Hour Fast Benefit #: Better Gut Health
If we had to blame a single factor for the modern-days epidemic of chronic disease, wed single out inflammation.
The scientific literature is clear that chronic inflammation has devastating effects on ones health. Inflammation essentially causes poorer expression of your genes. If your mother has arthritis, for example, chronic inflammation may make you more susceptible to developing the same thing.
Thankfully fasting may help. It improves gut health enough to reduce many inflammatory markers. Its ability to promote ketosis means it can also help your body generate new, inflammation-fighting mitochondria. This process is called mitophagy.
In addition to reducing inflammation , increased mitophagy has been correlated with an increased lifespan.
Rodent studies show that IF extends lifespan by 36-8%. Its possible that a similar effect is seen in humans, though more research is needed before we can know for sure.
Fasting also reduces inflammation by relieving your digestive tract from the burden of non-stop digestion. It uses this time off to regenerate the gut lining, reducing your risk of leaky gut syndrome and preventing harmful endotoxins from escaping the digestive tract.
Are There Any Potential Downsides To Intermittent Fasting
IF isnt recommended for people with a previous history of eating disorders, like anorexia or orthorexia.
In some people, IF may impair sleep patterns and alertness. It can also cause an increase in stress, anxiety, and irritability for some.
Warning
Intermittent fasting isnt recommended for those with a history of disordered eating.
What Does The Research Say
In terms of weight loss, there have been several studies showing the benefits of IF.
A small showed that people who ate only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. had lower appetites and increased fat burning after practicing IF for 4 days.
A small showed that alternate-day fasting resulted in bodyweight loss of about 2.5 percent after 22 days.
IF may have the potential to manage blood sugar and insulin levels, according to a 2018 study.
A few rodent-based studies suggest fasting can extend the average life span and improve the aging of the brain.
A indicated that IF may offer protection from:
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Hour Fast Benefit #: Improved Cognition
Studies show that intermittent fasting boosts several hormones, notably Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor , that are neuroplastic and neurodegenerative in nature.
In other words, fasting provides the perfect fuel for your brain. Increased BDNF levels are associated with improved mood, cognition, productivity, memory, and creativity. Harvard neuropsychiatrist John J. Ratey calls BDNF Miracle-Gro for the brain.
Its not known why intermittent fasting boosts BDNF so powerfully, but our evolution may give us some hints.
Throughout human history most tribes and people groups wouldve gone long stretches without food, say before their next successful hunt. During this time, peak physical and mental performance wouldve been paramount to securing the next meal and the body wouldve met this need.
To this day its thought that the human body perceives fasting as a healthy stressor and responds by forming new neurons that prime your body to learn new skills. In this type of emergency situation, BDNF allows our brains to form new neural networks quickly.
How Does The 16/8 Diet Work
One topic we should cover is how the 16/8 diet helps to mitigate disease risk while aiding in weight loss.
While scientists still have a lot to learn, there is one aspect of the 16/8 diet that we know plays a huge role in how this diet improves your health status and that is your circadian rhythm.
Your circadian rhythm is a natural bodily process that follows an approximate 24-hour cycle that coincides with the sun. One example of this rhythm is sleeping at night and being awake during the day.
Other aspects of your body follow this rhythm as well. For example, certain processes related to digestion and metabolism are upregulated during the day and downregulated during the evening.
Humans, and most mammals, evolved to have this cycle as a way of preserving energy to maximize survival. In other words, your body evolved to downregulate certain processes during times of the day when you were less likely to use them as a way to conserve precious energy .
Studies have shown that disruptions to our circadian rhythm can increase our risk for certain metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and more .
One way to disrupt this system is by eating constantly throughout the dayâ¦or eating when processes related to digestion and metabolism are downregulated. This means that late-night snacking can disrupt your circadian rhythm and increase your risk for disease.
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Health Benefits Of 14 10 Intermittent Fasting
Regardless of the type of time-restricted eating, they all affect similar pathways in the body with the end result of less inflammation. By reducing inflammation, fasting potentially reduces the chances of many diseases.
Fasting may help with many conditions, especially the following:
Rheumatoid arthritis-Ramadan fasting reduces inflammatory markers in people with this condition.
High blood pressure-is reduced by fasting, especially with longer fasts. Fasting may help lower blood pressure by promoting better sleep, reducing fasting insulin levels, and an increased ability to relax. The body increases its loss of sodium during a fast as well.
Cancer risk-fasting reduces the risk of cancer and reduces the chance of cancer recurrence and cancer mortality.
Metabolic syndrome-fasting reduces body fat levels, reduces fasting insulin, and increases insulin resistance. Therefore, fasting is an important tool for helping prevent type 2 diabetes.
Improving cardiometabolic health-fasting helps to reduce body fat, body weight, calorie intake, and inflammation. It also may help reduce triglycerides and improve cholesterol ratios.
