Intermittent fasting has become all the rage in the past few years. It’s an eating pattern where you restrict yourself to having food during a certain window of time each day and fast during the rest. There are different methods of applying intermittent fasting that you can choose from or alternate between every now and then to keep your metabolism on alert. If you’re always hearing people raving about intermittent fasting without really understanding why take a look at some of its most prominent health benefits.
1.Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting is immensely popular among those who are trying to lose weight and get rid of stubborn belly fat. It’s for good reason too since intermittent fasting works wonders when it comes to enhancing hormone function, which in turn boosts fat burn. It increases your metabolic rate by 3.6-14%, which allows you to burn more calories. The increase in norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and growth hormone levels leads to a more efficient breakdown of body fat. Fasting for 14-16 hours per day means you’ll eat fewer meals, eliminate snacks, and benefit from the fluids consumed during fasting.
2.Reducing Insulin Resistance
Another great health benefit that comes with intermittent fasting is decreasing the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes occurs due to high blood sugar levels caused by insulin resistance, which intermittent fasting helps reduce. Many studies proved that intermittent fasting has the ability to reduce insulin resistance, making fasting blood sugar drop by 3-6% while fasting insulin is reduced by 20-31%. If you already have diabetes, however, make sure to check with your doctor before trying intermittent fasting.
3.Boosts Brain Function
Intermittent fasting is very beneficial for several brain functions; it reduces metabolic features that affect the brain including oxidative stress, inflammation, and blood sugar levels. It can also promote the growth of new nerve cells, as well as increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), an important brain hormone. All these processes lead to preventing a decline in memory, improving connections in the brain’s hippocampus, and protecting against amyloid plaques. It also reduces the risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and strokes.
4.Improved Heart Health
Heart disease is one of the biggest causes of death around the world, and it is usually a result of bad eating habits and prolonged exposure to stress. Lowering your insulin levels helps reduce your risk of developing heart conditions like congestive heart failure. That’s why the folks at https://21dayhero.com believe that intermittent, coupled with a balanced meal plan can reduce people’s chances of developing heart diseases. If you’re fasting but still consume processed and fatty foods, then you won’t reap all the benefits from fasting. Intermittent fasting will regulate your heart rate and reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure, protecting you from heart conditions.
5.Cancer Prevention
With no treatment in sight, people are always looking for ways to avoid the horrible experience of getting cancer. Intermittent fasting has been proved to decrease the development of lymphoma, limit tumor growth, and slow down the spread of cancer cells. Though these benefits were only seen in animal trials, it shows great promise, especially with the proven fact that intermittent fasting can change the function of cells and hormones. It also has the ability to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy for those already suffering from the disease.
6.Better Sleep
What does intermittent fasting have to with sleep, you ask? Well, everything! Many of those who have been adopting intermittent fasting for a lifestyle reported a significant change in the quality of their sleep. Eating big meals full of fats and carbohydrates is a one-way ticket to a major food coma. That’s why eating less and healthier food, with more regular mealtimes leads to having a good night’s sleep. The earlier you have your last meal, the earlier it’s digested and you won’t have to try to fall asleep with a full stomach. Studies also suggest it’s due to fasting’s ability to regulate circadian rhythm, which controls sleep patterns.
If these health benefits don’t convince you to try out intermittent fasting right away, we don’t know what will! Before you dive in, you should first consult a physician to make sure that it is a suitable option for you. Once you do, research all the methods of fasting you can adopt, and choose the one that fits your existing daily routine the most so you don’t feel a major change. Once you get past the first week, it’ll get easier, and you’ll start to reap all these great benefits.
