[Fasting: the Switch of Life-report on the 18th International Congress of the Medical Association for Fasting and Nutrition (ÄGHE)]

The international congress of the German Medical Association for Fasting and Nutrition (ÄGHE e. V.) was held in cooperation with the Maria Buchinger Foundation for the 18th time in June 2019 in Überlingen at Lake Constance. The congress offers a platform for physicians, fasting therapists, and all interested parties to exchange the latest scientific findings in fasting research. "Fasting: the Switch of Life" was the title of the congress, where well-known national and international fasting researchers spoke about health effects of fasting therapies, the indications and contraindications of fasting, and the latest biological, genetic, and neuroscientific findings related to it, such as protein diets and integrative fasting therapies. The religious and spiritual dimension of fasting were also considered in addition to the health-related aspects. Apart from the lectures and case reports, the aim of the congress was to discuss the current developments and challenges in fasting therapy with the participants.

Low Protein Diets for Pregnant Women and Its Association with Insulin Secretion and Resistance

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) complicates 3.5% of pregnancies in England and Wales and continues to show an increase in incidence each year. GDM can lead to diabetes postpartum, it is associated with an increased perinatal risk, and an increase in neonatal mortality. This review article looks at different studies regarding protein diets and their potential effects on GDM. We aimed to determine if a certain protein diet could potentially help protect against GDM using. We found that while a few studies have shown that increasing proteins in the diet of pregnant women, specifically that from poultry, whey, fish, nuts and legumes, may reduce the risk of GDM, there is certainly room for further research on the topic.