Although fasting has been practiced around the world for millennia, intermittent fasting (IF) has been popularized in recent years as an effective weight-loss method. We’re going to walk you through a few types of IF diets and how they might improve your health.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Dr. Juan compares IF to switching from a standard vehicle burning toxic gasoline to a clean electric car.(1)
Promotes weight loss
Studies have shown that IF can increase your metabolism.(2) Without a steady stream of glucose from food to convert to energy, your body has to burn energy from a different source. First, it accesses the carbs stored in the liver. Next, the body starts breaking down fat into energy, a process called ketosis.
A recent review of nearly 30 intermittent fasting studies showed that participants lost between 0.8% and 13% of their baseline weight.(3)
Intermittent fasting can be effective because it supports weight loss on both ends: eating fewer calories overall and boosting your metabolism. Just make sure that you stick to healthy foods during your eating time.
Reduces inflammation and insulin resistance
Studies also suggest that intermittent fasting can help fight inflammation and reduce insulin resistance,(4) which are precursors to alarming conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Keeping inflammation at bay will improve your health long-term.
Protect against Alzheimer’s
Researchers have conducted animal studies to look at the effect of IF on brain function. In one experiment, a control group of mice could eat whenever they wanted. The other group was put on an intermittent fasting schedule. When compared with the control group, the IF group experienced less neurodegeneration and fewer clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s.(5)
These results show promise to slow or prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s in humans.
3 Ways to Practice Intermittent Fasting
There’s more than one method for intermittent fasting—it looks different for different people based on personality and lifestyle.
- Time-restricted eating: You fast daily anywhere between 12 and 22 hours.
- 16/8 a few times a week: You eat between noon and 8:00 PM, followed by a 16-hour fast until the following day at noon.
- Alternate day fasting: Every other day you consume your regular diet. On fasting days, you restrict your calories to 500 or 600 for the day.
Make sure you stay hydrated during your fast. You can drink black coffee, tea, and water.
A New Tool to Help your Fast
With the release of Entalla, we’ve introduced new products to help you lose weight. Our Skinny Yummy Gummy is the fasting help you’ve been looking for. It can help promote a feeling of fullness and it can strengthen good gut bacteria.
So what’s the right IF plan for me?
The short answer? The one you’ll stick to. Intermittent fasting can be a big change. Work with your doctor to design a schedule that is realistic for you and be as consistent as you can.
Let’s get healthier, together,
Your friends at Santo Remedio
References
1. https://en.misantoremedio.com/blogs/news/soy-un-buen-candidato-para-el-ayuno-intermitente
2. Teruya, T., Chaleckis, R., Takada, J. et al. Diverse metabolic reactions activated during 58-hr fasting are revealed by non-targeted metabolomic analysis of human blood. Sci Rep 9, 854 (2019).
URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36674-9
3. Welton, S., Minty, R., O'Driscoll, T., Willms, H., Poirier, D., Madden, S., & Kelly, L. (2020). Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 66(2), 117–125.
URL: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32060194/
4. Aftab Ahmed, Farhan Saeed, Muhammad Umair Arshad, Muhammad Afzaal, Ali Imran, Shinawar Waseem Ali, Bushra Niaz, Awais Ahmad & Muhammad Imran (2018) Impact of intermittent fasting on human health: an extended review of metabolic cascades, International Journal of Food Properties, 21:1, 2700-2713,
URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2018.1560312
5. Longo, V., Mattson, M. Fasting: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications. (2014). Cell Metabolism, 19(2). 181-192.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.008
