The Truth Behind Intermittent Fasting

My deepest desire for you is that 2026 is the year you experience the most radiance, health, and confidence. There is a trend I want to speak about and clarify as I personally tried it and later learned about the deeper truths. Intermittent fasting is often presented as a sophisticated wellness practice—praised for mental clarity, metabolic health, weight regulation, and longevity. Its appeal is subtle yet persuasive, especially in a culture that glorifies discipline, control, and productivity.

But beneath the surface of this popular trend lies a physiological reality that is rarely discussed, especially when it comes to women’s bodies, adrenal health, and long-term healing. A vast majority of the research focuses on white male bodies, then results are generalized to the female body and population at large. But the female and male physiology are vastly different. 

I've come to find through personal experience that what may feel like vitality is not always nourishment. And what feels empowering in the short term can quietly erode the body’s reserves over time. Only this is not immediately evident and many of the studies researching the impact of intermittent fasting are not longitudinal studies, meaning they are short-term, not longterm studies. So the data is skewed for the short term rather than the longterm. 

The Hidden Driver Behind the “Feel Good” Effect

Many people claim they feel energized, focused, and clear-headed while intermittent fasting. This experience is real, but the effects are often misunderstood and misinterpreted. I was guilty of this too. The truth behind that heightened energy many feel during fasting is frequently driven by adrenaline, not true cellular fuel.

Adrenaline is a powerful hormone designed for short-term survival. It sharpens focus, suppresses hunger signals, and mobilizes energy when the body perceives stress or threat. In fasting states—especially prolonged ones—the body releases adrenaline to compensate for the absence of glucose. In this way adrenaline is designed to mobilize glycogen stores from the liver to create glucose, the body's primary source of fuel. 

Adrenaline is not sustainable energy. It is emergency energy.

And when relied upon repeatedly, it taxes the very systems responsible for radiant health, immune strength, and longevity. It depletes the adrenals and can lead to hormonal imbalance, promote weight gain, and contribute to infertility over time. 

The Body’s Primary Fuel Source

The human body—particularly the brain, liver, and nervous system—runs on glucose.

Glucose is not optional. It is essential. The brain alone consumes a significant portion of the body’s glucose supply each day to regulate cognition, mood, memory, and emotional balance. The liver relies on glucose reserves to stabilize blood sugar, support detoxification, and regulate hormones. The nervous system requires a steady supply to remain calm, responsive, and resilient. When glucose is withheld for extended periods, the body does not simply “adapt.”

It compensates. And that compensation comes at a cost.

Intermittent Fasting and the Adrenals

Intermittent fasting places increased demand on the adrenal glands, which are responsible for producing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

For individuals already experiencing: chronic stress, adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalances, neurological symptoms, reproductive or fertility challenges, autoimmune conditions, and/or chronic illness this additional demand can quietly exacerbate symptoms rather than resolve them.

Over time, this constant strain may present as:

Fatigue or wired exhaustion

Anxiety or nervous system dysregulation

Brain fog or reduced cognitive clarity

Sleep disturbances

Hormonal disruption

Increased inflammation

Delayed healing

What begins as a wellness practice can become another layer of physiological stress—especially when the body is already asking for support, not survival. 

Why Women Are Uniquely Affected

Women’s bodies are not designed for extended periods without nourishment. Our hormonal rhythms, reproductive systems, and stress responses are intricately connected to blood sugar stability. Fluctuating hormones throughout the menstrual cycle increase the body’s need for consistent glucose and mineral support. When nourishment is delayed or restricted, the body often perceives this as a threat—triggering stress responses that disrupt hormonal communication.

This is why so many women experience initial benefits followed by burnout, crashes, or worsening symptoms. The body is not failing, rather it is protecting itself.

Alignment | Discernment

True wellness is not created through force, rather alignment and discernment. It is architected on stability and a strong foundation. Healing does not require pushing the body into survival mode. It requires signaling safety. And safety is communicated through regular nourishment, nervous system regulation, and bioavailable glucose. When the body feels supported, it reallocates energy away from stress responses and toward repair, detoxification, and rejuvenation.

A New Paradigm of Nourishment

Intermittent fasting is not inherently “bad,” but for those experiencing symptoms, conditions, and/or chronic illness it can be the difference  Intermittent fasting it is not universally supportive— the reason people start to lose weight and notice a difference is because they are eliminating fat in the morning, which supports the liver's cleansing capabilities. It is not the healing solution it is often marketed to be.

The body does not heal through restriction, rather through information, nourishment, and trust.

When you begin nourishing and supporting your body in a way that supports its biology—rather than challenges it—energy stabilizes, symptoms resolve, and radiance transpires

Your body is intelligent. It is always responding.

When given what it truly needs, it remembers how to heal.

Here is to your healing and your rising!