February 23, 2021

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

Healthy one-pan piri piri chicken

By Zina Stone • November 27, 2025
Ingredients 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried oregano leaves 1/4 tsp dried c hilli flakes 2 (about 500g) chicken breast fillets, halved horizontally 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 small zucchini, sliced 175g mini capsicums, deseeded, halved 1 tbsp no-added-salt tomato paste 400g can cherry tomatoes 2 tsp white balsamic condiment 140g (2/3 cup) wholemeal couscous 160ml (2⁄3 cup) boiling water 250g green beans, steamed, halved lengthways Lime wedges, to serve Instructions Step 1 Combine paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli. Sprinkle spice mixture over the chicken. Step 2 Heat half the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the zucchini for 1-2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to plate. Add chicken to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until browned and almost cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Step 3 Heat remaining oil in pan over medium heat. Add capsicum. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until begins to soften. Stir through tomato paste. Add tomatoes and 125ml (1 ⁄2 cup) water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 6-7 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add chicken, zucchini and balsamic. Simmer for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Step 4 Meanwhile, combine the couscous and boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Cover and set aside for 3-4 minutes to absorb. Fluff with a fork. Nutrition and Cooking Times Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Nutrient Value per serve: Calories: 480kcal | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Carbohydrates: 28g

Freedom Bulletin #306

By Zina Stone • November 27, 2025
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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