Ways dōTERRA supports me during Extended Fasts and Intermittent Fasting

Some of the links given in this article are affiliate links, or links to join me on your journey with essential oils. I will put the links for the oils and supplements at the bottom of the article so as to not disturb your reading. All my aromatherapy consultations are free so you can focus on your wellbeing. Let us start with a discovery call if you like! My team’s referral code for doTERRA is 7457390 so you can be sure to join my team and have direct access to me.

I am throwing a quick edit in here: 15 weeks in, -22kg… You might want to keep reading…


I have type 2 diabetes. It runs in my family too. I have had it for a few years now. I had gestational diabetes, so Type 2 was on the cards, although I wasn’t a crazy bread and pasta eater, never had soda etc, I have been struggling with my weight for many, many years. (OK. I like chocolate, but 80%+ cocoa doesn’t really count…)

I am far from being a fan of exercise. It’s hard when you’re overweight. I see skinny minnies doing pilates, I am doing the same but doing weight resistance at the same time because my legs are much heavier than theirs. So yes, I will write Ds on the ceiling with my knee for you, but it’s hard… Not exercising is always an big aggravating factor, but I believe the main aggravating factors for my weight/diabetes combo were extreme stress from a very toxic relationship and lack of sleep. Hello Cortisol.

On Halloween night (of all nights), just before eating a piece of nougat I was looking forward to, I got my test results by email. Non, pas nougat-nougat.

It was a shock in a way, but I had been unwell and put on about 15 kilos in 9 months, therefore it made sense. I must have been in the pre-diabetic phase for a long time, but there was always a good reason for me not to get checked over. I did do a full body checkup in India, they told me not to eat more than 10 chapati a day. I told them I probably ate two, and that’s as far as it went. No pre diabetes talk, nothing. I checked my blood tests after the diagnosis, sure enough, I was well into prediabetes… but their normal ranges were way higher than European ranges. Kind of like my friend Katerina’s daughter who was towering over mine, she was in the range for the Czeck Republic, and waaaay over our French one. So yes, folks, make sure you get checked for prediabetes and check the range for your geographic origins. Abdominal fat is a dead giveaway…

Living in Asia meant that as we saw above, the standards are different. Sometimes the are better because you pay for private care, and sometimes it’s not so easy to get good advice. I had no social security back home, so no bloodtests of any kind were done, we had a massive pharmacy budget as it was at the time. In India a gyne lied to my face and told me I was about to develop cervical cancer while making up the results of the internal scan I’d been forced to have, because he didn’t like my being on the pill. He wanted me to have more children. Two weren’t enough as far as he was concerned. I had girls, you see. I knew he was lying because I have an internal BS detector, I am used to males trying to intimidate me… and I had been holding the scan in the corridor for an hour, so I had seen the measurements he was grossly exaggerating. It wasn’t the first time I had been mistreated by a medical professional.  I’ll stop here on this subject: medical abuse is a bit triggering. And so, we missed the Pre-diabetes markers.

I also always had good reasons to not look after myself:

I had a baby and didn’t sleep properly, so yes, I was tired all the time, and would eat larger comfort food portions compared to my frame and level of activity. Remember we are told to eat for energy too.

My husband snored so much that once the baby was sleeping through, I would still be woken up 6 to 8 times per night. And he was the kind of person who would turn around and elbow me in the head, the face, the shoulders or harpoon me with a toenail and blame me for sleeping so badly. (The best one was “your eyelids are too thin”)… This resulted in frequent daytime naps and a constant feeling of being jetlagged.

Then there was the fact that it’s hot in South East Asia, so I was thirsty all the time, constantly drinking and using the loo. That was normal, right?

I was getting older, so my eyesight was going down.

Because I was tired and the water was very hard, I lost a fair amount of hair over the years.

By the time I was diagnosed at 39 after seeking out a doctor, I was napping about 50 to 80 minutes three times a day, unable to regulate my body temperature, suffering from a lot of sadness and I was the best food mosquitoes ever seemed to have.

