Handling hunger: Stay busy. Go to a movie, take walks, engage in physical exercise or yoga, or sip hot tea, coffee, or water. I added MCT oil to my coffee to keep Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, at bay. When hunger was out of control, I drank 10 oz of water. And it helped a lot!
Today, more than ever, wellness is at the forefront of societal discussions. From mental health to physical well-being, women are making significant strides in bringing about change, introducing innovative solutions, and setting new standards. Despite facing unique challenges, they break barriers, inspire communities, and are reshaping the very definition of health and wellness. In this series called women in wellness we are talking to women doctors, nurses, nutritionists, therapists, fitness trainers, researchers, health experts, coaches, and other wellness professionals to share their stories and insights. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Megan Powell.
Megan Powell stands out as a Wellness Coach. She blends practical neuroscience tools with her as a Mindfulness Mentor from the University of Berkeley, CA. In her coaching, Megan integrates intermittent fasting into her clients’ lives to help them battle chronic metabolic dysfunction, lose weight, and restore mental health.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
Myname is Megan. I grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Holistic health has been my passion since I launched my career in Investigative Journalism in college. Since that beginning, my health interests have evolved to more personal mind/body fitness and psychological sciences. Within this journey of becoming, I moved to the US after meeting my husband by accident in Asia. Along the way, personal struggles accumulated, and intermittent fasting became a beacon of hope. Like a secret friend, it was a bridge for me to claim optimal health, and I love to share this fantastic, revolutionary information with those battling chronic metabolic health dysfunction.
Now, I am helping broadcast this process of optimizing the body’s rhythm to renew and empower natural healing, which has become impactful in most modern Western intermittent fasting style diseases, such as cardiovascular and metabolic problems. I developed a process to assist active women health, who are in their mid-forties and are facing hormonal imbalances. This program empowers their minds and bodies through movement, intermittent fasting, and mindfulness. This process is an integrated approach to empowering the mind, energizing the physical body, and embracing rituals to ease oneself into the amazing physical and emotional changes into which they are growing.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
I had never imagined before that I would have my first meal every day in the afternoon, often between 2 and 4 pm. I began this journey as a rescue to fix and recover from the pains of chronic illnesses that were growing over time. My body did not respond to all my efforts to fight insulin resistance, and healthy living was a distant memory.
Growing up in Brazil, under the sun of Ipanema Beach, health was secure, eternal, and unquestionable. I never knew about chicken pox or a runny nose as a child. And then, charmed health began to fade in my mid-forties. I could have predicted this, as diabetes runs in the family, and my mom was officially diagnosed as diabetic five years beforehand.
One day, this investigative mind wondered why I should get up for a pee break every 30 minutes. My finger joints were intermittent fasting, and brain fog greeted me every morning.
I decided to try the glucose monitor or check for insulin resistance. After a pricked finger, the meter confirmed that my level of sugar was beyond 120, the diagnosis of pre-diabetes.
As a curious rebel, always seeking science-based, sustainable, and affordable solutions, I decided that I needed to take control of this condition to prevent heading to full diabetes. Injecting insulin to control this chronic illness would be a last resort.
At that moment, I did what comforted me when I felt lost and unable to control the chaos of intermittent fasting.
I googled: “How to control type 2 diabetes without insulin?”
Each clue led me to another source of information, opening new possibilities for natural healing.
I became so excited about my discoveries that I could not stop researching the “miracles” of Intermittent Fasting. We have all heard about this ancient practice, widespread among secular religions for spiritual purposes.
The growing levels of diabetes and metabolic illnesses drove research from the forefront of medical science to investigate the benefits of fasting. Scientific studies published by the NHI have shown that long hours between meals positively impact physical and mental health. This research proposes intermittent fasting to help combat the epidemic of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity, which have exploded due to our modern society’s cheap, quick food and sedentary lifestyle.
Interestingly, these diseases were rare in the 1950s and kept rising as snacks and meal sizes increased (See reference cited at the end of this article).
Let me share with you 5 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Improved metabolic health: intermittent fasting can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, especially for women whose health may be at higher risk due to hormonal balance.
When we fast for about 12 hours, a hormone called insulin, which regulates the cell’s sugar absorption, drops, allowing the body to cleanse the excess.
Weight Loss and Management
As the insulin levels fall, the body switches from burning food to burning fat, leading to homeostasis, a sense of balance, and weight loss. Long hours of fasting reduce calorie intake and promote fat burning. When you restrict your calorie intake, your body starts burning excess body fat, and those extra pounds melt. It is that simple! I was thrilled to watch the scale drop from 138 to 110 lbs.
