Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: 16 Health Benefits

It is important to understand that obesity is not only an aesthetic problem. Excess body weight is harmful to overall health. A layer accumulates around the internal organs, which interferes with the normal functioning of the heart, blood vessels, liver, and kidneys. This pathological condition often becomes the cause of heart attack, stroke, hepatosis and other equally dangerous diseases. The doctor recommends controlling your weight with the help of a special diet and therapeutic fasting. The main thing is to observe moderation in everything and then the food load will bring benefit and not harm.

The essence and benefits of fasting

The essence of the diet is to improve digestion, maintain shape or lose weight. But the essence of fasting is somewhat different - it is a “remedy” for the nightmarish addiction to food that people have invented for themselves. The body does not need it in such quantities; some skeptics even know how to feed on solar energy without eating anything at all. They live like this for years. We, of course, do not recommend conducting such “experiments”; after all, each organism is individual; what is acceptable to one, may harm another and send him to a hospital bed.

The general belief that one or two days of hunger can kill a person from weakness is incorrect. On the contrary, the recovery mechanism is activated, so to speak, the internal organs, including the liver, are cleansed and the person becomes a higher level, more self-confident. This helps him fight bad habits, unless, of course, he pounces on meat food after fasting. This is absolutely not allowed!

What are the benefits of fasting? In many ways, first of all, it is a beautiful figure, and also:

• proper metabolism;
• self-control, which is very important in personality development;
• helps to lose weight;
• rejuvenate externally and internally;
• see the world in bright colors;
• get rid of negative thoughts;
• get rid of bad habits.

At the end of the day, healthy foods, diets, and intermittent fasting are beneficial and help prolong our lives. So let's eat to live, and not live to eat! Still, the people who once survived the Holodomor did not weaken at all in their willpower and character and lived to a later age. Naturally, they didn’t want this, but modern people, for some reason, began to eat in advance, why is this, for what?

The internal organs receive enormous stress from such nutrition and experience fatigue. Some fasting, for example, one day, relieves fatigue from the organs and allows you to rejuvenate by 3 months .
Just imagine how youthful you will be if you repeat the same step every week!

Cyclic fasting by Alexander Voroshilov

This fasting is long-term and lasts from 3 days to several weeks. Alexander Voroshilov promotes it as a means of losing weight. Has the following features:

• Before starting, the intestines and liver are cleansed;
• It is carried out regularly, cyclically;
• Daily enemas;
• Using soda solution in the form of enemas and orally;
• The course includes special exercises that cleanse the body;

Reviews about fasting according to Voroshilov are contradictory: some call the scheme extreme, while others are happy to lose weight with it.

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Types of fasting

Even Avicenna, Hippocrates and the more modern scientist Mitsuo knew what the benefits of therapeutic fasting were and they themselves tried to apply the knowledge in practice. The main thing to remember is the rule confirmed by scientists - try to get out of fasting gradually. That is, eating a little several times a day.

The number of days for adaptation is equal to the number of days of the hunger strike itself. The fact is that the body is vulnerable to diseases after fasting and excess food will not lead to anything good.

There are one-day fasting, one and a half days, three days or more. Fasting is also divided into the following types:

1. Dry – food and liquid are completely excluded;
2. Liquid - solid food is excluded, you can and should drink water.

As you understand, the most difficult thing for a person who has not practiced fasting before is long-term dry fasting, when you cannot eat anything at all. It is also the most dangerous in terms of loss of strength.

But the benefits of three-day fasting have been proven in practice; this is the most effective work on yourself. On the 3rd and 4th days of the hunger strike, the body’s reserve forces accumulate in a person, one breathes easier, and new facets of existence open up. Some practitioners (who have already tried fasting) can extend the process to 7 days. Such a long fast is allowed only once a year.

But there are also benefits and harms of fasting on water; we will consider it below. Carry out a one-day water diet once a week and you can’t go wrong – it will cleanse your digestive tract, improve your skin condition and instill self-confidence.

How many days can you fast

Daily fasting once a week provides the fastest benefits and is the safest method for the body.