So yes, when I got that diagnosis I realised that I had been unwell for a long time. It also explained the amount of cravings that I was getting because I was constantly craving wonderful fruit teas which basically consist of a jug of tea with a fruit salad inside. I could have had five a day, but I stuck to one. The more diabetic you are, the more sugar you crave. I had to stop that immediately.

I was put on Metformin, refused another two meds, and refused Insulin injections. I knew Insulin made you gain weight, that was the last thing I needed, thanks. Metformin made me very unwell in all sorts of ways all the time I was on it, including two sulfur poisonings after eating a lot of garlic in a Chinese Hot Pot. Metformin and garlic didn’t agree, my digestion stopped completely, everything stayed in my stomach and produced sulfur. I ended up having massive neurological glitches one night: uncontrollable shaking, speech gone, the lot. I thought I was going to die in a couple of minutes. I managed wake my husband, drag myself to the bathroom and make myself throw up the lot while he was vociferating something about being stupid for taking the meds the doctor had prescribed…

This is when I praised the Universe for the existence of Digestzen (ZenGest in some countries). I had only juste started using dōTERRA oils. Even though I couldn’t face taking it internally, I rubbed two drops in my navel and waited. Within 7 minutes I could taste the blend in my mouth and I felt an incredible lightness in my stomach where there had been so much discomfort for the entire day and night. About a month later it happened again, which helped me make the Metformin-garlic link. I put myself on Digestzen immediately, this time taking two drops in a capsule. Thankfully I had had much less garlic that time.

Terra Luna Inti- Digestzen, also called Zengest in some markets is the Digestive Blend you have been waiting for. -Terra Luna Inti-
Digestzen, also called Zengest in some markets is the Digestive Blend you have been waiting for.

I started with removing gluten and grains of all kinds because I had noticed when I was pregnant and testing my blood sugars that it made my sugar spike for days. Potatoes sent me to sleep within minutes, so they were out too. Then I removed fruit. That’s when everyone suddenly became a nutritionist and screamed blue murder and lack of vitamins.

Thanks for your concern, lovelies, I was listening to my body, and yes that meant going against doctors’ advice (good old “eat a little of everything”) and I was on a high-quality supplement: dōTERRA Life Long Vitality Pack, Terrazyme digestive enzymes to help my body handle what was going in and powerful Pre and Probiotics PB Assist. That’s my everyday without fail foundational supplement for health and wellbeing, my levels were fine, they still are. 

With very regular blood sugar testing and limiting my food, I noticed that I wasn’t regulating the previous meal, or the day before, I was actually regulating way beyond that. It took 10 days for my levels to regulate after I removed fruit, for example. So what on Earth were doctors on about? You bet we get insulin spikes all the time!

I shed a good 30kg in less than 18 months, mainly because I had pinned down what was good and what wasn’t good for me, and because Metformin made me ill and unable to eat more than a couple of tablespoon fulls for months. I actually stopped taking it after 11 months. It was also keeping my sugar levels higher than I could do myself. I used a lot of Ginger, Lemon and Grapefruit oils for the nauseated sensations and the cravings. But you have guessed it, the other factors didn’t stop and so I piled on the weight again from after a year or so… That was also because it was a calorie restricted diet, and they never work! So I dealt with the aggravating factors first, and looked after my sleep second. Divorce, international move, the lot was a little disturbing to say the least… This is when Serenity oil, Serenity Softgels, Cedarwood and Bergamot saved my sleepless nights.

A few months ago I reached a point of no return, hating my expanding body, being breathless even when I spoke etc. More importantly years of mistreating myself emotionally and mentally had taken its toll. That whole “you let yourself go”, thing from me-to me. It’s also hard for a hypnotist to get help for their own issues because we analyse the colleague’s techniques… Everything else was going good, but I definitely wasn’t applying to myself the self care and compassion I was getting clients to apply to themselves. Ahem.

Terra Luna Inti - Serenity, also called Lavender Peace in certain countries, is the Restful Blend. -Terra Luna Inti
Serenity, also called Lavender Peace in certain countries, is the Restful Blend.

That’s when I decided at the very last thing that I hadn’t done was Intermittent Fasting and that’s why I looked into it.

