Is Fasting Healthy: Behind The Intermittent Fasting

Introduction

Intermittent fasting is not as difficult as it sounds. It is simply fasting in regular periods where you shun from all forms of food that contain calories in the middle of normal eating periods of consuming nutritious foods. It does not involve starvation or being able to get away with eating junk food. Many wonder, 'Is fasting healthy?' There are many different types of intermittent fasting regimens; some divide time in hours, and others divide in days. There is no specific regimen that can be called the best since the response to the regimen varies from one person to another.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

It is important for you to know that that intermittent fasting will not instantly shed off your extra pounds and also help you stop unhealthy food addictions. If that is what you are expecting then sorry but it is not possible. It is a dietary lifestyle that you have to be determined to follow so as to achieve the maximum benefit from it. If you already have little time to eat because of your timetable, this fasting regiment will fit you like a sock but if you are a foodie you will have to be always aware of what you ingest. Select the dietary practices that will suit you after professional consultation. Intermittent fasting should be viewed as a section of your ‘get healthy’ plan but not the only thing that is in it.

Your body gets used to intermittent fasting if you do it on a regular basis thus it will automatically turn in to regular activity for you. Your body will modify itself so that you have a regular hunger pattern as you will feel hungry when you are ready to eat instead of eating after false hunger signals. When intermittent fasting is done on for a longer time, it ends up in quicker results but should be done less regularly. It is possible to switch regiments but does not do it because it may seem hard at first since all of them are quite similar in that aspect. The more you do it the easier it gets like riding a bike.

The Impact of Fasting on Circadian Rhythms

Your eating patterns affect hormones in your body that stimulate hunger and fat storage like insulin. Thus your eating habits affect your circadian rhythms. These circadian rhythms are regular, foreseeable and recurrent variations in hormones and behaviors over a day. Almost all hormones are secreted in a circadian rhythm such as those that are required for growth.

The season and time of day affect the circadian rhythms. Food was most likely available most during day time as they hunted and ate in the light as they had no light source in the night time. Other animals had inversed circadian rhythms as they may sleep during the day and eat and hunt in the night. You may eat the same portion of food as someone else but the timing can make a huge difference in your body and overall health. Insulin levels are higher in the evening than in the morning thus eating large meals in the evening can cause more fat gain. This can help link the connection between eating and obesity as it is more of a hormonal inequality than a calorific inequality.

Intermittent fasting may turn out to be hard to deal with if you are in an environment with high stress. It can actually do the opposite of what you intended it to do as it can increase fat adaptation. It should be aware of the reason you are doing it and how otherwise it will bring more negative than positive.

Believe it or not, even hunger follows a circadian rhythm otherwise we would be constantly hungry. Hunger is lowest in the morning and at least in the evening. The hunger rhythms are not just determined by how long you have stayed without eating hormones affects it too. It takes time for your hormones to adjust thus in the first few days you may feel hungry during the time that you are fasting but after that, you will not be feeling hungry during your fasting time.

Many people say that breakfast is supposed to be the largest meal of the day but as stated earlier you are least hungry in the morning. Eating a large breakfast is basically forcing the body to take food it does not require; this has a negative impact on your weight loss goals. In the evening your insulin amounts are highest which results in a lot of conversion of glucose into fat if you eat a large meal at the time. The opportune time to eat the largest meal of the day is at lunchtime.

The Healthy Side of Intermittent Fasting

When you fast, the body gets energy through burning stored fats. This trains your body to rely on fat for energy instead of glucose even when you are not fasting. The body normally uses stored fat for energy in places like the heart and muscles but as a result of excessive eating more is being added thus it replaces the fat that has been used up. The parts which use stored fat also do not have adequate time to utilize it properly as glucose is added to the system constantly causing them to stop using the fat as excess glucose in the blood is bad so the body has to get rid of it first. If you eat a lot and do no exercise, cells won’t be able to burn the fat that has been stored. This is where intermittent fasting comes to help.

Healthy person's cells are already used to burning fat when required so adding intermittent fasting regiment is like adding gasoline to a flame. More fat will be burnt but demanding your body to depend on fat as its only source of fuel. People whose cells are not healthy, those that struggle in using fat for energy, will have to exercise so as to get the maximum benefit from intermittent fasting. Exercise helps your cells burn both fat and glucose when needed by the body thus help give you energy instead of increasing your fat storage.

Intermittent fasting helps you discover several things: you realize that hunger passes eventually and does not cause you to eat excessively if it becomes too much, you don’t need to eat constantly, you will become more clear-headed, you will not faint as the body naturally adjusts and so much more. These are myths that have no solid evidence but are based on theories of people who have never tried intermittent fasting. Once you try it for yourself you will know the truth. Intermittent fasting can help you stay lean and feel good while doing it, keep you healthy in your weight loss journey, and help you maintain your new size.

Precautions of Fasting

Even though intermittent fasting is beneficial it is not everyone who can practice it. This is especially true in regards to pregnant women, and those that are still nurcing their young ones.this groups of people require a lot of calorie intake which will then result to a more effective fasting scheme. You can get your body back after you have had the baby and finished nursing. This regiment should also not be attempted by people with type 2 diabetes even if there is some proof that it may help with insulin imbalance and insensitivity; you are highly advised not to do it. If you have a history of eating disorders or have a feeling that you might develop one then fasting is not for you. If you are seeking a weight loss plan but you are under 18 years of age, children, and adolescents, you should consult a pediatrician for proper advice because you should not attempt intermittent fasting.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is designed for those who would like to regulate their hormones and burn off excess body fat but are generally healthy. It is also meant for those who live off an unhealthy diet consisting of processed foods and sugars. This diet enables them to appreciate healthier whole foods and has an improved all-rounded diet. It can also benefit people who have sugar addiction or empty calories. These foods include sodas and coffee which have very little nutrients but are full of calories. Finally, there are people who generally want to do better in life and want a food plan that doesn’t require too much planning and effort to maintain. Everyone falls under one of those categories, so you know if it is for you or not. Even if intermittent fasting is not for you, continue reading the book so as to get more knowledge on the subject for future use. 

Works Cited

1. Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2016). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Research Reviews, 39, 46-58.
2. Antoni, R., Johnston, K. L., Collins, A. L., & Robertson, M. D. (2018). Investigation into the acute effects of total and partial energy restriction on postprandial metabolism among overweight/obese participants. British Journal of Nutrition, 119(6), 657-666.
3. Patterson, R. E., Laughlin, G. A., LaCroix, A. Z., Hartman, S. J., Natarajan, L., Senger, C. M., ... & Gallo, L. C. (2015). Intermittent fasting and human metabolic health. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 115(8), 1203-1212