“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” is a well-known phrase given by Hippocrates that emphasizes the importance of nutrition in protecting an individual’s health.
Diets focus on what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat? Controlling or inhibiting our hunger until the next meal might sometimes become challenging. Intermittent fasting is one of the most commonly followed diets that are in trend.
Eating influences our senses, hormones, and gastric impulses. We should be able to determine our meal portion and when to end our meal. Our food consumption is triggered by various factors, such as mood swings, type of food, sensory stimulation, physical and mental health, time of the day, etc.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a time-restricted eating pattern where the eating and fasting windows are scheduled. More than the foods you eat, IF specifies the ‘time.’ The commonly followed pattern of IF is 16:8, which means 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating window. Besides sticking to the 16:8 method, being on a calorie deficit is one the easiest ways to lose weight.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
There are numerous health and weight control benefits with IF. It has metabolic health benefits, maintains hormonal balance, aids in weight loss, etc. It is simple and easier to prepare the body to eat during a restricted time period.
The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting are as Follows:
- Weight loss: Eating during a specific or limited period reduces the number of calories we consume. It is regarded as one of the best diets for those looking for weight loss and fat loss diets.
- Heart health: Helps to improve resting heart rate. It also helps to improve risk factors, such as triglycerides, blood pressure, inflammatory markers, and LDL (bad) cholesterol that are associated with increasing the risk of heart disease.
- Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes: Helps to reduce insulin resistance, thereby lowering the chances of type 2 diabetes. Intermittent fasting shows a significant reduction in blood glucose levels.
- Prevents cancer: Fasting has beneficial effects on the metabolism at the cellular level. Intermittent fasting can reverse the symptoms of chronic health conditions like cancer.
- Cellular repair: Initiates the cellular repair process and brings positive changes in the hormonal levels. Thus, it helps in the removal of waste material from cells. It also breaks down the dysfunctional proteins in the cells.
- Reduces oxidative stress: Oxidative stress is a sign of increased risk of developing chronic diseases. IF improves the body’s resistance to oxidative stress and fights inflammation.
- Increases lifespan: IF promotes health and increases lifespan. IF contributes to the changes in the mitochondrial network that are the energy-producing units in the cells. Their capacity to process energy reduces with aging. Fasting brings changes in the mitochondrial networks and increases longevity.
Healing with Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is considered one of the best approaches that help the body heal by itself. Fasting helps to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Fasting is an integral part of many traditional practices and stands as an ideal way to purify the body and strengthen the mind.
When our body adapts to starvation, it stimulates glycogen breakdown from the glucose stored in the adipose tissue. Fasting helps the gut to heal by itself when it is not exposed to food and digestive enzyme secretion.
Tips To Follow During Intermittent Fasting
Check out some tips that help you gain maximum benefits from intermittent fasting:
- Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and by sipping calorie-free drinks like herbal tea
- Choose nutrient-rich foods with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to keep you satiated for long
- Season your meals with herbs, spices, etc., especially while eating not so tasty foods with fewer calories
- Avoid doing strenuous workouts while you are fasting for a long time
- Think less about food during your fasting window; it avoids binge eating during the eating window
Consult Our Nutritionist Today
Intake of a balanced diet during intermittent fasting can bring dramatic results in improving your health. It can also minimize the risk of developing various illnesses and diseases.
Our nutritionists atAyu Health are highly experienced and provide you with the right diet plan that suits your body. Dial us at +91 08069489584 to book a consultation with our nutritionist and get a perfect diet plan.
If you need additional resources or would like to speak with a professional, feel free to contact us right away at +91 636-610-0800 or book an appointment on our website. Our expert team is here to assist and support you every step of the way.
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