Over time, you can try fasting for a period of 2 to 4 days, which is considered more gentle than the option of a week-long fast. At the same time, in such a short period the body does not have time to completely rebuild itself and use all self-cleaning mechanisms. Therefore, for a therapeutic effect, after short-term fasting practices, it is recommended to carry out a procedure that includes the onset of an acidotic crisis - after consultation with a specialist.

The duration of such fasting depends entirely on the person's early experience. This is influenced by two main factors: the level of slagging in the body and resistance to starvation (those who have not had prior experience of unloading find hunger more difficult to bear). In a person with sufficient practice of fasting, an acidotic crisis occurs already on the 4th - 5th day of fasting, in a beginner - after 7 - 14 days.

Interesting! Doctors have recorded a world fasting record of 250 days. And ongoing studies have shown that the main cause of death during famine is not the lack of food, but psychological stress.

The benefits of fasting for the body

Dry fasting - benefits and harms

What is dry fasting? When liquid and solid food do not enter the body. You can't eat anything. True connoisseurs of this method of cleansing confirm and give real feedback about their improved well-being. And the most interesting thing is that dry fasting can cure literally any inflammation in any organ.

Dry fasting has enormous benefits for the body. The thing is that the immune system begins to work in enhanced mode, and body temperature may rise. This means that the organ system is looking for something to replace water and nutrients. Each cell of the body restarts itself, and the benefits of dry fasting occur:

• Under the influence of elevated temperatures, viruses, helminths and bacteria die.
• Improves blood composition and eliminates toxins.
• A person loses weight, improves digestion and burns subcutaneous fat.
• Diseased cells are destroyed (those that are weaker), only strong ones remain, which subsequently produce others like themselves, the body is rejuvenated, the skin becomes smooth.

But dry fasting also has negative sides. The most dangerous may be an exacerbation of existing diseases, such as gout, urolithiasis, cholelithiasis, and tuberculosis. Dry fasting is prohibited if you have heart disease, tumors, thrombosis, or are underweight.

Preparation and recovery from fasting of any kind

First of all, prepare yourself mentally. How will you experience this state and will they help you, support you, or do you think you can cope on your own? In general, you need to be as optimistic as possible. On the first day of fasting, benefits and harms may manifest themselves as increased sensitivity. Side effects such as dizziness, mild nausea or decreased blood pressure are considered normal and do not imply cancellation of the planned fast.

The second thing to do is to cleanse the intestines so that poisons from the inside do not interfere with proper fasting and do not affect your well-being. Reduce portions and switch to only healthy foods. And also do cleansing enemas. It depends on the condition of your intestines - with chamomile, another medicinal herb or with lemon juice.

One-day fasting, the benefits and harms of which are being discussed today, is best used after preparation. The duration of the first day should be 12 hours, this is enough to feel better and start all the necessary processes .

At this moment, throw away all depressive thoughts, such as how bad I feel, I can’t stand it, how hungry I am, and why did I do this, and so on. Focus on the meaning of life, we remind you - it is to live. It is important to do something interesting at these moments, and also to occupy your brain, you can chat or delve deeper into your hobby. Remember that you are not the first to do this, you do it to cleanse the body.

It is better to repeat 1 day of fasting, the benefits of which have already been proven, once a week at the same time. Gradually increasing the time from 12 hours to 24 hours. During the first hour of fasting, you can make yourself water with honey and lemon, this will help you cleanse yourself better. And at the same time you will get used to the nutrients. Then you can make yourself a vegetable salad, but under no circumstances a meat salad. If you recover from fasting normally, you can eventually extend the time to 36 hours.

The right way out

Correct entry from the fasting mode will guarantee the prevention of risks of harm from the procedure. Breaking out of fasting is divided into several stages:

1. Follow a diet of freshly prepared vegetable and fruit juices. You can drink them every two hours, ¼ cup. Pineapples, citruses, pomegranates and grapes have the most beneficial cleansing effects.
2. Transition to the fruit and vegetable table, when vegetable soups, light salads and compotes begin to be gradually introduced into the menu. Meals should be taken in small portions without adding salt and sugar.
3. Return to the usual diet, which at first excludes heavy protein foods: meat and fish dishes, eggs and legumes.

