Mumto2 – that is very interesting. Are you eating something different when you are fasting that you normally don’t otherwise?

@mumto2 – could it be by increasing the vegetables you are detoxing your body, which sometimes can be similar to a cold such as a runny nose.
Glad to hear that you will keep at it.

I’ve been doing the 5:2 diet for 3.5 years. I’m starting to see a correlation with colds(I’ve had more colds over the last 3.5 years). I’ve seen a few other posts on the Internet with people wondering about lowering your immunity while doing a fast and I’m starting to believe that’s the case, at least for some of us. Would be interested in hearing from others.

Fasting places stress on the body, as Bigbooty pointed out. Our body secretes extra cortisol as a response. High cortisol tends to suppress the immune system. Each person is unique in their ability to cope with high cortisol and other factors play a part as well, such as Vitamin D levels, liver health. Anyway, with regard to cortisol as a standalone, here is a quote from the link below: During periods of increased stress, “the immune cells are being bathed in molecules which are essentially telling them to stop fighting,” according to Dr. Esther Sternberg (20). These molecules, namely cortisol, suppress the immune system and inflammatory pathways, rendering the body more susceptible to disease.”

http://dujs.dartmouth.edu/2011/02/the-physiology-of-stress-cortisol-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis/#.V7fCR6J0l1Q

I’ve found it essential to maintain other stress factors since starting IF. Like others, I too came down with a flu within a month of starting IF, whereas I’d been exposed numerous times to all types of virus’ at work prior to that and never did it develop into anything. What I conclude out of this experience is that I need to be vigilant about lowering those other factors that place stress on my body, to help balance out the stress added by IF. For me this means getting quality sleep, heeding limits and boundaries, allowing myself ‘down time’, and of course eating consciously by making healthy food choices both on FDs and NFDs.

Thank you both for your answers. After taking your comments into consideration and what else I’ve been reading on the Internet, I am becoming convinced my colds are due to the fast added with additional stress.

For me, I have specifically correlated being sick after I have had to travel for work(3 different times now). Something I dislike immensely. I think the fact that I have adhered to this diet very strictly perhaps can sometimes be a bad thing. I think going forward I am going to be more flexible with this diet especially when traveling for work. I’ll either change the days or perhaps break the fast during these periods. Thank you for your input! All the best!

I agree Bigbooty! Besides empty calories The link below explains the mechanism of exactly how sugar consumption reduces body’s defenses by as much as 75% for hours after consumption.

http://alternativehealthatlanta.com/immune-system/sugar-and-your-immune-system/