There is a popular saying that health is wealth. Over the years, especially in recent times, humans are paying more and more attention to their health. It seems more appropriate today to say that health is everything. One aspect that is receiving huge attention in how people manage their health these days through food, and more specifically, how they consume it. In this area, how intermittent fasting can be the key to a longer life is a topic that has gained global interest at different levels.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Fasting in the general perspective is described as a deliberate abstinence from food for certain periods of time. Many people engage in fasting for a number of reasons. In some religions, it is seen as a rite, and a spiritual exercise. Beyond these obligatory conditions, scientific evidence is emerging that suggests that intermittent fasting can be the key to a longer life.
What is intermittent fasting? There are several different “methods” you can choose from, but most commonly intermittent fasting works around the 16:8 rule. You fast for 16 hours, and eat during the period of 8 hours.
A number of well-known names and celebrities have credited intermittent fasting with the exceptional health results that they have achieved in their lives. Some of these examples include Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry, who claim that intermittent fasting is the reason why they look, feel and even sleep better. Even long before the days of Berry and Jackman, Hippocrates, who is known as the father of modern medicine, is reported to have prescribed intermittent fasting as a healing-spurring habit.
How Does The Body React To Intermittent Fasting?
Technically, when food and the body are concerned, this is what happens:
Whenever we take in food, our body releases insulin in order to help the cells convert sugar (glucose especially) into usable energy. Any glucose that isn’t used up immediately is usually stored in fat cells, also with the help of insulin. This is how weight is accumulated in the body.
When we do not eat food for prolonged periods, and there is no fresh sugar intake for energy production, our bodies begin to break down the stored energy in fat cells. This is released in order to sustain us and help us carry out activities. The result of this is weight loss, as a result of the broken down fat cells. This is the basic idea behind intermittent fasting. It simply gives our bodies the opportunity to break down excess fat that may be harmful to us.
Different people adopt different fasting time-tables, based on what suits their individual or collective ways of life. For instance, some people abstain from food for up to 12 hours everyday. There are those who employ the 5:2 system, meaning that they eat normally for five days of the week and fast for the remaining 2 days. During the fast, most people just take in water, herbal tea or black coffee to sustain themselves.
What Are The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting?
As mentioned above, the goal remains to give the body enough time to “decongest”. That is, enough time to break down and get rid of excess substances that could turn around and become harmful to the body.
There are existing claims that intermittent fasting helps to improve several aspects of everyday life. Such claims are that it helps to slow down the aging process, reduces the chance of cardiovascular diseases and other age-related disorders. The chances of getting other kinds of illnesses like cancer and neurological disorders (Stroke, Parkinson’s disease etc) are also claimed to be reduced by intermittent fasting. The result of this is key to a longer life.
Information about intermittent fasting is not limited as a discussion for only regular people who are practising healthy living. A number of deliberate scientific researches have been carried out in line with this topic. Several experiments have been executed to determine how intermittent fasting affects lifespan.
A Scientific Backing For Intermittent Fasting
Many other potential health benefits have been identified that result from intermittent fasting. They include accelerated weight loss, reduced inflammation, lower cholesterol, longer lifespan, blood sugar stabilization, and prevention of type 2 diabetes. All of these put together sum up how intermittent fasting can be the key to a longer life. Nevertheless, anyone intending to adopt this way of life must choose an intermittent fasting plan that suits his or her personality and lifestyle.
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Apparently fasting while you are sick is also good as you starve the virus out.
I am 100% not sure how true this is.
Currently giving Intermittent Fasting a bash, great timing on this piece 😉