What is Fasting

THE TYPES OF FASTING

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) – Daily pattern of eating during a window of 8hrs or less5 (for example, not eating anything after 8 pm until lunch the following day).

Intermittent fasting (IF) – Extended periods of time (16-48 hrs) with very little or no energy intake in tangent to intervals of normal eating5,6 – this is what most people think of as fasting, but the body generally does not reach true biological fasting in this version.

Periodic fasting (PF) – 2 to 21+ days broken up into periods of fasting or fasting-mimicking diets5 – this is true biological fasting.

Dry Fast  – 1- 4 days without drinking and solid food.

BENEFITS OF  FASTING 

So why should someone consider a fast?  Because it turns out that there are a number of benefits to fasting, and they’re wide-ranging!

In mice models, we see that the benefits of fasting include2:

Increased lifespan

Increases body’s resistance to stress

Improves brain function

May aid in preventing cancer

Improves insulin sensitivity

Raises growth hormone levels

Helps in weight loss

Helps clear skin and prevent acne

Lower risk of deadly diseases

Helps body maintain lean muscle tissue

May help treating Crohn’s disease

Decreased diabetes

Improves immune system

Increased cognitive functioning

                                             Maintain healthy levels of metabolic markers including : glucose, blood pressure, insulin, c-reactive protein, insulin-like growth factor 1

Weight loss

Visceral fat loss

Improved cognitive performance

WHO CAN FAST

But is fasting for everyone? Well, technically the answer is no. Although fasting comes with many benefits, it is not safe for children, elderly or frail individuals, and those that are malnourished. It is also not always safe for people with difficulty regulating their blood sugar, such as diabetics or people with glycogen storage diseases.  Ultimately, it is up to your medical professional to determine if it is appropriate for you to be on a fast.

FASTING CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Fasting is a great way to improve your health. Yes, it will definitely suck at first because your body isn’t used to going such long periods without eating anything. If you are able to push through this struggle, you will be able to sustain the long-lasting effects fasting will have on your body.