Intermittent Fasting – Guidelines & Benefits
Intermittent fasting is nowadays familiar for weight loss management. But intermittent fasting has multiple health benefits. There are many different ways of Intermittent fasting and remember that it is not about diet, it is about eating pattern. This article we will see about intermittent fasting guidelines and its benefits.
What is Intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a eating pattern that cycles between period of fasting and eating.
Commonly it is fasting for 2 days per week or 16 hours fasting per day{ 16/8}
Intermittent fasting has practiced as rituals and spirituals in many religions. Depending on the culture and religion, it varies.
Intermittent fasting guidelines and Benefits:
It is good to fast 12 hours per day; in fact it is normal because our digestive system function is not only digestion but also assimilation of food and elimination of waste products. Poor food habits and eating pattern disturbs its function.
Because of variance in food and economic cultures, we are eating every 3 to 4 hrs once and it is quite common nowadays to have dinner at 12 AM midnight. The entire circadian rhythm gets disturbed which results in all kind of metabolic disorders like obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, PCOD etc.
Though there are many types of Intermittent fasting, but I personally recommend is 16/8 method. i.e fasting for 16 hours and remaining 8 hours you can eat as per wish but preferably a healthy diet.
Start with 12 hours fasting like 8pm to 8am or 9pm to 9am. Earlier the time is good. Don’t take anything in between except water.
If you are going well with this, increase the fasting hours to 13 hrs, 14 hrs and then 16 hrs; Increase the fasting hours gradually but consistently.
Why 16/8 method is good?
Mostly you fast during night time, so you don’t feel much tiredness. When you start fasting by 12 hrs and gradually increase in to 16hrs, you won’t end up in Binge eating Habits which is one of the mains reasons of Obesity and Mental & Emotional distress.
Additionally, when do fasting, there is more possibility of getting some symptoms like Headache, lethargy, Hunger, dehydration, sleep disturbances craving for high fatty foods and sugary diet, some digestive disturbances, low energy and irritability. But when you practice intermittent fasting like how I mentioned above, the possibility of getting these symptoms is low.
When there is a transition, obviously these changes are common. Once your body is adaptive, you will get wonderful benefits. Try to cross this phase smoothly and don’t lose your consistency.
Intermittent Fasting Benefits:
Weight Loss:
Everyone knows that intermittent fasting aids weight loss. How? After hours of fasting without food, our body exhausts its sugar and starts burning fat which is stored in our body excessively.
Furthermore, Intermittent fasting equates the calories on both side by boosts metabolic rate and thus by it increases the calories out and it reduces the amount of food you eat and thus by decreased calories intake.
Helps in Type II Diabetes:
Type II Diabetes is mainly to due to Insulin Resistance. Some research studies show that Intermittent fasting has the healthiest impact on insulin resistance and lower the blood sugar levels. But one thing I wish to tell is, consult your physician while initiating intermittent fasting.
Increased Autophagy:
Autophagy means the process of removing wastes from the cellular level. Interestingly intermittent fasting increases the autophagy which protects against several diseases.
Decreases Oxidative stress and inflammation:
Oxidative stress is one of the steps towards ageing and many chronic diseases. So when you do intermittent fasting, it makes you to live longer and to look young.
Other benefits:
Many studies shows that intermittent fasting is beneficial for your Heart health, brain health and preventing many neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.
Intermittent fasting has many wonderful benefits for our health, again, I personally recommend 16/8 method for this digital era people. You don’t need to have a disease to practice intermittent fasting; Adapt intermittent fasting as your life style, you will see huge changes in your overall health.
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