Intermittent fasting is a well-planned eating pattern that can benefit your body in many ways. It can improve heart health, reduce inflammation, improve the cell repair process, and most importantly, help the body to burn unwanted fat. Intermittent fasting is gaining huge popularity among people looking for a healthy weight loss free from any type of supplements or medical procedures. If you are one of them, this is the right content for you. 

Understanding the Basics of Intermittent Fasting:

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern cycle that is practiced between the periods of eating and fasting. The most famous methods are the 16:8 and 5:2 cycles. To put it in simple terms, intermittent fasting focuses on eating less or less often. You can do it in many ways. For instance, you can eat five hundred calories two days per week and eat normally the remaining days. Or, you can also practice it by restricting the window of eating to a limited number of hours in a day. This process is called time-restricted eating. Most of the time, people will not eat 12 to 14 hours before breakfast. 

Some people also follow a more stringent fasting process where they limit the window of eating to 8 to 10 hours. In such cases, people will maintain a window from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm or 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The narrower the window, the more time the body will get for fasting and burning the fat. A well-planned fasting can also rejuvenate the body. Intermittent fasting is considered to be safe for most people. However, if you are pregnant, it is not advised to go on this fasting process. 

Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting:

There are many things that happen in the body when you do not eat for a while. For instance, the body will change the levels in order to access the stored fats. The body will also start different cellular repair processes in such cases. It has also been observed that the insulin levels in the blood will also drop significantly during fasting. This in return promotes the burning of the fat. The HGH levels in the blood can also increase dramatically when you observe a fast. The high levels of these hormones promote muscle gain and fat burning in the body. 

Another amazing health benefit that has been noted with intermittent fasting is the change in functions of the body’s cellular repair process. During the fast, the body starts removing waste materials from the cells and starts repairing them. When it comes to gene expressions, there have been beneficial changes in several genes and molecules. This activity is related to longevity as well as protection against diseases. 

Most people practice intermittent fasting to lose weight. Usually, you will be eating fewer meals during this fast, which results in lesser calorie intake. Additionally, intermittent fasting enhances the hormone functions to promote weight loss. The higher HGH levels, increased levels of norepinephrine, and lower insulin levels all increase the breakdown of body fat. This makes the body use the stored fat for energy, helping you burn those unwanted calories. All in all, intermittent fasting has the potential to be a great weight loss tool. 

Intermittent fasting has shown an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels and insulin resistance. Thus, a well-planned fasting process can protect you against type 2 diabetes. Various studies suggest that intermittent fasting can be highly protective for people who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, these results can vary from person to person. Therefore, it is imperative to consult an expert before starting this fasting procedure if you are facing any health issues. 

Oxidative stress in the body can contribute to aging and other chronic diseases. It involves free radicals, the unstable molecules that react with other important molecules and damage them. According to some studies, intermittent fasting can enhance your body’s resistance to oxidative stress. It also helps in fighting inflammation in the body. 

Other benefits of intermittent fasting include its effects on the heart’s health, cellular repair process, prevention against cancer, benefits on the brain, prevention against Alzheimer's disease, etc. 

Conclusion:

Intermittent fasting is a very popular weight loss process practiced by many. A proper and well-planned fasting can help you to lose weight and also live longer. As there are different methods to practice this fasting procedure, you can choose the right option that suits your lifestyle and health. If you have any health issues or take any type of medication, it is necessary to consult a health expert or registered dietician.