The output characteristics also largely depend on the chosen feeding method:

1. Hunger for up to 3 days. Upon recovery from short-term fasting, meals should be frequent, approximately 5-7 times a day in small portions. The first three days should be accompanied by the consumption of fruits and vegetables, then you can return to your normal diet.
2. Five-day fast. On the first day of recovery from such hunger, you are allowed to drink only water and freshly squeezed juices; on the second and third days you can move on to the fruit and vegetable table. On the fourth and fifth days, dairy products and dried bread are introduced. In the following days there is a complete return to the usual diet. Important! For fasting to be as beneficial and effective as possible, you need to eat small portions after breaking it, chewing your food thoroughly.
3. Seven-day fast. Restricting food for such a long period can be compared to a full-fledged medical procedure. At the end of such fasting, an acidotic crisis often occurs, accompanied by extremely unpleasant symptoms of cleansing the body. After the onset of a crisis, the starving person’s well-being returns to normal, but the way out of hunger must be carried out just as slowly.

Benefits of water fasting

The benefits of “liquid” fasting are in accumulating vitality and in cleansing the entire body. Beginners should fast through one-day “trainings”; it is better to do them 2 times within a month. This will be enough for the human body to get used to the stress. Then you can gradually increase the number of days.

How to fast on water?

Preparation for water fasting should include a psychological factor. Calm down, turn on some nice music in the evening, and take a walk. But under no circumstances do you exercise. For dinner it is better not to eat flour, meat or fatty foods; yogurt or salad without mayonnaise and stewed vegetables are enough. This is necessary for the body to get used to other foods. It will be most difficult for meat-eaters during this period, while fasting will be easier for vegetarians. And the next morning you can start fasting. The amount of water is purely individual. But it fluctuates between 1.5-2.5 liters of fluid per day.

The fasting diet includes quitting smoking and alcohol, otherwise unexpected health problems and severe dizziness may occur during recovery. During the water fast, surround yourself with care and get rid of stress. After the end of fasting, eat food gradually, starting with salads, cereals, juices, nuts and greens. Eat vegetables and fruits in small quantities. Since they promote active digestion. But it is better to consume meat or vegetable protein, for example, in beans, consistently 2 times a week.

The benefits of one-day fasting on water will appear only if the approach is correct. So if you are not going to reduce your food consumption on the remaining 6 days of the week, you should not start. You can earn yourself additional digestive problems and other ailments. After all, fasting is stress, other mechanisms are triggered, and the entire organ system takes nutrients from the body’s cells. It is important to reduce the number of servings in time, switch to plant foods and boiled meat, and drink enough water - about 2 liters. After preparation of 3-4 days, you can begin the most basic thing - water fasting.

As for the 36 hour fast?

There are specific features and benefits of fasting for 36 hours. A one-and-a-half-day fast, as it is called, has a positive effect on a person: it lifts the mood and gives impetus to more fruitful physical and mental work. At the same time, you lose about 1.5 kg of excess weight. Considering the last fact, it is prohibited to pounce on food after this. It is important to understand that people who tend not to control their cravings for junk food should not even try.

After a dry fast of 36 hours, you must definitely switch to healthy foods over the next 36 hours. If you have followed the three-day diet, then you need to recover for 3 days.

Here is an example of a diet that will help restore strength:

• Have breakfast with grated carrots without sugar, oil or other ingredients. You can drink it with kefir.
• For second breakfast, drink herbal tea with honey.
• Vegetable salad with a drop of vegetable oil and some nuts.
• In the evening, drink a cup of green tea with honey.
• At dinner, you can treat yourself to an egg by preparing a salad, for example with cucumbers.
• Before going to bed, allow yourself to eat some non-exotic fruit or a handful of berries.

