Intermittent fasting is simple and easy to understand. The calories are not important, but the time you consume them.
And it can help alleviate age-related diseases, make it easier to lose weight, and improve the gut microbiome. Learn here how Intermittent fasting works and what it can do.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
The principle of Intermittent Fasting is very simple: there are periods when you can normally eat and periods when you do not eat any calories. You can drink only unsweetened tea and water in abundance.
In the eating phases, everything is allowed. But it would be best if you eat healthy foods, such as vegetables, little refined sugar, fast food, white flour, or white rice.
You can even combine IF with keto for better results. It is challenging but rewarding.
The principle of intermittent fasting is inspired by the dietary approach of our ancestors, the hunter-gatherers. They did not have a continuous food supply and inevitably had to fast regularly. The human body is therefore accustomed to periods of fasting. So you can practice intermittent fasting in the long term or even permanently.
Besides, IF helps avoid the yo-yo effect that occurs in most crash diets. Because fasting does not shut down the metabolism.
How intermittent fasting works?
There are different variations of intermittent fasting. And depends on your individual preferences and your discipline in terms of abstinence from food, you can choose the best one for you.
- Whole fasting days: fasting on one to three days a week (1:6, 2:5, 3:4 fasting).
- 36:12 fast: For one day, you normally eat, for example, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the following night and the entire following only liquid is allowed.
- 20:4 fast: There is a window of four hours per day in which eating is allowed. For 20 hours, there is nothing but tea and water.
- 16:8 fast: It is suitable for everyday use, in which fasting takes place for 16 hours and eating for eight hours every day. For example, you can skip breakfast or evening meals.
- 24-hour diet keto: It almost too good to be true. This extreme diet is the most effective way to lose weight quickly and without the yo-yo effect. You can use up to 4 pounds in one day.
The benefits of intermittent fasting
During the calorie-free phases, the autophagy in the cells kicks in after 14 hours. In this process, the cells digest outdated and defective building material, and the body cleanses itself of old waste.
So Intermittent fasting can help with, among other things:
- Break down fat
- Inhibit inflammatory processes
- Reduce cholesterol levels
- Lower blood pressure
- Stabilize the blood sugar level
So with intermittent fasting, you don’t just lose weight. It can prevent various diseases, such as joint problems, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and skin diseases like neurodermatitis and acne. And it can even prevent different forms of cancer.
Animal studies also show that intermittent fasting can prolong life.
Risks of Intermittent Fasting
You should not fast during pregnancy and breastfeeding (not even in phases) to ensure that the child receives enough energy and nutrients throughout the day.
