Fasting is something that has gained popularity in recent times is what we may think. However, fasting is a practice that dates back to many centuries. It also forms an integral part of many cultures and religions. The definition of fasting is this: abstinence from foods or drinks over a set period of time. There are many ways of fasting. Some are even based on seasons. However, most of the fasting types have a duration between 24 to 72 hours. And intermittent fasting has got a huge connection with this. Many agree that intermittent fasting (IF) is the most loved and popular dieting fads that the millennial gen adopts. A person practicing intermittent fasting has to cycle between fasting and eating periods daily. Even actress Jennifer Anniston has been saying that intermittent fasting has made such a huge difference in her life. There are a few variant approaches for intermittent fasting; among which the 16:8 and 5:2 are the most popular.
In the 16:8 type of intermittent fasting, you are allowed to eat in an eight-hour window frame and the remaining sixteen hours of the day you have to fast without eating anything. In the 5:2 type of intermittent fasting, you are allowed to spend five days of the week eating, and the remaining two days you ought to be fasting religiously. Now, if you are wondering why people off late have begun to opt for intermittent fasting instead of a low carb or a low-fat diet? Well, the answer is because intermittent fasting has managed to be proven with hell loads of health benefits. Several types of research say that intermittent fasting cannot be regarded as just a means of losing weight but it also helps in regulating healthy levels of blood sugar in the body and it also slows down the aging process of the body. No, we will not let you take these claims at face value. Let’s dig into the health benefits and understand them in a legit way. Read with us.
- Intermittent Fasting Modifies The Genes, Hormones, And Function Of Cells In Our Bodies
In intermittent fasting, you are restricting yourself from eating for quite many hours in a day. So, when you aren’t eating for a while, several changes begin to happen in your body. For example, the defense mechanisms in our body kick start many vital cellular repair processes and it will also take to hormones and change them so that the stored fat in the body becomes more accessible. Let’s look at some of such changes that initiate in the body as a result of intermittent fasting:
- Growth Hormone: The growth hormone plays a key role in keeping our body healthy and allowing it to grow at the right time and in the right manner. And during IF, the blood levels of this hormone increase almost as much as five times.
- Insulin Levels: The insulin levels in the body drop drastically and this makes the fat burning process kick start at a good pace.
- Cellular Repair: As much as cells multiply in our body, it is also vital to repair the cells if they are harmed or damaged. And during IF, the body initiates important cellular repair processes. This allows the cells to get rid of the waste materials that it is stuck with.
- Genes Expression: Genes undergo several beneficial changes which result in the longevity of the molecules of our body. It also develops shields against diseases. The defense mechanism game gets stronger day by day if one religiously follows intermittent fasting.
- Intermittent Fasting Will Help You Lose Belly Fat And Weight Overall
Ask anybody why are they into dieting and a majority of them will answer, “to lose weight.” People have a conception that following a diet is an ideal step towards losing weight. They fail to notice that diets are also a step to gaining mass or muscles. Intermittent fasting however doesn’t restrict your eating. It just lets you eat with an eating window. It also enhances the functions of our hormones which allow you to lose weigh in a much more natural manner. The weight loss is initiated while on an IF by these—lower levels of insulin, greater levels of growth hormone—these facilitate our bodies to start breaking the fat stored and use it for energy. Even weight loss supplements like Phen24 helps you increase your metabolism, it helps you be pumped up with energy, and also helps you burn fat for energy easily/
Intermittent fasting can also be called as short-term fasting. And this method lets you increase the metabolism rate of the body 3 to 14 percent. Yes, no kidding here peeps! Another happy fact about IF is that it allows us to get rid of the stubborn belly fat too.
- Intermittent Fasting Reduces Your Insulin Resistance—This Lowers Your Chances Of Falling Prey To Type 2 Diabetes
If you look back at the previously gone decades, the cases of Type 2 diabetes have been increasing at a rapid pace. The reason for this rise could be many, increases levels of blood sugar which can easily be termed as “high” is the main reason behind it. Therefore, one way to tackle this issue to follow anything that reduces insulin resistance in our body. This will result in lower blood sugar levels and will also protect one from Type 2 diabetes.
And intermittent fasting has been proving to be beneficial for insulin resistance. When the sugar levels of those following the IF for a while were checked, it was found that the fasting blood sugar levels of these people saw a drop by 3-6 % and the fasting insulin levels of the same people saw a drop by 20-31 %. Now, isn’t that incredible!
Read: How To Help People With Diabetes?
- Intermittent Fasting Reduces The Inflammation And Oxidative Stress In The Body
In many case studies, it was found that oxidative stress leads to premature aging as well as chronic diseases. This is a condition where the free radicals of the body interact with the very important molecules of the body like our DNA and protein and destroy them or damage them. And many studies have shown how practicing IF helps increase the body’s resistance towards dealing with oxidative stress. Studies also talk about how IF help fight the inflammation of the body. It protects you from developing any chronic diseases. It also helps you to steer clear from premature aging.
- Intermittent Fasting Also Helps To Stay Away From Heart Disease
If you think what’s the greatest threat to mankind in terms of health, it is definitely heart ailments. If you study any of the chronic diseases, you will soon realize all of them have got a connection with weak cardiovascular health. Studies have shown how practicing intermittent fasting helps one maintain good levels of the following—blood triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, inflammatory markers, blood pressure, and also levels of blood sugar in the body. Your cardiovascular health is bound to walk on a healthy note with these levels in check. Say yes to a healthy heart with intermittent fasting.
Losing weight has always been such a struggle for people to achieve. It requires the correct mindset, good guidance, and most importantly it also required sheer consistency and determination to stick to the weight loss regime you have opted for yourself. Sometimes, you might be thinking that you are doing it all right and you still haven’t managed to lose any weight at all. This could be because you haven’t been getting the right guidance. Finding the right solution to your weight loss problems is the first and foremost key to getting lean and healthy. And this can be achieved by following a healthy lifestyle with intermittent fasting. Or you could also make use of health supplements like Zotrim which is a great weight loss supplement to lose weight at a rapid pace. It will not only help you lose your weight while maintaining the energy of your body which is essential for you to carry throughout the day with optimism. Above all of these, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key to a healthy body. There are many distractions in today’s world but being strong-headed and sticking to your decisions helps in the weight loss journey in the best way. And intermittent fasting helps you achieve just that.