The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Various patterns of intermittent fasting have become popular since people find these diets easier to follow than traditional calorie restriction.
In a recent 3 month study of time-restricted eating, the participants ate their usual meals but ate only between 8AM and 6PM (10 hours) and took in no calories during the other 14 hours each day.
They did not change the amounts or kinds of food they ate or how much they exercised.
At the end of the 3 months, the participants:
– had eaten 9% fewer calories per day (without trying),
– lost 3% of their body fat and reduced their belly fat by 3%
– lowered their high blood pressure, bad LDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, and HBA1c (a measure of cell damage from sugar stuck on cells)
– slept better at night.
The various types of intermittent fasting can be useful for people who want to lose weight, want to maintain their existing healthful weight, or want to keep from depositing excess fat in their liver.
The best time to eat is before or just after finishing exercising, when your muscles will draw huge amounts of sugar from your bloodstream to help prevent a fatty liver that can cause obesity, diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and premature death.
If you are diabetic, have low blood pressure, take medications, or are underweight, discuss your plans with your doctor.
Remember your best source for everything health is your chiropractor.
