7 Ways Intermittent Fasting is Useful in Your Pursuit of Vitality

Seven Ways Intermittent Fasting is Useful in Your Pursuit of Vitality

by: William Matthew Sykes, DO, CAQSM

1. Intermittent fasting signals ketogenesis, aninnate homeostatic mechanism wherebyenergy is derived from fat.

2. Intermittent fasting increases the rate of fatmetabolism and can lower your body fatpercentage. It’s important to note thatintermittent fasting can lead to a loss of musclemass, which makes adequate protein intakeessential.

3. Developing an enjoyable and consistentexercise program while practicing intermittentfasting will signal the body’s innate homeostaticmechanisms to maintain muscle mass, whilepreferentially burning fat for energy.

4. Intermittent fasting can help your stomach“shrink” back to its normal size, and also “reset”your endocrine processes that balance hungerand satiety. The result is you feel full soonerand eat less. Intermittent fasting can lowerinsulin levels, decrease insulin resistance, andincrease natural human growth hormonelevels, and balance estrogen and testosteronelevels in both men and women.

5. Intermittent fasting can lower inflammation. Excess body fat generates chronically elevatedlevels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such astumor necrosis factor, interleukins, andprocalcitonin. Chronic inflammation increasesthe risk of cancer, chronic diseases, and dementia.

6. Intermittent fasting has been shown toimprove the neuroplasticity of thehippocampus, an area of the brain that helpsus generate long-term memories.

7. Calorie restriction as a result of practicingintermittent fasting has been shown to protectDNA from oxidative damage, reduce telomereshortening, and slow the rate of ageing.