weight when they try this style of eating,” she said. “And the No. 1 way we know to prevent diabetes is by losing weight.”

Even shedding as little as 5 to 10% of your body weight can reduce the risk of diabetes by 58%.

“So this type of eating may be helpful because people are losing weight,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean intermittent fasting gets the credit. From that perspective, any weight-loss method can be said to lower diabetes risk.”

The strict timing of meals can have a significant downside for some people.

“Often, they get so hungry that they overeat during their eight-hour window, sometimes making poor food choices,” Veltkamp said.

For others, it’s just not convenient, especially if they are trying to eat meals as a family.

Most people consume the last meal of the day in the evening, not by 3 p.m.

“By all means, experiment,” she said. “For example, often people are surprised to discover that they feel better eating breakfast later in the day.”

But until more conclusive data emerges, pay close attention to the guidelines already proven to prevent diabetes.

5 proven ways to keep diabetes at bay:

1. Eat the Mediterranean way

If you haven’t already experimented with a Mediterranean diet, now’s the time. Eating meals with plenty of fish, vegetables, whole grains and olive oil has been linked to an 83% lower chance of developing diabetes.

2. Nix the nighttime snacks

Even if you never try intermittent fasting, those evening snacks—often scarfed down in front of the TV—can sabotage any healthy diet. Once you’ve left the dinner table, try to stop eating for the evening.

3. Pay attention to protein

Veltkamp recommends including some protein in every meal and snack. This includes dairy, nuts or cheese. “It keeps people full longer and helps with cravings,” she said.

4. Quit bashing carbs

While processed foods, soft drinks and white sugar cause rapid ups and downs in glucose levels, Veltkamp worries that too many people vilify all carbohydrates.

Whole grains and fruits are a healthy part of every diet, she said.

“Sugar isn’t all bad,” Veltkamp said. “I’ve yet to have to tell a patient that they’re eating too many apples.”

5. Strive for flexibility

Finally, when you’re looking for a lifetime approach to healthy eating, it’s smart to be gentle with yourself.

While all-or-nothing diets may be the craze—from the Keto plan to Whole 30—she advocates a much more forgiving approach, with an 80/20 rule.

Strive for solid, sensible meals 80% of the time, then relax with the remaining 20% of meals.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.

Kemal Hamulic talks with Alan Headbloom during a 2013 interview for “Feel Like You Belong” in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

By Kemal Hamulic

Being mindful and respectful of your employees’ needs in the workplace can ensure a happy workforce, increased employee satisfaction, and better productivity. Sometimes, even just showing an interest in the background of an employee can motivate that individual to try harder. For employers with a diverse workforce, it is especially important to keep up on current events.

One such event is the religious observation of Ramadan. For 2017, May 27 is the first day of fasting that will continue for Muslims worldwide for the next 31 days. It culminates in the holy day of Eid-al-Fitr, celebrating the end of the religious fast.

For American human resource managers with employees who practice Islam, there are two important considerations to ease this month of fasting for them: prayer time and the physical challenges of fasting.

First, you need to know that observant Muslims pray five times a day. The actual prayer times are calculated based on several factors, one of them being geographical location. The times vary and are affected by changes in the hours of sunrise and sunset. For our town of Grand Rapids, Michigan, the dawn prayer on May 27, the first day of fasting, starts around 4:25 am, and the sunset prayer starts around 9:15 pm. At the end of the month, these prayer times shift: 4:20-ish am for the dawn prayer and 9:30-ish pm for the sunset prayer on June 26. (Click here for a prayer timetable.)

Those who fast will not be able to eat or drink ANYTHING between the dawn and sunset prayer times.

Here are six recommendations that will help your employees during these fasting times and beyond:

Prayer. Let Muslim employees know that there is a quiet room available for them to pray.
Stress. Try to adjust work schedules and work duties for observant Muslims to help them work without the need to hydrate or eat.
Food. Offer to make reasonable adjustments for storing food during Ramadan. This is primarily important for those who will be working after the sunset prayer, that is, third-shift employees. Very often, Muslims bring homemade food prepared exclusively for this occasion. This food is halal (similar to kosher) and is taken at certain times. Letting employees go to the break room at a specific time, or having them keep a small food box at their work station are examples of what can be done.
Clothing. Try to be flexible regarding dress codes; if there are situations or areas where flexibility is not possible (for safety reasons, etc.), make an effort to explain company policy and rationale to your Muslim employees. Then, importantly, be consistent with all other employees and their religious needs.
Other Employees. Address the issue of fasting with non-Muslim employees to make sure that it is not interpreted as a sign of religious favoritism. In the past, some Americans have interpreted religious accommodations as “preferential treatment” for Muslim employees.
Scheduling. Make advance scheduling arrangements to ensure there are enough employees to cover the workload on the last day of fasting. Observant Muslims will try to get a day off on this day.

Understand that different ethnic groups take different approaches and use different standards of Islamic observance. You can compare this to your Christian or Jewish family and friends: some are much more observant and some much less. In the case of Muslims, you may find a devoted Saudi believer who will not drink alcohol, eat pork, or smoke, while you may find among Bosnian Muslims that some do not mind smoking and will be flexible on that rule, while fully observing all others.

In explaining the concept of accommodation to non-Muslim employees, help them remember that a flexible workplace tries to work with everyone’s needs:

A nursing mother may need a private space to express milk at break time.
A colostomy patient may need the privacy of a single-use restroom to change a stoma bag.
Catholic workers may wish to have off on Good Friday.

I should emphasize the value of diversity in this working arrangement. For example, non-Christian employees might well volunteer to work on traditionally Christian religious holidays in exchange for having days off for their own holidays. It is a win-win situation for employers.

If explanations are clear and employees understand that all of us work best when we are respected and accommodated, all are prepared to give their best effort and succeed for the company.

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A 1997 refugee to the United States, Kemal Hamulic has been working with minority groups on various levels for over a decade. His encounters range from community outreach work to diplomatic interpreting to international business negotiations. His formal education includes a Bachelor’s degree in international business and a Master’s in finance. Kemal has extensive experience living abroad and speaks fluent English, Bosnian, and German and is proficient in French. He has given seminars and prepared workshops on the topic of diversity for government agencies and private entities.