Intermittent Fasting
Everything you need to know about intermittent fasting
What is intermittent fasting?
This is a process whereby one abstains from eating or drinking anything for a given period of time in order to lose weight or gain other health benefits.
A good example of intermittent fasting is taking your dinner by 8pm and breaking by 12noon the following day. This means you have fasted for 16hours, bringing us to a synonymous name of the intermittent fasting which is 16/8 intermittent fasting.
Benefits of intermittent fasting
Weight loss is a very good benefit of intermittent fasting as one tends to shed weight by abstaining from certain foods for a period of time.
Intermittent fasting also gives longer life, sharper mind and it protects the body organs from chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancers, just to mention a few.
Additional benefits:
- It helps to reduce blood pressure. It has been recommended as one of the best tips in reduction of the blood pressure, But, it has been proven that this benefits only lasts while on intermittent fasting, it ends when people returns back to their normal eating routine as the blood pressure readings comes back to the initial level.
- It serves as a better outcome for stroke survivors. Healthier cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure plays a very crucial role in the reduction of the risks of stroke. An article in Experimental and Translational stroke medicine found that “intermittent fasting and calorie reduction in general may provide a protective mechanism for the brain”.
- Sleeping becomes better with intermittent fasting. This can help for those with sleeping disorders like insomnia and others. Though not all cases.
This is because the food would have digested before one hits the bed.
Disadvantages of intermittent fasting
Everything that has an advantage, surely has a disadvantage.
Intermittent fasting can:
- Promote heavy eating. When one has the thoughts of fasting, he tends to eat enough even when satisfied just to get filled for the next fasting journey.
- Make one tired and moody. The body needs constant food and liquid to keep it going. In a situation whereby the body is denied this, it causes fatigue and moodiness making it difficult for one to carry out his daily activities successful.
- Reduce physical exercise. While fasting, the body is already stressed, going into strenuous exercises and tasks could be detrimental to the body.