A quick search and I landed on a sobering and yet incredibly helpful conference by Dr Fung https://youtu.be/7nJgHBbEgsE. He spoke my truth. The truth doctors were always shutting down. Please set time aside and watch it.

I moved on to reading his PDF https://idmprogram.com/wp-content/uploads/IDM-Fasting-Quick-Start-Guide.pdf and it made total sense. I went through it several times and when my delivery arrived, I read his book which I devoured in the space of an evening.


How did Intermittent Fasting go for me?

I know some people get gaslit by people close to them and their doctor as soon as they mention fasting, so I will tell you my experience during Extended Fasting mostly, which you might or might not end up doing, and how dōTERRA is supporting my journey. I am more than happy to provide you with the relevant product information pages so your doctor can look them over, and to be a contact if you decide to fast.

I have been Intermittent Fasting for less than a month in total now and have shed 10kg… I know it’s early to talk about this, but the changes have been tremendous and I collected a few pearls of wisdom along the way already. I am a practical person, and I don’t like general wishy washy information, thus I figured this could be helpful. So here goes:

For starters, there is no need for shields to go up: I am following a protocol for overweight diabetics designed by the one doctor who admits the advice given to diabetics was inherently wrong… which I knew, but knew not how to handle before I found his plan. He has a clinic, you can look him up.

This is for educational purposes only. It is for you to decide if it is for you or not, and I hope that when you check with your doctor -because you need to-, they will support you. Also get the book before starting anything!

How I started Fasting

I started with a 9 day Extended Fast before moving on to the 42 hour Intermittent Fast suggested by doctor Fung. (Right now, I am on day 7 of a 7 day fast. I am looking forward to cooking a great meal tomorrow, following Keto guidelines.)

I hadn’t planned on doing 9 days straight at first, but as you’ll see later it was so easy that I had no reason to stop. Dr Fung says that 14 days are enough. I started with an long Extended Fast because I really needed to break a cycle.

I was breathless while talking these past few months, exhausted at the top of one flight of stairs… I think we can agree I was heading for a stroke (that also runs in the family). So anyone who tells me that I am putting myself in danger by following the protocol a sensical specialist has devised… is invited to go gaslight someone else. In his book Dr Fung even advises not to tell people you are fasting because the external pressure can be so intense.


So what?

I feel great, I am shedding weight faster than I ever have, and I have energy most of the time. This is enough motivation to keep going and repeat the experience. I still need a little adjustment time for physical activity, that is to be expected.

I am not deluding myself, I have not fallen into orthorexia either. I am listening to my body. My current 7 day fast technically started before I was due to do it, but since my girls weren’t here for a week, it was just easier to do it now… Had I felt unwell, I would have had a meal, obviously.

Aside from the weight falling off, the biggest positive result for me has been the complete disappearance of negative self-talk. I didn’t expect this at all. I don’t know when I shifted in the first 9 days, but I have completely and utterly stopped self-inflicted mental or emotional abuse. That negative self-talk has been with me since I was a child. Can you imagine how at peace I feel now? I can’t quite get over it.

Get thhis book here

My fears and what happened:

Hypoglycemia: as you probably know when you don’t eat or when your sugar levels drop considerably you go can go through hypoglycemia. It can be dangerous. I have extensive experience of this, and I know when I need medical attention. The rest of the time I call that getting the wobblies, and so I worried that I was going to get these and not be able to fast because I’ve never really fasted outside of one of the wonderful episodes of gastroenteritis that I got in India for example. 

On the first 9 days I got the wobblies twice for about 20 minutes (never since). Both times it was because I was working in the garden in full sun and I was digging a trench. Basically it was just a little bit too much for my system. My bad. They say to restrict your exercise at the beginning. I sat down, had a cup of green tea and the wobblies went.

Hunger: I guess most of us think that the longer you don’t eat, the hungrier you’re going to feel. That’s not actually the case at all. Whether you miss one meal, two meals or 13 meals, it makes absolutely no difference to the feeling of hunger! Whaaaaaaat? It’s the same hunger??? Yup!

