WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INTERMITTENT-FASTING!

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INTERMITTENT-FASTING!

 

Intermittent Fasting (IMF) supercharges your body's ability to use its' body fat as fuel better and is NOT a diet but a way of eating. It mimics what are ancestors did with their cycles of feast and famine. In traditional Indian communities, fasting is an integral part and now there is increasing evidence from scientific community on the benefits. Stubborn weight loss which is usually noticed in insulin resistance, responds well to IMF. Dr Jason Fung’s work on fasting for Type 2 Diabetics is remarkable. The next time when your grand-mom talks about fasting, do not ignore her. Respect ancient wisdom.

Too good to be true? Let's see

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SCIENCE BEHIND INTERMITTENT FASTING

Fasting has been around for thousands of years and commonly practiced in major religions and utilized by medical practitioners. Like most other approaches to weight loss, the overall goal is to reduce calories without malnutrition. However, compared to the other approaches, Intermittent Fasting is focused on ‘WHEN’ to eat and ‘WHEN NOT TO’. You eat within a time window during 24 hours and you fast for the rest. Here are some examples:

  • 12:12 – fast for 12 / eat for 12 hours
  • 14:10 – fast for 14 / eat for 10 hours (this seems to work best for women)
  • 16:8 – fast for 16 / eat for 8 hours (Men tend to find this protocol works better and gets them the best results)

Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) is a protein produced by the liver when it is stimulated by growth hormone circulating in the blood. It plays a role in the growth of muscle, bones and cartilage throughout the body, and is critical to growth and development during childhood. Lower levels of IGF-1, induced by calorie restriction, have been shown in rodents to slow the ageing process and protect against cancer.

IMF results in increased fat burning and fast weight loss by forcing your body to use up fat stores as fuel. When you eat, your body uses glucose (sugar) as its primary source of energy and stores whatever is left over as glycogen in your muscles and liver.

When you don’t give your body a steady stream of glucose, it begins breaking down the glycogen to use as fuel. After the glycogen has been depleted, your body seeks out alternative sources of energy, such as fat cells, which it then breaks down to help power your body.

1. PROMOTES WEIGHT LOSS

IMF results in increased fat burning and fast weight loss by forcing your body to use up the fat stores as fuel. A study focused on the 16/8 method of intermittent fasting showed that it significantly reduced fat mass while retaining both muscle mass and strength.

2. REDUCES INFLAMMATION

 

Studies have proved that longer duration of night-time fasting was associated with decrease in makers of inflammation.

 

3. KEEPS HEART HEALTHY

One of the most impressive intermittent fasting benefits is its favorable effect on heart health. Fasting can influence several components of heart health. It increases good HDL Cholesterol and decreases both bad LDL Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels. And

4. PROTECTS THE BRAIN

 

In addition to keeping your heart healthy and warding off disease, some studies have indicated that intermittent fasting protects the health of your brain. IMF enhances cognitive function and protects against changes in memory and learning function

5. DECREASES HUNGER

Leptin, aka the satiety hormone, is produced by the fat cells that help signal when to stop eating. Your leptin levels drop when you’re hungry and increase when you’re feeling full and IMF influences this.