Intermittent fasting has been gaining popularity in recent years as a way to improve overall health and wellness. Here’s why intermittent fasting is worth considering as part of your wellness routine.
First, let’s define intermittent fasting. This is not a diet, but rather a pattern of eating that involves alternating periods of eating and not eating, or “fasting.” There are several different methods of intermittent fasting, but the most popular is probably the 16/8 method, in which you fast for 16 hours and then eat during an 8-hour window.
7 Great Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for Men
- Weight Loss: One of the primary benefits of intermittent fasting is that it can help with weight loss. When you fast, your body is forced to use stored fat for energy, which can lead to weight loss.
- Good for the Heart: It has also been shown to improve heart health by reducing blood pressure and optimizing cholesterol levels.
- Promotes secretion of Human Growth Hormone: HGH is a hormone produced by the body that helps get rid of fat and increase muscle mass.
- Normalizes insulin sensitivity: Eating too many carbs and sugar can cause the body to become resistant to insulin, increasing the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. To prevent this from happening, it is important to maintain sensitivity to insulin. Intermittent fasting is one way to achieve this by restricting the amount of time that you eat.
- Fast can normalize ghrelin levels: Ghrelin is a hormone that signals to the brain when you are hungry. Diets/calorie counting can increase this hormone leaving you hungrier. However when you fast, you are actually working to normalizing ghrelin levels. Over time your body will adapt in discerning when it actually needs food.
- Slows down aging: Early animal studies have shown increased longevity when compared to control groups.
So, how can you get started with intermittent fasting? It’s important to talk to your doctor before starting any new eating pattern, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions. Once you have the green light, you can start by trying the 16/8 method, or another method that works for you. It’s also important to listen to your body and make sure you are getting enough nutrients during your eating periods.