Increase Growth Hormone is essential for muscle growth, fat burning, and bone density.
Enhanced Cognitive Function
When you fast, the brain goes to work and produces neuromodulators. One is a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (ABDF), made in the spinal cord. ABDF enhances memory and neuroplasticity, an essential cognitive function factor.
Reduced Inflammation
Scientific studies show that chronic inflammation leads to chronic health issues, such as heart problems, inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to name a few.
How To Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is flexible, offering different protocols to adapt to your needs and lifestyle.
You refrain from eating during your time-restricted window and have meals during your feeding window period.
Here are the most popular for daily fasting:
10/14 method: 14 hours of time-restricted window and 10 hours of feeding window period.
12/12 method: 12 hours of time-restricted window and 12 hours of feeding window period.
16/8 method: 16 hours of time-restricted window and 8 hours of feeding window period.
During the eating window, you consume healthy food: proteins, veggies, legumes, fruits, and, why not, a dessert?
Start small, like fasting for 10 hours, which may occur during sleep hours; add a couple of extra after dinner and before breakfast.
I chose to eliminate breakfast from my list. Do not get me wrong, I loved breakfast. It brought me pleasure and guilt.
I relished choosing delicious, crunchy, warm toast with PB drizzled with honey or a bowl of Greek yogurt, mixed berries, and maple syrup. However, I also carried the remorse of starting the day by ingesting loads of sugar, which resulted in a chronic disease with which I was struggling.
I embraced the intermittent fasting challenge like a cold shower in wintertime.
Embracing the memories of my grandma, who lost her eyesight, and my cousin, 34 years old, hospitalized with kidney damage due to this horrendous disease, made me endure hunger when every cell pleaded for a bagel with cream cheese for breakfast.
I took the long route because diabetes is a chronic illness, and I wanted to stay on this journey for a lifetime. I cheered myself on one step at a time. I stopped eating after 6 pm until the following day. Using psychology and patience, I dealt with those tsunamis of hunger.
I learned that the brain releases a grueling hormone (Ghrelin) to remind you that it is time to eat. If you wait until the lion’s roar eases up, starvation dissipates until the next feeding window, when the stomach rereleases Ghrelin.
When the digestive system adjusts to the new eating times, hunger is no longer present. Instead, metabolic health improves since the body system detoxes by removing old, dead cells, a process called autophagy.
The brain is clear, and your physical body feels vital and alive.
As insulin resistance declined, I increased the feeding window time to start meals in the afternoon. I relied on MCT oil to maintain satiety since consuming fat does not disrupt fasting.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
During the years of implementation, I was going through a deep transition. I was an empty nester and missed my daughter, who had moved to the other side of the country. I found myself eating those “comforting” foods at my eating feeding window. Comforting food was milk chocolate, Tres Leches, and tiramisu. The creamier, the better. Those deserts left me feeling depleted and ill.
I was still eating processed food, the leading cause of inflammation. Despite the healing I got from the hours of fasting, I was still poisoning myself due to processed food containing high corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, and other substances that cause dependency on the brain. It took me about a year to become free from those dreadful foods.
Today, my taste buds cannot tolerate the flavors of unnatural foods.
When you are feeling lonely, stressed, or going through in-depth transitions, you will fall back into old patterns that are familiar and comforting. That is why we call it comforting food. No one calls broccoli a comforting food. In those moments, be patient with yourself. Remember that adopting a new intermittent fasting style is a process. It does not happen overnight. Ask your family and friends for support.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
I aim to disseminate affordable and sustainable bio hacks that empower women’s health to decide what they eat and why.
The beauty of intermittent fasting is its simplicity. It increases energy levels, benefits the entire metabolic health, and provides mental clarity. Intermittent fasting is a practical lifestyle that saves money and time. Buy organic and fresh produce and use your extra time to improve the quality of your relationships.
The prohibited cost of medications associated with growing side effects damages our society. People are tired of trusting their health in a broken medical system. So many functional doctors are online sharing the newest science, Intermittent fasting discoveries, and reframing the concept of health. Instead of spending time scrolling down social media, research on YouTube subjects like intermittent fasting, holistic health, alternative medicine, and others related.
The holistic health market projects growth from $28.65 billion in 2023 to $229.12 billion by 2033. In 2000, only 14% of hospitals provided complementary, holistic therapies. Today, most hospitals offer alternative medicine options. With such growth, consumers are becoming more open to trying new healing methods.
The future of a new medicine is rising on the horizon. Nationwide organizations and academic institutions are studying intermittent fasting’s benefits and long-term effects on human physiology.
