In intermittent fasting, you switch between eating and fasting within a certain period of time. Some people do it by skipping breakfast but eating lunch and dinner. Others eat a normal diet for five days and fast two days a week. Lastly, some eat three meals in one day and completely or partially fast the next day.
If you have never fasted, you may wonder if there is anything beneficial about it. According to intermittent fasting Las Vegas physicians, there are a lot of advantages to doing so. Without further ado, here are five of them below.
It Can Help You Lose Weight
When you fast, your body undergoes a process called ketosis. That means your body begins to burn stored fat because of lacking sufficient glucose for energy. Another reason for losing weight is that you also reduce the number of calories you consume.
If you want to lose weight through fasting, ensure you are consistent. Assuming you are doing it for the first time, you may revert to the normal way of eating due to hunger. In case you become hungry, distract yourself with a hobby.
It Improves Your Heart Health
Intermittent fasting improves your heart by decreasing bad cholesterol. It usually collects around the walls of your blood vessels which consequently leads to heart attacks. Additionally, it causes insulin to regulate glucose in the body. Too much of it can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart.
Since you are eating less, you are unlikely to become obese. When you are overweight, a lot of fat builds up in your arteries. As a result, it causes clogging, which triggers a heart attack.
It Can Prevent Cancer
When you fast, you reduce your blood sugar levels, which then hinder the growth of cancerous cells. They require glucose to multiply. Compared to non-cancerous cells, they consume a lot of glucose. If you want to limit your blood sugar levels, it would be best not to eat too much starch.
Sometimes, doctors recommend intermittent fasting to patients who have just undergone chemotherapy. Therefore, you can fight cancer that way in addition to medical treatments.
It Improves Your Brain
Fasting does a lot of things for the brain. First, it eliminates brain issues that occur as we age. That is because fasting improves the ability of nerve cell networks to control their activities. Doctors also sometimes recommend it for people with epilepsy.
Another way it improves your brain is by boosting your mood. People who fast usually report feeling a sense of pride and achievement. That is because they are able to control their desire to eat.
It Reduces Inflammation
Intermittent fasting reduces the release of inflammatory cells called monocytes. Also, it lowers their activity by keeping them in ‘sleep’ mode. Monocytes are helpful because they fight disease-causing organisms. However, when they are too many, they may reside in the spleen and liver and cause autoimmune diseases.
Intermittent fasting is a therapy to consider doing if you aren’t already. Although it is beneficial, it can be challenging to take it up. To make it easy, you should stay hydrated. If you drink enough water, you will be full and not desire to eat.
When you do not eat, you can easily get bored. Think about it; some people eat when they have nothing to do. If you are such a person, you should distract yourself with walks or meditations. Since this can be hard to do alone, you can ask a doctor or relative to hold your hand.
