Intermittent fasting
FASTING e.g. Ramadan can wreak havoc with blood glucose and insulin levels. Why do some actually LOSE WEIGHT during Ramadan? Read on to find out…
FAQs: Is fasting healthy for diabetics? Why do I gain weight during Ramadan? Are there any health benefits to fasting? Can I IMPROVE BRAIN plasticity and HEALTH by FASTING INTERMITTENTLY? READ ON….
Is Fasting Healthy For The Body?
Benefits of fasting – what happens when the body fasts:
After a few hours of fasting, the body starts to burn fat. Also cholesterol is broken down into beneficial bile acids. This is like a lightbulb inside the brain switches on only at night (when you are fasting) this highlights energy pathways used in: RREE
REPAIR. RENEWAL. The liver shuts down glucose production for several hours, lowering blood glucose levels. Instead of ending up in the bloodstream, extra glucose is used to repair damaged cells and make new DNA, which can help prevent chronic inflammation. ENZYMATIC ACTION. ENERGY RELEASE. Meanwhile, liver enzymes are activated and help in the creation of brown fat (the good kind, which converts extra calories to heat). RREE
- Weight loss
- Life Extension
- Gut health
- Will power
Weight loss
Fasting can make exercising for fat loss more efficient. In turn, exercising makes fasting easier. Burning fat also releases something called ‘glycerol’ from your body-fat stores. When the fatty acids are released, so is the glycerol. Glycerol is a valuable precursor for gluconeogenesis [a metabolic pathway] in the liver that helps keep blood glucose stable.
However, there are studies of obese people developing Candida albicans infections when fasting causes ketosis. So there’s evidence pointing to the idea that KETONE PRODUCTION is not a good idea. Read more about this here.
Life extension
Studies indicate that short-term fasting can increase longevity, HELP REGULATE GLUCOSE LEVELS, and help treat everything from ASTHMA and AUTOIMMUNE diseases to CARDIAC arrhythmias.
Exercise! Yes, EXERCISE and intermittent fasting improve brain plasticity and health according to this study.
Gut health
Caloric restriction might mediate its health-promoting effects on the body by inducing a healthy gut microbiota or gut microbiome.
A Calorie restricted diet reduces the abundance of bacteria that correlate negatively with lifespan. These changes are associated with reduced serum levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein – a marker often associated with inflammation. This suggests that reduced inflammation caused by antigens from gut bacteria might be one of the health benefits transmitted by caloric restriction.
Calorie restriction diet
Calorie restriction or a calorie restriction diet is not necessarily the same as fasting or intermittent fasting. Further studies are needed to clarify how these structural changes in the gut microbiota may extend lifespan. Also further studies are needed to validate whether they could serve as biomarkers for the development of dietary anti-ageing interventions.
Is Fasting Healthy For The Body?
Will Power
Taking ownership of our health requires determination and will power to do so. Fasting or intermittent fasting can help build up your phycological capabilities or mental strength like re-training your mind or remapping neuro-pathways in your brain so that your will have a memory of this healthy behaviour, or the feelings associated with fasting, for life.
Hunger and weight loss DO NOT always go hand in hand. Fasting can ‘remind’ your body this long-term.
SAFE. CLINICAL. PRACTICAL. EFFECTIVE.
NOTE:
The body relies on key nutrients to eliminate toxins, build healthy tissue and more. Therefore, intermittent fasting can cause problems for people who are not generally well nourished.
If you are suffering from autoimmune or chronic illness e.g. diabetes, CVD it is SAFE to seek advice regarding fasting around your Naturopathic Portfolio