Also, passed the first three or four more difficult days, you just forget about the fear of being hungry as you realise it’s no big deal. You will soon realise that most of the times you want to eat… are just that: times you want to eat, not times you need to eat. And that’s rather mind blowing if it’s your first time. Plus the hunger hormone starts leaving you alone, bonus! Did you know women get more cravings and hunger? How about we got that hormone in check?!

This is why Intermittent Fasting is a lot easier than we think. Once you break the hunger code, you’re good to go until you feel it is time to start eating again.

If you are hungry, drink tea, coffee, or home made broth, vary the flavours because it quickly gets boring:

  • I add Cinnamon bark oil to my Rooibos tea
  • Ginger oil in hot water
  • I drink delicate fruit teas my friend sells
  • I add a citrus oil such as Lemon oil or Green Mandarin oil to my water. It’s super tasty, cleansing and makes sure I want to drink and keeps you away from dehydration.
  • I make jugs of Fennel oil water if I am not eating and someone else is eating. I sniff the stuff straight out of the bottle or diffuse it with lemon while I work. For a heavier shot, I put one drop of fennel under my tongue to curb a hunger pang. Peckish no more!
  • I cheat… I use well chosen organic store-bought broth cubes some of the time. I’ll tell you why: my girls were getting ready to move out because I was making so much soup and taking all the broth, that they were sick of vegetables. I froze a bunch, stopped my nonsense, and cheated. I only use about a quarter of a cube of broth, if that, in a bowl, this is also a part where I want to make sure I am gentle on myself and not worry about perfect execution. Three kinds of broth and you’re good to go. It felt wonderful to go back to real broth today however. With a bit of caraway and some Spigol spice blend (usually for couscous), I was a happy faster!

Starving the body of nutrients: You don’t if you take a high-quality set of supplements. Failing to provide your body with essential nutrients while fasting will be bad for you. It’s as simple as that. I take my LLV, Terrazyme, PB Assist every day.

Slowing the metabolism: this simply doesn’t happen, watch and read Dr Fung. Just because I know the value of Zendocrine and Slim&Sassy (Smart & Sassy in some places), I also boost my metabolism and help with sticking to a “diet” by taking a capsule of Slim&Sassy, and help my liver and pancreas with Zendocrine by applying it locally with a roller bottle. Buh-Bye abdominal fat a bit faster!


Realising that I was not at risk of Hypoglycemia if I fasted, nor that the unpleasant feeling of hunger was going to take over my life, were the biggest revelations.

Stopping negative self-talk was the biggest liberation.

Seeing that it’s easier to not eat than to eat meals you don’t feel like eating was a very happy surprise. It is easier to not do something than to do something you don’t feel like doing!!


Now, Intermittent Fasting and Extended Fasting aren’t all about butterfly farting unicorns or fairies blowing rainbow bubbles. (Because of the plural in the second part of the sentence, I am afraid I can’t keep the same sentence structure without the result being super rude, pardon my French. Knock yourself out if you want to play or email me if you don’t get it ?)

Terra Luna Inti -Lemon in one of the easiest and most versatile oils... and it doesn't attack the enamel on your teeth... -Terra Luna Inti
Lemon in one of the easiest and most versatile oils… and it doesn’t attack the enamel on your teeth…

The not so pleasant stuff about Intermittent Fasting and how dōTERRA supports me

Mind over matter: the first three to four days can be hard, which is where the oils help, and it’s really a case of staying away from other people when they’re eating fragrant things like warm bread for example. Fill up with liquid before the family meal and you’ll be fine. I promise you, the longer you keep going, the least hungry you get. You have to keep going if you’re on an Extended Fast. If you’re on any of the other the Intermittent fasts, you’ll be fiiiiine!!

Head tension: Dr Fung specifies that if you get a heavy head, you should have salt because you are losing electrolytes. That lasted about 4 days on and off and I quickly learned to grab some salt and eat it straight up, or add  a bunch more salt to my broth. It’s not super tasty, but really not difficult.

This is also were I used Peppermint oil to ease the discomfort quickly. It’s easy to apply in diluted roller form on the temples (away from the eyes), behind the ears and on the back of the neck. You can also put a drop on your thumb that you apply to the roof of your mouth. You can also dilute it in a drink and take it that way, or make a capsule. Another reason to get the best quality oils so you can take them internally.

