August 16, 2020

Facts About Fasting

Should we fast?

Shoulder we go through all the hunger pains and stresses, deprive ourselves of food and our life source?

The answer is yes yes yes….

But hold on, how long should we fast for, 12, 24, or 36 hrs?

Is it just a case of restricting our daily calories or do we just delay our first meal of the day?

There are so many different ways to fast, but here are a few reasons why we fast.

When we fast or restrict our calories the body releases growth hormone. Growth hormone is the fountain of youth for the body. It promotes muscle growth, repair, and anti aging. Unfortunately, it declines as we get older.

Fasting will also use up all our blood sugars and then tap into our fat storage for energy. Great for weight loss and controlling blood sugar levels.

When fasting for long enough the body will go into a catabolic state. Although this seems scary, a bodybuilders nightmare actually has great health benefits and could be life saving.

When the body enters into a catabolic state it will use all the old and damaged cells first for its energy.

This is good news as not only does it make way for new cells to be produced it eliminates the damaged cells which have the potential to turn cancerous.

Fasting has been around for centuries and many religious beliefs have embraced it. It is also part of the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle which we fully embrace.

A good entry level way to fast is time delayed eating. This is where your first meal is at 10 am and your last meal is at 6 pm with only water in between, any other fluids will affect the fasting process.

From there you can experiment with a longer fast from once a week to every 3months.

The other beneficial side affect of fasting is how mentally strong you become and surprisingly how much energy you have. So give it a try, it’s a great way to kick start your healthy habits, become mentally strong, and trigger off some natural anti aging.

Fast Facts about Fasting:

  • Improves function of cells, genes, and hormones
  • Induces loss of body fat
  • Controls blood sugar levels & type 2 diabetes
  • Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation
  • Induces cell repair
  • Increases levels of endorphins
  • Induces detoxification process
  • Recalibrates your hunger demand signals
  • Increases growth hormone

Salmon & Quinoa Bowls with Green Beans, Olives & Feta

By Zina Stone • November 13, 2025
Ingredients 450g salmon fillet ½ teaspoon salt, divided ¼ teaspoon ground pepper 30g string beans (green, yellow, or a mix), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 ¾ cups water ¾ cup quinoa (red, white, or tricolored), rinsed 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish, or 1/2 tsp. dried 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved or sliced Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Place salmon filet on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt and pepper. Bake until the salmon is no longer opaque in the center and flakes easily with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then flake the salmon into bite-size pieces (discard the skin). Meanwhile, bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add 8 ounces beans; cover and cook until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Rinse the beans under cold water, drain well, and set aside. Combine 1 ¾ water, ¾ quinoa, and 1/8 tsp. salt in the saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Whisk 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 clove minced garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped oregano, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. To serve, divide the quinoa among 4 dinner bowls. Arrange the salmon, beans, tomato, feta, and olives over the quinoa. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with more fresh oregano, if desired. Nutrition and Cooking Times Serves: 4 | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes Nutrient Value per serve: Calories: 480kcal | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Carbohydrates: 28g

Freedom Bulletin #305

By Zina Stone • November 4, 2025
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Oven Roasted Barramundi with Tomato & Olives

By Zina Stone • November 4, 2025
Ingredients 500g barramundi fillets 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup mixed olives, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp capers, drained Zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped Lemon wedges, to serve Instructions Prepare the Barramundi Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Pat the barramundi fillets dry and season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Place them on a lined baking tray. 2. Make the Tomato & Olive Medley In a bowl, mix cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, capers, lemon zest, and half the parsley. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Roast and Serve Spoon the tomato and olive mixture over the fish. Roast in the oven for 12–15 minutes until the barramundi is opaque and flakes easily. Remove from the oven, garnish with the remaining parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve warm. Nutrition and Cooking Times Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes Nutrient Value per serve: Calories: 350kcal | Protein: 35g | Fat: 4g | Carbohydrates: 10g