Category: Health
Issue: Most of us would like to improve our overall health and well being, but do not know where to begin. Changing our diet and exercising is a sure way to improve our health, but there are many benefits that can result from a simple yet repetitive habit. Welcome to Intermittent Fasting (“IF”).
IF studies have shown that IF can lead to improvements in health conditions such as obesity, cancers and neurological disorders, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, cellular repair, increase in human growth hormone, reduction in insulin levels promoting fat burning and other benefits.1 Even though IF results in reduced calorie consumption, weight loss is not the main driver of the health benefits. The key mechanism is metabolic switching, in which fasting triggers the body to switch its source of energy from glucose stored in the liver to ketones, which are stored in fat. “Ketone bodies are not just fuel… they are potent signaling molecules with major effects on cell and organ functions.”2
Solution: The proper IF regiment includes:
- Engaging in alternate day fasting, 5:2 IF which focuses on fasting 2 days each week; and or
- Engaging in daily time-restricted feeding such as eating only during a 6-8 hour window, while refraining from eating for 16-18 hours.
If fasting 24 hours twice a week is not an option, you can choose to fast one day in the week. And, if fasting for 16-18 hours is not something you would want to do initially, you can start your daily fast by skipping breakfast.
Conclusion: If you want the most potent no-cost health improvement habit to improve your mental and physical performance, help you lose weight, improve cell repair and or potentially live longer, then you should consider starting IF.
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