gender differences in regards to intermittent fasting

[jessica]

http://www.paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/

[eveheart]

Thanks, Jessica, this was an excellent read. I am way past menopause, but I think I can extrapolate from

In contrast, both CR diets and the IF diet caused a decrease in the size of the ovaries

that I should approach CR and IF with caution, since the hormonal activity of the ovaries are very important at my age, but maybe I'm all wrong about that. I'm not so much about biology that I'm sure that I understand the big picture.

[cherimoya_kid]

Interesting.

This makes sense, in light of the "men were mostly hunters, and women mostly stayed closer to home base" theory.  Men were too busy hunting to eat much, so they'd probably eat 1 big meal a day, or even go a couple of days without eating, until they finally got their big prey.

[raw-al]

Thanks for that interesting link.

Essentially what I got was that women are biologically predisposed to be a womb protective device. Only when stressed, do they have less use for the womb in which case the body says "OK pull in the reserves from the womb to keep mother alive for now, this is not a good time to breed" Better to keep the whole body alive than to try to breed at a time of stress.

The body does not comprehend unnatural things like eating fads or exercise fads, it seems to simply think in realistic terms ie 'no food, no breeding' 'too much stress (exercise or mental) means lets put off breeding till she is settled and able to procreate comfortably'.

Even the modern propensity to delay or stop birthing seems to have a health risk associated with it as theorized by the female anthropologist who examined some women in Africa who lived in a society in which women had lots of children and breastfed them till they were 4 - 5 years old. She theorized that that was the reason they did not have issues such as ovarian cancer etc, essentially because they had very few menstrual cycles.

This is not intended as a sleight to women BTW in any way.

[TylerDurden]

Craig Bates once mentioned that he had felt much higher levels of sex-drive than was normal when he was very ill, whereas when he regained his health, his sex-drive was more normal, but still higher than when on a SAD diet.  I had the same experience. His idea, which I agree with, was that when men are ill, their sex-drive goes up because the body anticipates it's going to die so boosts the sex-drive in order to ensure the propagation of the genes - however, when women are ill, becoming pregnant is such a burden on the body that their sex-drive goes right down in order to prevent them from becoming pregnant as pregnancy is a waste of time if the body isn't going to survive more than 9+ months.

[raw-al]

I like the way Mark Gungor describes the male sex drive.

Mark Gungor - Men's Sex Drive

[Haai]

when women are ill, becoming pregnant is such a burden on the body that their sex-drive goes right down in order to prevent them from becoming pregnant as pregnancy is a waste of time if the body isn't going to survive more than 9+ months.

Not just a waste of time, but more importantly, a waste of vital energy and nutrition that the women could use for herself, which may well get her through her illness and keep her alive.

[Dorothy]

Thanks for that interesting link.

Essentially what I got was that women are biologically predisposed to be a womb protective device. Only when stressed, do they have less use for the womb in which case the body says "OK pull in the reserves from the womb to keep mother alive for now, this is not a good time to breed" Better to keep the whole body alive than to try to breed at a time of stress.

And as an older woman I came to an opposite conclusion as Eveheart. Since procreation is no longer a factor using my energies more effectively to keep the whole body alive longer through IF might actually be the better course.

I find it interesting reading this at a time when I have been instructed through meditation that I should be eating only 2 fairly closely timed meals per day resulting in about a 15 - 19 hour fast each day. I didn't know that paleo was into this. I couldn't have done this before on raw vegan.

Thanks Jessica.

[jessica]

hey dorothy, i would think that because we lose estrogen as a symptom of ageing, it might be beneficial not to hurry or encourage that process?  i also had an idea that perhaps IF wouldnt be that great for you if it is something that decreases estrogen because that decrease also correlates to lessening of bone mass?  definitely listen to your body but just a few thoughts

[Dorothy]

hey dorothy, i would think that because we lose estrogen as a symptom of ageing, it might be beneficial not to hurry or encourage that process?  i also had an idea that perhaps IF wouldnt be that great for you if it is something that decreases estrogen because that decrease also correlates to lessening of bone mass?  definitely listen to your body but just a few thoughts

Maybe Jessica. I was thinking that maybe my body is looking for a new balance point when it comes to the relationship between estrogen and minerals - particularly calcium. My bones do seem to be getting stronger again - slowly - but at least it's in the right direction. That might be totally due to giving up the dairy, but I wonder if it's not also my body wanting me to not eat as frequently too? It's an interesting timing coincidence.