Every once in a while, a new health craze will hit the market that people claim will absolutely change the way that you live your life. Though it is unlikely that every popular health trend that comes out will automatically change your life, the truth is that some of them do have merit and work for certain people depending on their circumstances.
One interesting trend that has been prevalent for a while now, with people both praising and criticising it, is the concept of intermittent fasting. This style of fasting, which relies on cyclical periods of eating and fasting, is something that is more grounded in science than it is about forcing yourself to endure periods without eating. This is why we brought together this quick guide to help you understand what it is all about.
Controlling what you eat
In its simplest form, intermittent fasting involves controlling when you eat. The general idea is that you will want to spend prolonged periods of time not eating, which is meant to allow your body more time to break things down and manage its processes. Historically, humans really did not have extensive periods of time when they would be able to reliably have access to food on a consistent basis.
Nowadays, if you want something to eat, you are probably only a few minutes away from fulfilling that need. Many people wonder if that is necessarily a good thing, so people have begun to explore the benefits of fasting.
There is no right or wrong way
There is no right or wrong way to fast, and you will find a variety of ways to go about it online. The only requirement is that you will pick a schedule that allows for you to spend a sizeable amount of time without eating so that your body can begin the fasting process.
The science behind intermittent fasting is being explored by a lot of people. The list of potential benefits seems to be growing by the day. It is important to note that there are some people who should exercise caution when fasting, including pregnant women or people with certain health conditions. However, intermittent fasting is known to help with a variety of things.
The benefits
It can assist with weight loss by helping the body to focus more on breaking things down. It can improve the quality of your sleep cycle by allowing your body to spend less time focusing on digestion and more time getting you to that treasured REM cycle. There is even science to suggest that it can assist with a variety of ailments including insulin resistance, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and problems relating to inflammation.
Final word
Intermittent fasting might not be right for everyone, but plenty of people can benefit from some of these changes. The reality is that intermittent fasting gives your body a chance to reset in a lot of ways, which can have plenty of positive outcomes. As long as you can comfortably give this a shot, you might be surprised by how it impacts your overall health and wellness.
Some studies even suggest that it can improve cognitive function. With this process it is best to start out small and build your way up, but it might just be the change in dietary habits that you have been looking for.
