Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that includes the periods of fasting of around 12–36 hours.
We already have been discussed in detail about what is intermittent fasting and what are the different types of it?
In this article, we’ll discuss the health benefits of intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting has astounding advantages for your body and brain. Some are quite self-evident, Such as weight loss, while others may be more surprising.
Let discuss the benefits and, start with the obvious one
Weight Loss
Everyone who wants to reduce weight think about intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting helps you in eating fewer calories which leads you toward weight loss.
Furthermore, intermittent fasting changes hormone levels to encourage weight reduction.
During fasting, the body reduces glucose reserve. Its fundamental vitality source from nourishment.
Without glucose, our body starts burning fats to speed up the process “ketosis”
As indicated by a 2014 survey study, intermittent fasting can prompt critical weight reduction. In this survey study, intermittent fasting was found responsible for a 3-8% reduction in weight during 1-6 months period.
Results were also different for various types of fasting. People, who opted intermittent fasting, lost 0.55 pounds (0.25 kg) after 7 days. People, who opted alternate-day fasting, lost 1.65 pounds (0.75 kg) after 7 days.
According to another study, fat adults who pursued the alternate-day fasting technique shed around 13 pounds over an eight-week time frame.
The benefits of intermittent fasting turn around weight reduction as well as useful for metabolic wellbeing, longevity, and chronic disease.
Lower Cholesterol
Many studies have concluded that intermittent fasting may prompt a decrease in total cholesterol by around 20 percent.
This turns out to be considered impressive when we take a gander at the breakdown of the consequences for LDL (Bad Cholesterol), HDL (Good Cholesterol), and triglycerides.
We need to ensure that a lessening in cholesterol originates from decreases in LDL or triglycerides, and not brought down HDL.
Intermittent fasting reduces the risk of various chronic diseases including, blood pressure, cholesterol and reduces insulin resistance, concluded by a study on overweight women in 2010.
Reduce the cancer cell.
Intermittent fasting or Calorie limitation can slow and even stop the advancement of cancer, eliminate cancer cells, improve the immune system and remarkably improve the viability of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
In a study, fasting was appeared to invert the advancement of obesity and type 2 diabetes in mice. As we know that obesity is one of major reasons for cancer, which may bolster fasting to treat disease.
Another study demonstrated that twice in a month fasting-imitating diet decreased the occurrence of cancer.
The same scientist conducts a pilot trial with 19 humans and results were comparatively same. This study exhibit reduced biomarkers and possibilities of cancer.
Another study, conducted in 2016, showed that the advancement of brain cancer or skin cancer can be reduced or slow down by the combination of fasting and chemotherapy.
Intermittent Fasting improves brain health
As you grow up, your neurons shrinks and brain volume decreases due to less bloodstream to the brain. Intermittent fasting helps in slowing down the aging process and keep you mentally strong and sharp.
A study shows that intermittent fasting is good for brain health and reduce the chances of neurodegenerative illnesses, for example, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
For one, it tapers obesity and lowers the chances of diabetes which ultimately reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s because both, obesity and diabetes, are the reasons for Alzheimer disease
Intermittent fasting is effective in protecting neurons and promoting autophagy. A study in 2003 found that intermittent fasting helped protecting the brain’s neurons from neuronal death. It expedites the autophagy (the procedure your body experiences to get out harmed cells and create new ones) in neurons.
Improves memory and Ease depression
Intermittent fasting boosts brain memory and improves learning. Calorie restriction for three months can improve brain memory, found by a study in 2009. The improvement of brain memory was measured by their ability to recall the words. The sampling of study was 50 adults.
Intermittent fasting also helps you in getting out the mind state like Depression. A study found that depressed people disclosed that they witnessed the improvement in mood, mentally active, relaxed and feeling of peace when fasting.
Lower your risk for cardiovascular disease
People are dying from cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and heart Stroke and these numbers are increasing day by day.
In the US, According to the Centers for Disease Control, around 610,000 individuals pass on of coronary illness.
The risk of cardiovascular disease can be reduced by adopting a healthy lifestyle such as by Eat right, workout, quitting smoking and restricting alcohol consumption.
A study of 32 adults, published in 2013, shows that alternate fasting (a type of intermittent fasting) reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and helps you in reducing your body weight.
In addition, fasting can improve your LDL (Bad Cholesterol) and triacylglycerol concentration.
Reduce the risk of diabetes
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 84.1 million individuals in the US are suffering from pre-diabetes.
Pre-Diabetes is a condition that can lead you toward type II diabetes if left untreated.
Intermittent fasting reduces the insulin resistance and protects you against type II diabetes by lowering Glucose level.
In a study on Intermittent fasting, a 3-6% reduction in blood sugar and a 20-30% reduction in insulin was recorded.
You may be conclusive by this study that intermittent fasting can act as a protective agent, for people who are experiencing pre-diabetes or For those who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
