Here’s what experts say about the rewards — and risks — of intermittent fasting

“Then how do you eat?”

My annual checkup was going well and my doctor was asking me about my diet. “Moderately slightly oversized?” I said with a shrug. Then I objected. you Do you eat? “

“Well,” replied the doctor, “I practice intermittently fasting.”

I’ve heard hype over the years about how fasting can help you maintain a healthy weight. Alzheimer’s disease To sleep apnea To cancerBut what made the most compelling case I’ve ever seen about fasting was my energetic and very astute doctor’s figure who doesn’t look anywhere near my age. .

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As someone who has never uttered the phrase “I forgot to eat,” and especially carries around granola bars to stave off hunger rage, I doubt I am a candidate for meal skipping. And the information about intermittent fasting seemed so confusing and contradictory that I didn’t even know where to start. Do you only eat at certain times of the day? Are there days when you don’t eat at all? But most importantly, what I wanted to know was what it actually contained for me.

Quite a lot, after all… maybe.

“Intermittent fasting is about when you eat, not what you eat.” Elizabeth Ward, Boston Area Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant. “Intermittent fasting is more of a lifestyle than a prescription diet because you don’t have to prepare or buy calorie restriction or special foods.”

However, you have the flexibility to change how you do it.

“There are several types of IF, such as timed eating, eating nothing all day, or eating very little,” Ward continues. Only zero calorie beverages are allowed for 16 hours and you eat during the 8 hours you choose, the 5:2 plan eats normally 5 days a week and consumes 25 days otherwise. A day is % of your daily calories (about 500 for women and 600 for men).Alternate-day fasting (ADF) allows you to drink calorie-free beverages on alternate days and eat on the rest of the days. .

Most people discover IF because they are interested in weight loss or weight maintenance because it seems to promise dramatic and rapid results. This is definitely an easy way to limit calories and avoid foods with low nutritional value.

“Breakfast in America is usually a high-carbohydrate, high-sugar, high-calorie meal,” says New York doctor James Stallman, a doctor at my local clinic. It’s a really tough time.Many of my patients, myself included, are hungry by 9:30pm and snack on cookies and sweets.Eating after 7pm is probably a real problem. You’ll get rid of all those pesky carbs that are.

But unlike other diets, intermittent fasting seems to offer real, possible health benefits, as it initiates various processes that make the body more efficient. “As a result of periods of restricted food intake, the human body initiates a metabolic switch from glucose to stored lipids,” the paper states. A cascade of metabolic, cellular, and circadian changes This has been associated with numerous health benefits in animal models and humans. Duration of IF is associated with reduced risk and prevalence of neurological disorders as well as weight and metabolic disorders. “

And in a widely disseminated 2019 New England Journal of Medicine review of “Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease,” it noted that “metabolic switch from glucose-based to ketone-based energy ” has been reported to cause “It improved stress tolerance, increased life expectancy, and reduced the incidence of diseases such as cancer and obesity.”

There’s science proving why intermittent fasting is healthy for your cells. Christine Kingsley, Director of Health & Wellness Lung Institute and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse explains: Why is verbal memory significantly improved during and after practice? “

There are other potential benefits as well.

“One of the main effects is lower insulin levels.” Registered Respiratory Therapist, Founder and CEO John Landry respiratory therapy zone“HHigh insulin levels are associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. By lowering insulin levels through intermittent fasting, individuals may be able to reduce their risk of these conditions. Intermittent fasting is thought to contribute to several chronic diseases. It is also associated with a reduction in inflammation.”There is currently limited research on the effects of intermittent fasting on lung health. However, some research suggests that intermittent fasting may have potential benefits for respiratory function, such as reducing inflammation and improving oxidative stress.

Intermittent fasting also usually means that your body isn’t busy digesting during breaks, which can lead to better sleep, experts say.

“An IF schedule with a last meal at least 2-3 hours before bed (note: for the general public, not for night shift workers) supports healthy sleep and optimal daily energy in many ways. can do. Chester WuBoard Certified MD in Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, uses the Sleep & Energy app rise“Better digestion, less risk of heartburn and acid reflux, and less sleep at night.” When you’re busy digesting a meal, blood is diverted to your digestive system, leaving less of your brain’s resources to do this job,” he says.

Despite the perceived benefits of IF, some people should never try it. As Elizabeth Ward explains, this includes “people under 18 and over 75, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and medications that must be taken with food at certain times of the day. people who take , have chronic conditions such as kidney disease, or have a history of eating disorders.” She says, “IF can be a trigger. In addition, exercise lowers glucose and insulin levels.People who are IF dependent may need to modify the intensity and timing of their exercise. prevent.”

Intermittent fasting might be intriguing to me, but my lifestyle right now isn’t realistically compatible with it. People who have families, who travel or socialize, or who have irregular hours will probably struggle to keep up with intermittent fasting. , any meal plan is only as good as your ability to stick to it. “Most important of all is food choice,” says Dr. Stallman.