Eat Less, Live Better; the latest research on intermittent fasting
For years we have been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But is it?
Many nutritionist recommend 3 meals a day plus snacks in-between, but is constantly eating over a long period of time having positive effects on your health? Let’s look to the research.
You all know I am a big advocate of intermittent fasting and a recent study; ‘Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease’ has further reinforced my stance on it.
Often we wake up and eat not because we need to but because we have trained our brains to think we need to and we are creatures of habit. Our eating routine is a key trigger of appetite as opposed to actually being hungry and this unnecessary eating might be impacting your health and longevity.
Here is how the body works; glucose (sugar in blood) and fatty acids are the main sources of energy for our cells. After meals, glucose is used for energy and fat is stored in fat cells. During periods of fasting, the body has no energy from food to access for fuel, therefore the stored fat is broken down and used for energy. In this process of breaking down fat and converting it into energy, a range of health enhancing effects take place and it’s not just limited to fat loss!
Intermittent fasting has broad-spectrum benefits for a wide range of health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and neurologic disorders. When in the fasted state the body slows down processes relating to growth and reproduction and instead focuses on removing or repairing damaged cells. This results in a number of health promoting benefits which includes:
Reduces inflammation in the body
Increases the bodies resistance to stress
Improves glucose regulation and reverses the effects of diabetes
Promotes weight loss
Boosts brain function relating to spatial learning and memory
Reduces blood pressure
Reduces LDL cholesterol
Reduces insulin resistance and improves glucose sensitivity
Promotes longevity
As more research is conducted on intermittent fasting, we continue to see the positive impacts it has on reducing disease and boosting health and longevity. If you would like to learn more about intermittent fasting and how you can incorporate it into your diet and lifestyle with ease, please get in touch. Don’t worry you can still eat plenty whilst reaping the benefits.