May help prevent diabetes-fasting may help promote the health of the pancreas and therefore help reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes.
Obesity-a good fasting plan helps increase fat burning especially when combined with exercise. Fasting results in better weight loss than calorie restriction or high-protein diets.
How To Avoid Low Energy
Acclimating to intermittent fasting is similar to acclimating to the keto diet. In both cases, anything that helps you move toward fat-burning mode will help you make the transition. Supplementing with MCT oil, coconut oil, and other healthy fats may help with ketone production and overall acclimation.
Upping your caffeine intake a little may also help you avoid low energy, since caffeine helps your body mobilize fatty acids as fuel.
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What Is 16/8 Intermittent Fasting
The practice of 16/8 intermittent fasting involves limiting your intake of foods and calorie-containing beverages to a set window of 8 hours per day. You abstain from food for the remaining 16 hours, though youre still allowed to drink water and other no-calorie beverages, like plain coffee or tea.
You can repeat this cycle as frequently as youd like from just once or twice per week to every day, depending on your preference.
The popularity of this fasting method has grown widely among those looking to lose weight and burn fat. 16/8 intermittent fasting is also believed to improve blood sugar control and enhance longevity.
While other diets often set strict rules, 16/8 intermittent fasting is easy to follow and may provide measurable results with minimal disruption to your diet. Its generally considered less restrictive and more flexible than many other diets and works with most lifestyles.
Summary
With 16/8 intermittent fasting, you restrict your food intake to an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This practice may support weight loss, improve blood sugar, and increase longevity.
It is simple, safe, and sustainable to do 16/8 intermittent fasting.
If Is A Program Which Can Be Followed In Different Ways
All these methods have been investigated and the outcome mapped across various studies show certain benefits for diabetes control:
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Ways To Keep It Manageable
IF can be tough, especially in the beginning.
In addition to the telltale grumbling of your stomach, you may also experience fatigue, irritability, and stress while you try to manage your new eating schedule.
Here are some tips to make your life a little easier:
As you begin your IF journey, these common concerns may be on your mind.
When Can I Eat On The 1: 8 Diet
If you’re following the 16:8 diet, you can pick any 8-hour window to suit your day.
“The most common hours adopted for the eating period is 12pm to 8pm,” explains Tom Jenane, nutrition and fitness expert at Nature’s Health Box . “The reason for this is because people aren’t normally that hungry in the morning and you don’t want to be consuming too many calories in the evening. This window allows for lunch and dinner as well as healthy snacks .”
But while the choice is yours, research has identified the best time to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner for weight loss. According to a study by the University of Murcia , it’s best to stick to a breakfast in the morning, as skipping the meal is linked to a higher rate of obesity. Meanwhile, a late lunch can hinder weight loss in those trying to reduce fat mass, and a late dinner decreases glucose tolerance, making it easier to gain weight.
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What To Eat To Break Your 16 Hour Fast
When it is time to break your fast it is best to start with smaller portions of food that are easily digested so you dont overwhelm your digestive system.
Nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest that contain protein and some healthy fats can break your fast more gently.
We know that you will be hungry after 16 hours of not eating but the worst thing to do here is to break your fast with processed or junk food that is full of fat, carbs, sugar, etc.
Always prepare something that is easily digestible and nutritious. Here are some foods that will help you to break your 16 hour fasting period:
Soups You will know what time your fasting ends. Prepare a soup that contains protein and easily digestible carbs, such as lentils, tofu. Avoid soups with heavy creams or large amounts of raw vegetables.
Smoothies Great option to introduce nutrients to your body since smoothies contain less fiber, than whole raw vegetables and fruits.
Dried fruits Apricots, raisins, dates. Dates are often used to break a fast. They are healthy, nutritious, and very sweet. Learn more about the benefits of dates here!
Fermented foods Kefir or yogurt are also good drinks to break a fast.
Avocados This fruit can be the first choice to eat after fasting for 16 hours.
So when you are ready to break your 16 hour fasting time and start eating first focus on easily tolerated foods that can help replenish important nutrients and electrolytes.
Going Extreme Isnt Always Better
Popular IF advice online says to abstain for 16 to 24 hours between feeding periods on a regular basis. However, Dr. Longo advocates a feeding window of 12 hours per day for optimal health.
While clearly the diet psychology of IF appeals to some people, even done short term, conventional IF advice may come with health risks.
According to Dr. Longo, if you eat only for four to six hours a day, then you start to see gallstone formation increase the chance that youre need your gallbladder removed.
Studies show that elongated periods between eating increases the risk of gallstone formation in women, regardless of weight.
While research hasnt found the exact connection, studies indicate theres a correlation that people who skip breakfast tend to have much higher rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and death.
Extreme limited feeding windows and alternate-day fasting can also cause problems with cardiovascular disease, whereas 12-hour TRF was shown in a study on flies to .
