Building a healthy diet is one step in maintaining your health for the long term. If you’ve changed your diet but aren’t seeing the weight loss or hormonal balance you seek, it may be wise to consider changing the timing of your food consumption.
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting can refer to several different schedules or eating patterns. You might eat normally five days a week and fast twice a week. Others may eat normally on one day and fast or greatly reduce their caloric intake the next day. Finally, you might set a daily schedule of eating vs. non-eating time. A 16/8 schedule is currently popular; those on this pattern only consume a healthy diet during an 8-hour window and fast for the other 16 hours.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Weight loss and fat-burning
If you’ve been struggling to lose weight, intermittent fasting can help you focus your eating time on the healthiest options. For those on a daily schedule of intermittent fasting, such as a 12/12 or a 16/8, the break from eating can also provide your digestive tract the time to clear and shed excess waste. Bumping up your water intake during your non-eating time is critical, especially if you have a history of kidney stones.
Improved heart health
It’s important to note that some studies indicate that those who use intermittent fasting may be at greater risk of cardiac disease. However, unpublished studies currently underway show the opposite results.
The key to protecting your heart with any diet or eating schedule is to focus on healthy foods for your heart. The features of the Mediterranean diet continue to stand out. Foods on the Mediterranean diet include:
- Whole grains
- Leafy greens
- Legumes and nuts
- Unsaturated fats, such as olive oil
- Lean meats, such as fish and chicken
- Fruits and vegetables in abundance
The intermittent fasting eating window should not mean eating whatever you want for 8 hours. One of the biggest questions of intermittent fasting is whether or not to skip breakfast.
Boosted brain function
Intermittent fasting is especially effective at lowering inflammation. While temporary inflammation, such as a rapid response from your immune system after an illness or injury, is good for the body, constant high inflammation can damage the body and brain.
A diet high in antioxidants, plenty of water, and deep sleep are all necessary to cleanse the body of excess inflammation. If you’re fasting, bump up your water consumption during non-food hours. Pay careful attention to your sleep hygiene so you can easily fall into the deepest levels of sleep. Your body will use the antioxidants in your diet to carry away free radicals and protect your brain from long-term damage.
Hormonal health
Carrying too much weight can lower your insulin sensitivity. High levels of body fat can also lower your testosterone production and make it harder to lose weight through exercise.
If you’ve been fasting for a time and have difficulty putting on muscle despite regular trips to the gym, it may be time for a blood test. You can talk with your doctor about hormonal supplementation. Adults with low testosterone can get TRT to bring their levels back to normal safely; regularly monitored injections of testosterone cypionate for sale may be all you need to feel stronger and have more energy.
Detoxification
Your immune system has many tasks to manage to keep you healthy. If your diet is unhealthy, your immune system and filtering organs, such as your liver and kidneys, will have to work harder. Take the time during your non-eating hours to load up on water.
You will urinate a lot for several days. You may also notice a big drop in the circumference of your tummy. Guard your gut with fresh fruits and veggies to avoid upset.
Improved insulin sensitivity
Intermittent fasting can allow you to give your body a break. By not overloading your system with calories, your body can better utilize the natural sugars already on board. As your body has fewer calories to juggle, you may find that your blood sugar stays more stable. If you’re on supplemental insulation, you may find you need less.
Intermittent Fasting is Flexible
There may be days when your fasting times don’t work. For example, you might have a late formal dinner or a breakfast meeting. You can do it if you need to switch from a 16/8 to a 12/12 for a day. You can also switch your start or end times for your eating window. Your physical reaction may confirm that a 16/8 is the best thing for your body!
Top-quality food and a logical eating schedule that works for your life may be all you need to safely detox, bring your hormones into balance, and improve your insulin sensitivity. Be ready to return to your doctor with concerns if your results are not what you hoped. Further hormonal supplementation may be necessary.