As we understand the deeper connections between what we eat and how our bodies perform, we may find discoveries for unexplainable diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, and chronic disease, to name a few.
Here are organizations and their contributions to the world of intermittent fasting:
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducts large-scale clinical trials and supports research on the long-term effects of intermittent fasting across intermittent fasting different populations, including the Fogarty International Center for Global Health Research.
- The University of South Carolina investigates the effects of intermittent fasting on exercise performance and body composition.
- Mayo Clinic researches the potential benefits and risks of intermittent fasting for individuals with specific metabolic health conditions.
I also included a bibliography to deepen your understanding of this exciting world of intermittent fasting.
Bibliography
- Fung, J. (2016). The obesity code: unlocking the secrets of weight loss. Vancouver, Greystone Books.
- Eisenberg, E. J., & Leibowitz, M. L. (2018). Intermittent fasting: A Comprehensive Guide. Victory Books.
- Mattson, M. P., & Harford, M. D. (2019). The Fasting Mimicking Diet: A Proven Program to Restore Health and Longevity. HarperOne.
- Lustig, R. H. (2021). Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition, and Modern Medicine. [United States], HarperCollins.
- Collier R. Intermittent fasting: the science of going without. CMAJ. 2013 Jun 11;185(9):E363–4. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.109–4451. Epub 2013 Apr 8. PMID: 23569168; PMCID: PMC3680567.
- William Davis (2014). Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health. Rodale
Can you share your top five “intermittent fasting style tweaks” to help support people’s journey towards better well-being?
Let us explore five lifestyle changes that will make you feel like the powerhouse you indeed are, one breath at a time.
Tweak #1: Intermittent fasting
The main point of intermittent fasting is to synchronize your body’s natural rhythms to optimize your metabolism.
It is less about withholding and more about timing!
Tweak # 2: Hydration
Next, improve hydration. Envision hydrating with water and infusions of herbs and citrus — transforming each sip into a ritual.
Tweak #3: Mindful Movement
Our third secret is mindful movement. Integrating your favorite activity with breath awareness will help both body and mind.
Tweak #4: Intentional Breathing: Regulate Your Nervous System
Take a moment to center yourself with intentional breathing. Throughout your day, pause and take deep, mindful breaths. This simple yet powerful practice helps regulate your nervous system, calming your mind and reducing stress. It’s like hitting a reset button, allowing you to continue your day with clarity and peace.
Tweak #5: Embrace Gratitude
Finally, cultivate a habit of gratitude. Each evening, pen down moments of beauty and thanks in a journal. It is about enriching the soul.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Mindfulness is so powerful. This type of meditation has gained immense popularity among medical professionals, CEOs, and schools in the past ten years, a testament to its effectiveness.
Hundreds of medical studies prove its efficiency in regulating the nervous system, releasing stress, and improving sleep quality and anxiety.
It is simple, accessible, and always available. You need only five minutes a day to experience its powerful results.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
1. Rely on the power of baby steps: Every 1000-mile journey begins with crossing the first. Choose a protocol that is manageable for you. For example, start your fasting after dinner and delay breakfast for 30 minutes of your usual time. If you are on the go, pack it to eat later.
2. Prepare to win: Pick a day and plan your meals for the week. Choose healthy food: protein, veggies, and healthy fats, such as butter, olive, and coconut oils. Go shopping and cook the meals ahead of time. The food will be ready to serve when it is time to eat.
Begin your fasting protocol during the week, as your daily routine will distract you from eating. If you are fasting and have a family, plan to fast when everybody is at work and keep the family meals as usual.
3. Managing Fatigue: The first week will be challenging. Your body is undergoing a deep cleanup. You may feel tired, irritable, have headaches, or experience brain fog. You may adjust your protocol. Be flexible and adapt as you go. Get eight hours of sleep. Your body is deeply cleansing, and sleep helps you recover.
4. Handling hunger: Stay busy. Go to a movie, take walks, engage in physical exercise or yoga, or sip hot tea, coffee, or water. I added MCT oil to my coffee to keep Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, at bay. When hunger was out of control, I drank 10 oz of water. And it helped a lot!
5. Breaking your fast with protein, such as eggs, meat, or cheese. It will help you feel full quickly. When cravings arise, rely on snacks, seeds, and nuts.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health, and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
Environmental changes are a fundamental issue for me. They touch the chord of survival. Our future generations rely on the sustainability of the planet Earth. We must raise awareness of how society and our lifestyle impact clean air and fresh water. Without those essential elements, there is no life.
What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?
Visit to download this guided mindfulness meditation.
Thank you for these fantastic insights! We wish you continued success and good health.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
