Why is fasting
so important?

What you consume is important. Many studies
have proven that the foods you eat have an impact on your health. What about
the time, though? Scientists are only now realising that when you eat may
potentially make a difference. Food has been sparse or completely unavailable
throughout history, according to Dr. Valter Longo, an NIH-funded longevity
researcher at the University of Southern California. "As a result, they
were forced to fast," he explains.

However, advances in technology, such as
refrigeration, transportation, and electric lights, have made food more
accessible. "This has shifted our eating patterns," Dr. Vicki
Catenacci, a nutrition researcher at the University of Colorado, explains.
"People now eat for 14 hours a day on average." According to research,
this continual food intake may cause health difficulties. Researchers have
begun to investigate whether fasting may be beneficial to some people.

●      
Absence of Food

●       Benefits

●      
Changes in body

●      
Do You Need to Fast?

Absence of Food

Fasting diets are mostly concerned with the
timing of when you can eat. There are numerous fasting diets, sometimes known
as "intermittent fasting."

You eat every day but only for a few hours
during time-restricted feeding. As a result, you may only eat between six and
eight hours every day. For instance, you may have breakfast and lunch but miss
evening. In alternate-day fasting, you eat every other day and consume no or
few calories on the other days. Another version limits calories only during the
week but not on weekends.

However, scientists know very little about
what happens to your body when you fast. The majority of research has been
conducted in laboratories using cells and animals. That research revealed early
indications of how fasting might alter the body.

Certain fasting diets appear to protect
against diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive loss in some animals. In certain
studies, fasting has even been shown to reduce the ageing process and protect
against cancer.

"In mice, we've seen that one of the
effects of fasting is to kill damaged cells and then turn on stem cells,"
Longo explains. If damaged cells are not removed, they can accelerate ageing
and lead to cancer. When stem cells are activated, new healthy cells can
replace damaged ones.

Studies are now beginning to look at what
happens in people as well. Early findings suggest that various types of fasting
may have beneficial benefits on areas of health such as blood sugar regulation,
blood pressure, and inflammation. However, fasting might produce weight
reduction. As a result, experts are investigating whether the favourable
changes observed in the body are the result of weight loss or the fasting
process itself.

Benefits

Fasting, which entails consciously
abstaining from food and/or drink for a set amount of time, has gained
popularity due to its possible health advantages. While there is some evidence
to support these benefits, individual responses to fasting might vary, so
consulting a healthcare practitioner before making any significant dietary
changes is advised. Here are some possible benefits of fasting:

Weight
and Fat Loss: Fasting can cause a calorie deficit,
which leads to weight loss. Fasting may also boost fat reduction while
conserving lean muscle mass, which can be beneficial to overall body
composition.

Fasting
can enhance insulin sensitivity: potentially
lowering the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Improved insulin sensitivity means
that cells can take up more glucose from the bloodstream, resulting in more
stable blood sugar levels.

Cellular
Repair and Autophagy: Fasting activates an
autophagic process in which cells remove and recycle damaged components. This
procedure is supposed to aid in cellular repair and upkeep.

Heart
Health: Fasting may benefit heart health by
lowering risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and
inflammation, according to some study.

Brain
Health: Fasting may increase the synthesis of
brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that aids in the growth and
maintenance of neurons. This has the potential to boost cognitive performance
while also protecting against neurodegenerative illnesses.

Inflammation
Reduction: Fasting may help reduce chronic
inflammation, which has been related to a variety of chronic conditions,
including heart disease and certain types of cancer.

It's crucial to note that, while scientific
research supports these potential advantages to varied degrees, individual
responses to fasting can vary. Fasting is not for everyone, and people with
specific medical issues, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those with a
history of eating disorders should proceed with caution and seek the advice of
a healthcare practitioner.

Changes in body

The major reason many individuals try
fasting is to lose weight. Currently, most people try to reduce weight by
limiting the number of calories they consume each day. "That doesn't work
for everyone," Catenacci clarifies. "It takes a lot of
concentration." It requires a lot of maths and a lot of
determination." Over a two-month period, persons who were overweight or
obese were equally likely to lose around 15 pounds when they either entirely
fasted every other day or reduced their calories every day, according to one of
Catenacci's research.

"Calorie restriction on a daily basis
may be the best approach for some people." "For others, not having to
count calories every day and using an intermittent fasting strategy for weight
loss may be easier," Catenacci says. "The best diet for any
individual is one that they can stick to." "I don't believe there is
a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss." Her research team is now
conducting a one-year study to assess how much weight participants lose with
fasting versus calorie restriction. They're also seeing if including a modest
meal on fasting days makes it easier to stick to as a long-term weight loss
approach.

Even the prolonged fasting period made a
difference. "The early time-restricted diet improved their blood sugar
control," adds Peterson. "And we discovered a blood pressure-lowering
effect comparable to that seen with blood pressure medication." These
findings imply that an extended fast or timing of when you eat can have health
benefits for some people, even if it has no effect on your weight.

Do You Need to Fast?

Longo emphasises that while fasting may
have health benefits, there is still a lot we don't know. Fasting may be
problematic for certain people. People who fast more than 16 or 18 hours a day,
for example, have a higher risk of gallstones, according to studies. They are
also more likely to require gallbladder removal surgery. Longo argues that
eating for 12 hours and then fasting for 12 hours is probably safe for most
people. "That pattern of eating is very common among people who have
record lifespans," he says. "It seems to match both science and
tradition."

Wrapping
Up.. If you're thinking of fasting, consult with
your doctor first. Fasting should be avoided by people who have specific
medical conditions or are taking certain drugs (see the Wise Choices box). Even
if you fast on occasion, Peterson advises that you must still make healthy meal
choices in general. "It appears that when you eat is important, but what
you eat is probably more important."