Is Intermittent fasting the way to good health & weight loss?

• Conventional Fasting has been followed in India & globally since ancient times(Ramadan,Navratri,Shravan) – spiritual & meditation benefits
• According to the tradition some follow no food no water fasting, skipping non veg foods, consuming fruits & millets each benefiting health in various ways.

• The Modern Fasting technique aka intermittent fasting involves cycles of eating and fasting. It involves fasting between a minimum of 12 or ideally 14 to 16hrs and restricting eating during 8hours in the day (16/8) or fasting for 24hours once-twice/week.

How does IF work?

• The food we consume is broken down by enzymes in our gut to glucose which eventually ends up as molecules in our bloodstream. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose especially refined carbs are quickly broken down into sugar, which our cells use for energy. If there is excess of energy than the required amount, body stores it in our fat cells in our adipose tissues. But sugar can only enter our cells with insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas. Insulin brings sugar into the fat cells and keeps it there.
• Between meals, as long as we don’t snack & overeat, our insulin levels will go down and our fat cells can then release their stored sugar, to be used as energy. We lose weight if we let our insulin levels go down. The entire idea of IF is to allow the insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that we burn off our fat.

How to follow it:

• IF is basically an eating pattern as there is no do’s & don’ts on food restriction but just time restrictions.
• 16/8 Consume dinner by 8pm & next day meal by 12pm or for 14hrs at 10am
• Or Alternate day 2-3 times a week fast & eat normal on rest of the days.

Health Benefits:

1. Boosts metabolism & causes Weight loss
2. Prevent insulin spikes- diabetes
3. Lowers Cholesterol, LDL & TG’s – heart health
4. Lowers inflammation & improves the repair & regeneration of cells in the body

Is the diet advisable to follow?

1. Difficult to follow on a long term basis
2. People suffering from metabolic disorders & co morbidities need to consult a qualified dietician if they wish to follow.
3. Not advisable for pregnant & lactating women, children & underweight individuals, individuals with a history or eating disorders.

Summary:

• Before one begins to follow IF one must seek medical advice & consult a qualified dietitian for the same.
• IF has a lot of health benefits but those can be achieved by a normal healthy diet & that too will produce a similar result in health & weight loss.
• Just following an IF diet without monitoring your diet’s nutrient profile will not help as IF has no nutrient intake guidelines & so fasting without a balanced diet may not be beneficial.
• Do whatever you can follow for a life time.