The next day we repeat everything, only adding chicken meat and cottage cheese once. The main thing is not to overdo it, and if you see that you feel bad from the amount of food, then it is better to eat more often and in small portions.

How does the body react to hunger?

During fasting, a number of biological reactions occur in your body:

1. The production of growth hormone increases , which has a positive effect on muscle growth and weight loss.
2. Insulin levels decrease and sensitivity to it increases. Lower levels of this hormone promote fat burning. And high sensitivity allows the pancreas to produce less insulin to distribute nutrients throughout the body.
3. Longevity . Some scientific papers and studies show that fasting affects genes responsible for aging. There are many books and life stories of centenarians to prove this theory. These people have one thing in common - rare meals .

Fasting increases the production of growth hormone (somatropin) and reduces insulin levels in the blood. These two hormones are counterparties. I wrote in more detail about their action in the article on post-workout nutrition.

Fasting - benefits and harms

Fasting, or rather doing it incorrectly, can bring not only benefits, but also harm. Summarizing all of the above, we can summarize. By following these simple rules, you just need to start the fasting process:

• Believe in your strength and the benefits of not eating
• Spend a fasting week or at least 3-5 days
• Stop drinking alcohol and smoking, walk outdoors more often
• Plan your first fast on a weekend day
• Cleanse your intestines of toxins
• Switch to food after the process is completed correctly

People with heart disease need to be more careful, so it is recommended that if the heartbeat increases, which is possible when refusing food, drink a glass of water with a spoonful of honey. Or, if everything is fine, then do it after the process is completed.

Teenagers and pregnant women, the elderly, and those who have recently been seriously ill should be starved. Those suffering from immune and blood diseases should avoid fasting. In cases of exhaustion, tumors, including those of the brain, tuberculosis, and during periods of exacerbation of chronic diseases, doctors forbid torturing oneself with a hunger strike. Women during menopause who strive to lose weight at all costs risk losing nothing and harming their health in addition.

Remember that all people are different, and fasting is both beneficial and harmful to the body. For some, even one-day fasting causes abdominal pain and other ailments, for others, on the contrary, they pass without much negativity and their health improves.

Fasting is most beneficial for those who want to cleanse themselves of everything unnecessary. The gastrointestinal tract is cleansed, ulcers and rashes on the body heal, and allergies go away. The benefits of one-day fasting are even taken into account by some doctors, but they recommend complete cleansing only for healthy people. If you have kidney or liver disease or other organs, please consult your doctor.

Who benefits from fasting?

Initially, therapeutic fasting techniques were developed for the treatment of people suffering from mental illness. In people suffering from schizophrenia and psychosis, already after 7 days of fasting, combined with active physiotherapy, elimination of delusions and hallucinations is observed.

In addition, prolonged refusal of food in such patients helps to achieve long-term remission. There is a feeling of peace, interest in life and clarity of mind. However, further study of the effect of refusing to eat showed that the benefits of fasting for the body, with the right approach, are not limited to the correction of mental disorders.

https://youtu.be/JOzC0Eu_56U

By gradually ceasing to consume harmful forbidden foods during the preparatory period, and then by fasting for a long time, people feel lightness, a surge of strength and a rejuvenating effect. This is due to the fact that during fasting the body is cleansed of toxins accumulated over many years.

Feeling hungry and unable to satisfy it, a person drinks more liquid. This helps to flush out accumulated salts, waste and toxins from the body. This effect helps improve the performance of all systems. Fasting cleanses can be of great benefit to people suffering from parasitic infestations and dermatological diseases. Refusal to eat also helps if you are prone to allergic reactions.

The technique is often used as a diet for weight loss. If all the rules of this method are followed, it is often possible to reduce weight by 12-18%. Fasting therapy is often used in the treatment of patients suffering from severe forms of obesity, when large body weight prevents a person from leading an active lifestyle.

The benefits of fasting.
Rapid reduction in body weight allows you to increase a person’s mobility and provide the opportunity to perform the necessary physical exercises. In some cases, the use of this technique is justified in preparing the patient for further surgical treatment of obesity.