Bowel movements: some seriously weird stuff is bound to happen. Short of getting someone to stick a pipe up your bum and doing a cleanse, I think everyone going through their first Extended Fast will experience that. That’s another call for Digestzen, and Tamer if you prefer the kids version of this oil. Also super helpful on the second day, were the Peppermint softgels for the gut discomfort! I have to say it’s not particularly pleasant once you start eating again either, so try to stay home for a couple of days… and maybe make some home made baby wipes…

Home Made Baby Wipes:

What You Need: 1 roll premium paper towels – 2 cups warm water – 2 tablespoons Fractionated Coconut Oil – 3 drops Lavender essential oil -3 drops Tea Tree essential oil – An airtight storage container/empty wipe container/wet bag Note: Use cloth for reusable wipes. 

Directions: 1- Cut paper towel roll in half with a serrated or electric knife. Use half the roll now, and half later. 2- Combine water, Fractionated Coconut Oil, and essential oils in a small bowl. 3- Pour the mixture over the paper towels and then cover with the airtight lid letting the mixture absorb for 10 minutes. 4- Turn the container over and let sit for another 10 minutes. 5- Remove and discard the cardboard middle. Just pull the wipes from the center when you are ready to use. Store in container of your choice. Tip: For on-the-go wipes, insert 15-20 wipes into travel size wipe container. I prefer reusable cloth wipes, I have a container in the bathroom from the old days when I had babies in cloth nappies with a mesh inside, the kind you use to wash bras in. When you need to wash, take the mesh and bung it as is in the washing machine on a hot cycle.

Acid: my first four days of Extended Fasts seem to be more on that side. Also it depends on my bra, that’s he first thing I loosen. And I make sure I don’t slouch. It took me a whopping 3 days into the first one before I realised I should simply make myself a Digestzen capsule, take a Digestzen softgel or take a DigestTab so the Calcium carbonate would neutralize everything. (Duh). DigestTabs contain Xylitol and Stevia, so technically this is not the best on a super strict fast, but hey, if it keeps me happily going, I can live with that. Xylitol kills dogs, so please make sure they are out of reach of your most loyal friend.

Keto breath: That’s one for Peppermint beadlets, OnGuard Toothpaste and or OnGuard Mouthwash, depending on how bad your case is. I’m good with just my regular routine, plus I am single, so no worries there even if I had the issue, ha!

Eating again after your fast: DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT overeat. It’s like a party, you look forward to eating again, and sure enough you can overdo it. It will be unpleasant if you do. Remember, you are going to eat again soon, take it very easy. Wait for that satiety sigh. As soon as it hits, stop eating. I am serious.

Anything over 24h of fasting is considered an Extended Fast, so in effect, I am constantly on an Extended Fast or another. Twice I made the mistake of eating too much, because I am human. Not nice. Digestzen to the rescue, but still…

Also, DO NOT eat carbs after an extended fast. It’ll send your heart racing. If you are doing an Extended Fast because you are overweight and diabetic, study keto meals and see if that’s going to float your boat. Carbs will teach you a lesson if you have them after an extended fast. This is no joke. It’s not a refeeding syndrome because you’re unlikely to be undernourrished in the first place, but making your heart work crazy hard because you wanted bread really bad, is full on dangerous, especially if you have an underlying condition you may or may not know about. And it’s another reason why you need a medical practitioner to know what’s going on.

Turtle skin: You do empty the chubby parts of you gradually and so this is a time where upping your skin routine game is important. I do that with the amazing Yarrow Pom collection. If you haven’t been great at self care, the ritual of looking after your skin, if you decide to make it a positive experience, will actually be part of the benefits of Intermittent Fasting.

Terra Luna Inti-The Life Long Vitality Pack has everything you need for a healthy nutritional foundation.- Terra Luna Inti
The Life Long Vitality Pack has everything you need for a healthy nutritional foundation.

