Intermittent Fasting and Longevity: Is There a Connection?

Intermittent fasting has taken the world by storm in terms of diet popularity. However, it’s no new trend. Humans have been using intermittent fasting for thousands of years. In fact, it is widely a part of many religious practices.

But the reason intermittent fasting is a popular buzzword today is that scientists and studies are starting to grasp the benefit of this lifestyle fully. One of these benefits is longevity, among several other health benefits.

Let’s try to understand exactly what intermittent fasting is and why longevity may be connected.

Intermittent Fasting: What Is It?

Intermittent fasting is a practice in which one with stains from eating food during a particular time period during their day and night. This “starving” or fasting period allows the body to change its cells, hormones, and even genes to adapt to this survival mode, even if it is for short periods of time.

If you don’t know where to start, use a free app for tracking fasts to make things easier. This can help keep you accountable and help you stay on track if you aren’t sure what to do.

Several Styles

There are many different approaches when it comes to intermittent fasting. Because our bodies our individualized, some approaches work better for some than others. Having said that, some approaches are also more extreme than others.

Often these styles are used in combination with eating healthier foods or certain types of foods at different times.

Here are some of the most popular Intermittent fasting approaches.

• The 16/8 follows a 16-hour fast and an eight-hour eating window. This means that all your meals and snacks will fit into this window. Most people choose to do this between 10 AM and 6 PM. This is when our bodies are most likely to digest the food best.
• The 5:2 diet is more about calorie restriction than anything else. For five days of the week, you are eating what you normally do. Then for two days a week, you are restricting your calorie intake to 500-800 calories a day.
• The Warrior Diet was one of the most popular approaches at one point in time. This involves eating raw fruits and veggies throughout the day and one bigger meal at night.

Among these three, there are tons of variations to look into and choose from.

Where Does Longevity Come Into Play?

Intermittent fasting has been proven by studies to provide many health-related benefits. This includes both physical and emotional.

Weight Loss

Many people turn to intermittent fasting as an approach to losing weight. The process is two-fold, both burning through our fat and restricting the calories we eat. Because of the eating window and certainly diet choices, it assists with less calorie intake. During the fasting periods, the body starts using stored fat as energy resulting in weight loss.

Blood Sugar Regulation

Intermittent fasting may improve insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels. With intermitting fasting, glucose is regulated in terms of how often and how much it’s being released into the bloodstream. This has led to reducing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and improving overall metabolic health.

Longevity In the Fight Against Disease

There are many reasons why intermittent fasting increases longevity. By losing weight in our bodies and controlling our diets, humans reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other weight-related issues.

Our body also shows that we have less inflammation and fight against oxidative stress. This risk of chronic disease significantly lowers. But that’s not all. Studies have shown that biomarkers related to disease significantly improved with an intermittent fasting approach. This has helped stave off degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

An Upside to Explore

Regardless of what fitness state you are in, intermittent fasting is a diet that is worth exploring. However, it ] is always important to consult with your primary care physician before making any lifestyle changes such as this. While intermittent fasting does have a heavy list of benefits, it is not uncommon for dieters to feel side effects in the first few days.

Sometimes, this can include feeling nauseous or lightheaded. When this is combined with exercise, the symptoms can worsen. This is when our body is adapting and adjusting to the new lifestyle. That’s why it’s crucial to keep fueling your body with the right nutrients and vitamins.