14 May, 2024 - Thrive!

The benefits of intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves a set pattern of eating and fasting.

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves a set pattern of eating and fasting. While other meal plans and diets focus on what you eat, intermittent fasting focuses on when you eat. Experts say it can help you lose weight and keep blood pressure and blood sugar levels stable.

The idea behind intermittent fasting is that our hunter-gatherer ancestors didn’t take meals out of a fridge three times a day. In this way, they maintained a healthier lifestyle. When you go without eating for a period of time, your body goes into ketosis. This is when the body burns fat as opposed to carbohydrates like it does when you are eating. The key is that you cannot ingest any calories while you are fasting; you can only drink fluids like water and black tea or coffee.

Different methods

According to Liezl van Zyl, a registered dietician, the goal is not to go as long as possible without food, but to have a set routine that suits your lifestyle. The most popular methods include:

16/8 method

With the 16/8 method, you eat for only eight hours of the day and fast the remaining 16 hours. This method places no restrictions on what you eat, but Liezl suggests that you still choose healthy foods. Make sure your body gets the protein, healthy fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals it needs.

5:2 method

The 5:2 method consists of limiting your calorie intake to between 500 and 600 calories for two days a week. You can eat normally for the other five days, but you should preferably stay within your recommended daily kilojoules.

24-hour fasting

This last method involves going 24 hours with no food for one or two non-consecutive days a week.

Why is intermittent fasting so popular?

Intermittent fasting (with its different methods) is undoubtedly piqueing people’s interest when it comes to losing weight. However, studies have shown that this method has more benefits than losing a few kilogrammes.

Renewal of your brain

People who stick to this programme can benefit from an improvement in their thinking ability and memory. This happens thanks to the effect periods of fasting have on the growth of brain cells. Some research shows that intermittent fasting can help to reduce the symptoms of diseases like Alzeimer’s and dementia.

Protection against cancer

Multiple studies in animals have shown that the risk of cancer is decreased with periods of fasting. This can be attributed to the effect intermittent fasting has on inflammation and insulin levels. Both are contributing factors to a heightened risk of cancer and are reduced when you fast regularly.

A healthier heart

Intermittent fasting has a positive effect on various factors that can help improve heart health. It lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, and reduces heart rate.

Cell repair

When you fast, autophagy takes place. Autophagy is when undesirable or damaged molecules are removed from cells. This natural process gets a boost when you fast.

In summary, the majority of research shows that intermittent fasting is an effective method to lose weight and that people find it easier to stick to than other programmes that are more prescriptive. It is, however, important that pregnant women, diabetics, and people with low blood pressure consult any changes in their diet with their doctor.

Read more about intermittent fasting:

Share this on:

The benefits of intermittent fasting