Let’s look at the rest of the benefits of Intermittent Fasting:

  • No resentment: Have you ever been on a diet where you were constantly miserable because you couldn’t eat what you wanted? Who wants to eat a raw salad with boring dressing when you’re dreaming of young potatoes from the garden fried in olive oil and rosemary essential oil and the kiddos are having two sausages each? Calorie restricted diets are the best way to feel grumpy. They are punishing from start to finish… and they don’t work… They do sell magazines, however.
  • Savings: No eating, no spending…
  • No washing up: suddenly your kitchen is super tidy
  • Save time: From shopping to food prep
  • Save water: Less cleaning, no boiling food in lots of water (apart from your broth, but you will be drinking that!)
  • No cooking: apart from the broth, which, let’s face it, is all about throwing food in a pot and waiting.
  • Rapid weightloss: You can expect that and you will feel great about yourself. I should say weight release. your subconsious always looks to find what you lost… no more saying weight loss…
  • Mental clarity: I was already off grains, so I didn’t feel much of a difference there, but most people realise how grains interfere with their brain function. I have a really good book on this, by Dr Perlmutter. I do read good books, don’t I?
  • Energy: Past a possible adjustment period, you will feel a lot better. Not pre meal slump to make you dream of a chocolate bar
  • Reduced allergens and endocrine disruptors: You might discover something, especially on an Extended Fast. Some foods are laced with allergens and endocrine disruptors
  • Better skin and a better skin routine: I am doing alright already because of the no grain thing again, but I upped my game to tighten the parts that need tightening
  • Pride: at magaging what many feel is impossible (BROWNIE POINTS!). Ok, millions of people fast for religious reasons, so it IS possible
  • Peace of mind: self love, patience with your body
  • Clothing: you know, those clothes you’ve been keeping in the hope that you’d wear them again…

A little about Keto and exercise?

Cooking keto is fun. It will cost a bit at the beginning if you go for super special keto recipes, namely breads, but otherwise it is cheap. I must admit I invested there, because I have been off grains since 2016, so I miss the sensation of biting into something bready. Don’t get me wrong, I like my soggy Zucchini, but a Parmesan cracker in cream cheese is a party for me!

If you want to do keto with all the science behind, including modifications for illnesses such as Hashimoto etc, then this is another book I have. I bought it two years ago and it was just too complex for me to handle at the time of my move and divorce starting. I went back to it last week and it’s perfectly fine. I just didn’t have the bandwidth at the time.

All things considered, moving to Fasting and Intermittent Fasting was the best thing for me. I am thankful for Dr Fung, and for my doTERRA, because everything has been so easy. It beats me why so many doctors (who have had roughly a half day on nutrition and a half day on aromatherapy for that matter) are so against fasting. I am also thankful that many more are realising the positive effects and supporting their patients in a caring manner.

Terra Luna Inti- Ginger is a great oil to cook with and flavour hot water. -Terra Luna Inti
Ginger is a great oil to cook with and flavour hot water.

Check this video for a 4 minute workout equivalent to an hour in the gym and do what you can if you are struggling. You’ll get there soon!


My dōTERRA Fasting kit

The links below are for the US market.

Contact me on contact@terralunainti.com so I can get you the information specific to your market.

Alternatively, go straight to https://www.mydoterra.com/terralunainti/#/joinAndSave, scroll down and click Join and Save for the best prices. Make sure you pick your country!

My team’s referral code for doTERRA is 7457390 so you can be sure to join my team for direct support from me.

You don’t need ALL these to succesfully fast. These are the supplements and oils I use. Most of them I use every day anyway in some capacity or other, such as the foundational supplements. I invite you to decide where you feel you would need the most support and pick those. It can also be a question of budget. I can help you narrow things down.

You can also message me and book a free discovery call with me, especially if you are thinking of starting your essential oil journey.


Foundational supplements:

Metabolism:

Head tension:

Digestive juices intent on coming back up:

Hunger pangs:

Dehydration:

  • Any citrus such as Lemon, Green mandarin etc so they will make you feel like hydrating yourself

Keto Breath:

Funky bowels:

Skin

I would love to know what you think, so feel free to contact me on contact@terralunainti.com

 

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