Intermittent Fasting: An Effective Way to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

I've been intermittent fasting for a little over two years and have had friends and family ask me, "How do you go so long without eating?" "Don't you think you're setting yourself up for a gastrointestinal problem?" "Do you use any supplements to stay on top of things?" plus a lot more. This post is for anyone who is curious about intermittent fasting and has questions about it.

Fasting is not a new notion. Humans have fasted for a variety of reasons, including night-time periods, religious reasons, and food scarcity. Fasting is said to be one of the world's oldest therapeutic practices. Fasting was recommended by Hippocrates of Cos, a Greek scholar. Fasting was also strongly advocated by other Greek scholars such as Plato and Aristotle. Fasting was thought to be a universal tendency for a variety of ailments by the ancient Greeks. They also believed that it enhanced cognitive ability. Consider a day when your tummy was loaded with food. Did you feel intellectually alert and energised afterward, or were you drowsy and sleepy? Fasting is also adopted in various faiths as a means to cleanse or purify the soul. However, it effectively translates into the identical advantages that the Greek researchers have approved.

The illustration above depicts the different types of fasting. Intermittent fasting is done on a daily basis, 24 hour/alternate day/one meal a day fasting is done once a week, autophagy fasting, water fasting (36 hours, 48 hours, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days), and dry fasting are all options. Many stick to intermittent fasting because it is convenient and easy to follow. You can choose one and go for it based on factors such as your lifestyle, goal, and, more importantly, how long you can do it for if you are just getting started. Take it slow and steady, and don't give up.

Not Sure Which is the Right One for You? Find Out Here:

How Fasting Benefits Your Health Every Hour?

When we begin fasting, our body begins to break down food, and the entire process takes at least 8 hours before the healing process begins. Every hour of fasting is extremely beneficial to the body. The following are the hourly advantages of fasting for our body:

What Makes Intermittent Fasting the Most Effective and Convenient Fasting Method?

Intermittent fasting is all about progressively adopting fasting into your daily diet. It entails eating wisely most of the time and then going without food for an extended length of time every now and then. You can also have cheat days once a week, where you can overeat on a restricted quantity of food.

We have two windows in intermittent fasting - an eating/feeding window (EW) and a fasting window (FW). The eating window refers to when you eat and the fasting window refers to when you don't eat. You may alter your eating and fasting windows to suit your needs and objectives. Fasting for 16 hours and eating for eight hours (16:8) is thought to be optimum.

There are different windows of intermittent fasting that you can choose from. They are

· 12:12 (12h FW and 12h EW)

· 14:10 (14h FW and 10h EW)

· 16:8 (16h FW and 8h EW)

· 18:6 (18h FW and 6h EW)

· 20:4 (20h FW and 4h EW)/ One meal a day

· 24h (24h FW)/ Eat- stop- eat

What are the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting?

· Improves insulin sensitivity

· Reduces inflammation

· Maintains healthy heart

· Fixes hypertension

· Heals Digestion problems

· Slows down ageing

· Helps with cognitive function

· Ramps up weight loss

· Boosts immunity

· Detoxifies body

What can You Have During Your Fasting Window?

· Ample amount of water

· Green tea

· Black coffee

· Apple cider vinegar

How to Start Your Eating Window After Fasting?

· Take it slow

· Start with foods that are easy on the stomach like vegetable soups, bone broth, fermented foods and drinks, protein shakes, salads, fruits, etc.

Who Should Steer Clear of This?

While it is safe and healthy for most of us, the following people should steer clear of this or start it with the doctor’s suggestion.

· Children under 18 years

· Pregnant and breastfeeding women

· Diabetics

· People with complex health issues

· People with a history of eating disorders

Important Note: Many of us follow intermittent fasting to lose weight and other health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, etc. Intermittent fasting is however not for everyone. Hence it is advisable to consult a doctor and do proper research before we start intermittent fasting (or any diet regime).

Intermittent Fasting Sample Diet Plan

References and Image Sources

1. The Beginner’s Guide To Intermittent Fasting [Internet]. [cited 2022 Feb 6]. Available from: https://theultimateprimate.com/special-diets/beginners-guide-intermittent-fasting/

2. What Fasting Style Is Right For You? - LIFE Apps | LIVE and LEARN [Internet]. [cited 2022 Feb 6]. Available from: https://lifeapps.io/fasting/what-fasting-style-is-right-for-you/

3. How Long Should You Fast? - [Internet]. [cited 2022 Feb 6]. Available from: https://drmindypelz.com/how-long-should-you-fast/

4. (473) Pinterest [Internet]. [cited 2022 Feb 5]. Available from: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/652881277209490076/

5. Artemis Hospitals on Twitter: “Intermittent fasting has recently become a health trend. Here are some powerful health benefits for the body and brain. #ArtemisHospitals #IntermittentFasting #Fasting #HealthBenefits #Health #HealthCare https://t.co/MV2JcgD3jd” / Twitter [Internet]. [cited 2022 Feb 5]. Available from: https://twitter.com/hospitalartemis/status/1256440869919420416

6. Is The Dieting Fad Of Intermittent Fasting More Helpful Or Harmful To The Body? [Internet]. [cited 2022 Feb 5]. Available from: https://edtimes.in/is-the-dieting-fad-of-intermittent-fasting-more-helpful-or-harmful-to-the-body/

What are your thoughts on this article? Do you have any queries or need more details? Post them in the comments box below. Also, Dr. Eric Berg's video on intermittent fasting (https://youtu.be/1rfzjRoalWM) will help you with your questions.