Intermittent Fasting Would Benefit a Lot for Wellness, Study says

Prevent many illnesses by eating only in a 6-hour window: A review study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that intermittent eating within a 6-hour window a day could prevent significant illnesses. Also, the authors showcase that fasting links to improvements in cognitive & physical performance apart from improving diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular health.

Mark Mattson is the study author and a professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. He says that intermittent eating could be of two types. One is the daily restriction of eating only within the 6 to 8 hours time limit. The remaining 18 to 16 hours fasting could do wonders every day.

The other is total fasting for two days a week or capping a fasting day with only 500 calorie intake. Since the research is relatively new, he says that the help of physicians is necessary to monitor patients throughout the fasting to increase it gradually. He also noted that alternate fasting and eating improves cellular health. It triggers the metabolic switch for the fuel stores to convert fat to energy rather than fat to storing or fat to saving.

There were many studies in the past involving animals and humans, which confirms intermittent eating triggers metabolic switching. In one such study involving rats, from reviewed data of their feeding habits from 1934 to 2012, it was found that cutting calories increased the longevity of rats by 14 to 15 %.

Benefits of intermittent eating

• Increases life span
• Improves heart conditions
• Improves cognitive skills
• Reduces obesity
• Increases resistance to stress
• Improves blood sugar regulation
• Decreases blood pressure, & blood lipid levels