On the other end of the spectrum, Longo notes that if you eat 15 hours a day or more, that starts to be associated with metabolic problems , sleep disorders, etc.
Dr. Longos advice: Eat for 12 hours, then refrain for the next 12. Stick as closely to this daily feeding schedule as possible to minimize adverse health effects.
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Helps In Losing Weight
Initial studies do seem to support the claim that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight. In a recent study, participants decreased their body weight by up to 8% over 3 to 12 weeks. Following an intermittent fasting plan also helped them decrease their body fat by up to 16%.
Intermittent fasting may help you lose weight for a few different reasons. Fasting can help you reduce your calorie consumption and shed excess pounds. Skipping meals may also increase your norepinephrine levels, a hormone that boosts your metabolism and lowers your insulin levels. Insulin prevents fat from being broken down, so having less of it in your system may contribute to weight loss.
What Is Intermittent Fasting 16/8
The 16/8 fasting diet formally known as time restricted feeding is a form of intermittent fasting that allows you to divide your daily caloric intake pattern into intervals. Your feeding pattern is defined within a window of time, and the remaining time of the day is considered the fasting window. Within the 24 hours in a day, you consume your caloric intake in an 8-hour period span, the remaining 16 hours of the day is made up of fasting period. During the 8-hour feeding window, there is no restriction on the types or quantities of foods consumed, essentially you can eat whatever you want. During the 16-hour fasting period, you are encouraged to drink plenty of water or calorie free beverages i.e tea or coffee.
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Maintaining A Window Of A Minimum Of 12
Depending on the size of the last consumed meal, 8 hours are required for the meal to be digested, absorbed & assimilated. However, in most cases, 8-hours is not enough for the body to complete these processes. Hence, professionals recommend at least a 12-hour window between meals for this detoxification process to sustain the systems cleanliness.
Being Aware Of Boundaries And Restrictions
Individuals need to realise & be aware of the boundaries of intermittent fasting. Therefore, many should avoid such prolonged periods of fasting. For example, young adults, breastfeeding or pregnant women need to avoid fasting regimens as they have strict nutrient requirements.
Diabetic patients need to refrain from such fasting methods. They require regular insulin administration and are instructed on a strict diet of regular small meals at even intervals to avoid feeling dizzy or fatigued. Intermittent fasting among women can cause hormonal imbalance, affecting mood, fertility, and menstruation. Therefore, consulting professionals is advisable before such regimens.
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The Leangains Protocol Or Time
This fasting regimen involves restricting the daily eating periods to 8 hours or longer. One of the most popular examples of such a type of intermittent fasting is the 16/8 method. This fasting pattern features a window of 8 hours of eating, followed by 16 hours of fasting. During the 8-hour eating period, one is allowed to fit in 2 or more meals as per choice.
The proponents of the 16/8 method often claim it to be the most sustainable, convenient, and easy way to burn calories, shed extra kilos, and significantly improve health. Moreover, it also assists in combating high blood pressure and efficiently controlling blood sugar levels. You can repeat this fasting cycle as per your preference. It can range from once or twice every week or even every day.
The 16/8 regimen is more accessible to follow than other intermittent fasting routines. Moreover, it provides comparatively better results with nominal disruption to your lifestyle. The growing popularity of 16/8 fasting is due to its flexibility, fewer restrictive protocols, and ease of adoption into varying lifestyles. However, a few factors are essential to negate this methods potential health risks. These include choosing a whole-food balanced diet and avoiding packaged food, sugary drinks, deep-fried items, & other ultra-processed foods.
Several studies have also associated drawbacks of this fasting technique which include:
How Do I Get Started
You can start by setting your schedule, keeping the 16:8 division in mind. Choose an eight-hour window, which will be the period within the day when you can consume food.
Most people who get on 16:8 Intermittent Fasting choose the eight hours between noon and 8 p.m. because they can have a healthy lunch and dinner, plus a few snacks spread throughout the day – meaning they’ll only need to fast as they sleep and through breakfast.
Some go from 9-to-5, or between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m, because you’ll have time for a solid breakfast in the morning, your regular lunch at noon, and an early dinner or a snack right before 5 p.m. when your fast begins.
There is no fixed schedule that works for everyone so you’re free to try out whatever timeframe best suits you and your routine.
Now, just like any diet, you’ll only get to make the most out of the health benefits of 16:8 Intermittent Fasting if you watch what you eat. During your scheduled eating period, it’s highly sticking to nutritious whole foods and beverages is highly recommended.
However, you can experiment and pick the time frame that best fits your schedule.
Additionally, to maximize your diet’s potential health benefits, it’s important to stick to nutritious whole foods and beverages during your eating periods. Make sure you don’t use your snacks throughout the eating period as an excuse to munch – or worse, binge – on junk food because that might just undo all your hard work, or worse, do your body harm.
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