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Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. The aim is to create a window of time during which you consume your meals and then abstain from eating for the remaining hours. This practice has gained popularity for its potential health benefits, including weight management, improved metabolism, and better blood sugar control. However, misinformation can lead to misguided practices. Here’s is what nutritionist, Amita Gadre explains about simple rules to follow for intermittent fasting.
In her Instagram post she says, “While time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting is beneficial, there is a way of going about it.
1. Eating window: First start with a 12-hour eating window - most of us eat for more hours than that. Then reduce it to 10, and then you can reduce it further to 8 if your other health parameters are on point. Understand this, the point of healthy eating with time restrictions is that you feel an improvement in your mood, health outcomes, digestion and hormones. There is absolutely no logic in simply eating for 6 hours only if it is giving you headaches and constipation.
2. It’s not for everyone: You can never apply a blanket rule that this is beneficial for everyone. Intermittent fasting is not for those who have severe insulin sensitivity, acidity, bloating, migraine, pregnancy, postpartum, ulcers, anemia etc. Also, you can’t force your body to starve for longer if it’s not accepting this practice.
3. Slow and steady: if you decide to practice intermittent fasting ensure that you meet a qualified expert to guide you and eventually start with fasting window of 12 hours and maximum you can each up to is 16 hours. But it takes months of dicipline & practice to reach this point. Irrespective of all the above you have to daily requirement of vital nutrients.”
She also mentions that You don't have to limit yourself to only eating once a day. The greatest danger and difficulty lies in the fact that you run the risk of falling short on essential nutrients because you can't consume enough food in a single sitting to complete your daily requirements.
Health Benefits
Weight Loss: Intermittent fasting helps create a calorie deficit by restricting eating windows, aiding weight loss. It enhances fat oxidation and boosts metabolism.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity: It can reduce insulin resistance, enhancing blood sugar control and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Cellular Repair: Fasting periods trigger cellular autophagy, a process that removes damaged cells and supports cellular repair and longevity.
Heart Health: Intermittent fasting can lower triglycerides, LDL cholesterol levels, and blood pressure, contributing to improved cardiovascular health.
Brain Health: Intermittent fasting may boost brain function by promoting the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), associated with cognitive health and mood regulation.
