Perhaps you know someone who practices intermittent fasting and raves about it. You’ve likely wondered about their motivations for doing so, or whether you could do it yourself. To understand a bit more, let’s answer the most basic question: what is intermittent fasting?
This currently popular practice allows eating only during certain hours and then fasting for the remaining part of ac24 hour period. For example, the most popular intermittent fast is 8/16, which consists of fasting for 16 hours and restricting the daily eating period to 8 hours. That is, you could eat something at noon and have dinner up until 8pm and then nothing until the following day at noon.
What are the types of intermittent fasting?
Although the 8/16 method is the most recognized, there are also others such as 5/2, 12/12, 6/18, 4/20, full day, alternate day fasting, or even longer periods of days and weeks.
Benefits
Many people claim that this method helps you lose weight, controls blood sugar levels, and improves overall health. It can also give you greater mental clarity and help you to feel more relaxed.
Side effects
Each body is different and therefore it can have adverse effects. Some people have reported headaches, constipation, dizziness, heartburn, metabolic disturbances (particularly when the fasting period is long), and, of course, the most unpleasant effect, suffering from hunger pangs.
There are people whose appetite increases and this causes them to consume a greater amount than their body needs. In addition, the foods they eat are not always the healthiest, so undesirable results can arise like weight gain and associated health problems.
Is intermittent fasting right for me?
This method may not be for everyone. It is not recommended for people with low weight, eating disorders, pregnant or lactating women, and minors. It is suggested that anyone who has a health condition or is on any medication consult their doctor beforehand.
Intermittent fasting is an old practice, be it for religious, cosmetic, or medical reasons. It continues to be a controversial issue due to the side effects it causes or the feeling of hunger it generates, which can lead one to think that they might die of starvation. If you meet the recommendations above, intermittent fasting could be worth a try to find out whether or not it’s effective for you and your body.
