Fasting Q&A with Megan Ramos: PMS, PCOS, Vitamin D, Dark Chocolate, ADHD, and More

Fasting Q&A with Megan Ramos: PMS, PCOS, Vitamin D, Dark Chocolate, ADHD, and More

Author: The Fasting Method October 8, 2024 Duration: 28:24

Episode #173

In this Fasting Q&A episode, Megan Ramos answers some of your fasting questions:

  1. Why is it that, when I am consistent with fasting and diet, my PMS and period symptoms (cramps, headaches, and backache) are lessened? Is it to do with insulin? (Jenna from Michigan) [01:30]
  2. I keep hearing mixed answers about fasting for PCOS. Some say it's really beneficial and then others tell me to eat 5-6 small meals a day and not to fast or have coffee on an empty stomach because of the cortisol response. Can you clarify please? I feel better when I fast. I'm still only fasting 14-18 hours per day and trying to stick to TRE but I'm afraid I'm making it worse with my cortisol response. Help! (Amy from South Dakota) [02:45]
  3. I've been trying to heal my PCOS with ADF for about six weeks now. I have started spotting occasionally and sometimes have shorter periods. Could this mean that my body is healing and trying to self-regulate and get my cycle back to normal? (Sarah from Maryland) [08:12]
  4. I take vitamin D daily because my levels were low a few years ago. They have since returned to normal. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, do I have to eat something with it on my fasting days or can I take it without and still get the benefit? (Beth from Nova Scotia) [09:47]
  5. Should you eat dark chocolate every day? I read a study that says, "The research findings suggest that eating 48g of 70% dark chocolate each day may help lower fasting glucose levels and reduce insulin resistance." I've also heard that dark chocolate reduces LDL cholesterol. Do you agree with this? (Michelle from British Columbia) [12:17]
  6. I need some mindset help! I am 53 and spent most of my 40s gaining weight. I spent hours and hours every day unhappily thinking about my weight. My doctor told me about TFM and, after four months of TRE and 24,42, 48-hour fasting, I reached my goal weight. I was looking forward to the mind freedom but it's been nine months now and I am still consumed by thoughts about weight and fasting. I eat whole foods, little sugar and processed foods, and fast 24-48 hours three times a week with TRE the rest of the time. I just want the mental freedom that so many people talk about. Help! [14:46]
  7. I'm a 40-year-old female and have lost 53 pounds following different protocols but mostly intervals of OMADs 3-4 times a week and 2MADS for nearly two years. Recently, I've also added one 42-hour fast a week. I've noticed that I'm just not hungry. I end up eating based on the planned windows which are scheduled around workouts and a busy schedule. Should I wait for hunger and so extend my fasts further? I feel more like I *want* to eat than *need* to eat. (Michal from Israel) [18:25]
  8. I keep hearing that fasting is different for men and women and that women can actually gain weight if we fast at the wrong times. I am a 48-year-old woman. Is this accurate? [20:33]
  9. Do you have any tips for fasting when you have ADHD, specifically, the lack of dopamine and how food can be a source of dopamine. What other ways can we get dopamine, especially in the immediate and easy way eating provides? [22:39]

 

Please Submit Your Questions here: https://bit.ly/TFMPodcastQs

 

Transcripts of all episodes are available at www.thefastingmethod.com on the Podcast page.

Learn More About Our Community: https://www.thefastingmethod.com

Join our FREE Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/TFMNetwork

Watch Us On YouTube: https://bit.ly/TFMYouTube

Follow Us on Instagram: @fastingmethod

 

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care by a doctor or other qualified medical professional. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before doing any fasting, changing your diet, taking or adjusting  any medication or supplements, or adopting any treatment for a health problem. The use of any other products or services purchased by you as a result of this podcast does not create a healthcare provider-patient relationship between you and any of the experts affiliated with this podcast. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


For anyone navigating the world of intermittent fasting, sorting through the noise can be the hardest part. The Fasting Method Podcast cuts through that confusion with clarity and authority. Co-hosted by recognized experts Megan Ramos and Terri Lance, Ph.D., this podcast is built on a foundation of real science and practical application. The conversations here move beyond simplistic tips to explore the nuanced physiology of fasting, the psychological hurdles, and the sustainable strategies that lead to lasting health changes. You’ll hear detailed explorations of metabolic adaptation, hormone regulation, and the social complexities of changing one's eating patterns, all grounded in the hosts' extensive clinical and research experience. This is a space where listener questions drive the dialogue, making each episode a direct address to the real-world challenges people face. Tune in for a candid, evidence-based resource that treats fasting not as a trend, but as a deeply personal tool for wellness. The discussions on this podcast are designed to empower you with knowledge, demystify the process, and provide a supportive audio companion for your journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Fasting Method Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Member Transformation: Sooz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:01
Episode #188 In this week's episode, Terri is joined by TFM Community member, Sooz, who shares her amazing health journey transformation. Transcripts of all episodes are available on the Podcast page at www.thefastingmet…
Hot Topic: Best Practices for Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:25
Episode #187 In this week's episode, Terri is joined by Coach Bethany to discuss best practices they have gleaned from their clients and Community-member success stories: Consistently showing up for Community and coachin…
Hot Topic: 7 Beginner Fasting Pitfalls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:58
Episode #186 In this week's episode, Terri is joined by Coach Heather to talk about 7 common mistakes fasting beginners make when they are excited about the power of fasting. Neglecting to manage electrolytes. [02:25] Tr…
Hot Topic: Fasting Foundations or Framework [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:39
Episode #185 In this week's episode, Terri is joined by Coach Bethany to talk about the importance of establishing and returning to your fasting foundations or the framework structure you have put into place. They emphas…
Hot Topic: Thoughts From The Fasting Analogy Queen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:25
Episode #183 In this week's episode, you will hear a solo episode by Terri, the Analogy Queen. Because her brain works in analogies, she wanted to share some recent images she has been using in her work with fasting clie…
Hot Topic: Making The Leap From a 24-Hour Fast to Overnight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:39
Episode #182 In this week's episode, Terri is joined by Coach Heather for a discussion about a common struggle for so many fasters - getting beyond the 24-hour fasts to do an overnight fast. They highlight how to navigat…
Hot Topic: Exercise - Are You Overtraining or Not Moving Enough? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:10
Episode #181 In this week's episode,Terri is joined by TFM Coach Bethany who shares wisdom to help listeners assess if they might be interfering with their goals by overtraining or avoiding exercise due to beliefs that d…
Hot Topic: Ways To Boost Motivation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:11
Episode #179 In this week's episode,Terri is once again joined by Coach Heather Shuker. They discuss ways that we interfere with feeling motivated vs ways that we can help foster motivation. Transcripts of all episodes a…