In addition to eliminating fat deposits, long-term refusal to eat promotes the resorption of salt deposits in the joints. Thus, fasting therapy is justified for osteochondrosis, arthritis, arthrosis, gout and a number of other diseases. The use of therapeutic fasting is recommended for atherosclerosis. Refusal of food helps improve the condition of blood vessels. Losing weight and improving the condition of blood vessels helps eliminate the manifestations of coronary heart disease, varicose veins of the legs, angina pectoris and arrhythmia.

The human body, experiencing a deficiency of nutrients, begins to use hidden reserves. Metabolic processes are accelerated. There is an increase in the production of many hormones. This helps to suppress pathogenic microflora and eliminate foci of the inflammatory process. To compensate for the protein deficiency, the body begins to break down tissues that are not vital. This helps eliminate adhesions and neoplasms.

This strict diet is also recommended for certain stomach diseases. Fasting helps with gastritis, stomach ulcers, chronic diarrhea, dysbiosis, etc. Long-term refusal of food is recommended for people suffering from urinary incontinence and chronic cystitis. Taking a course of therapeutic fasting can eliminate swelling. In addition, fasting in some cases allows you to normalize the functioning of the liver, spleen and pancreas. The method of healing fasting can be used to eliminate impotence and infertility.

Some people use this nutritional system to increase their vitality. Against the backdrop of the rapid elimination of toxins from the body, an improvement in mental performance and creative activity is observed. Thus, periodic fasting courses can be part of an active lifestyle.

Indications and contraindications

The scientific and medical literature contains hundreds of examples of the healing power of fasting. It often turns out to be a very effective remedy in the event of acute diseases. Loss of appetite in this state is the body’s main signal that it should not be distracted by digestion, because. he wants to direct all his strength to fight the sudden illness. It would be wise to skip 1-2, or even several meals.

In case of chronic diseases, fasting can also be useful, because... it helps the body mount a sudden, dramatic response to a chronic condition, which can turn the tide of the disease. In any disease state, fasting helps cleanse the body of toxins, dead cells, and promotes tissue regeneration.

Nutritionists consider the following to be the main medical indications for fasting:

• cardiovascular diseases (atherosclerosis, stage I-II hypertension, coronary disease, arrhythmia)
• Gastrointestinal diseases (dysbacteriosis, chronic gastritis, cholecystitis and chronic pancreatitis, heartburn, flatulence, liver and pancreas diseases)
• allergic diseases (urticaria, food and drug allergies)
• skin diseases (herpes, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, seborrhea, scabies, dandruff)
• problems with the musculoskeletal system (arthritis, arthrosis, rheumatism)
• diseases of the genitourinary system (cystitis, adenoma, prostatitis, inflammation of the uterus)
• respiratory diseases (tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchial asthma)
• CNS disorders (neuroses, depression, continuous flaccid schizophrenia, sleep disorders)
• obesity and other weight problems
• resistance to certain types of drugs

However, there are people for whom intermittent fasting is not safe, and for some it is generally contraindicated. Absolute contraindications include:

• reduced body weight (over 15% of normal)
• oncological diseases, especially with immobilization of the patient
• acute appendicitis
• active tuberculosis of the lungs and other organs
• systemic diseases of the blood and veins (thrombophlebitis, phlebopathy, etc.)
• second half of pregnancy and breastfeeding
• type 1 diabetes mellitus
• cardiac arrhythmias
• chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver
• chronic renal failure
• postoperative conditions

In addition, there are relative contraindications. If you have these diseases, the risk of complications or exacerbation of existing ailments is too great compared to the possible positive effect of fasting:

• ischemia
• low blood pressure
• inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract
• stomach and duodenal ulcer
• anorexia nervosa
• diabetes mellitus type II
• childhood or old age
• taking certain medications

The list of restrictions can be expanded depending on the type of diet, its duration, health status and individual living conditions (for example, climate). Sometimes diseases from one group move to another - from relative to absolute, and vice versa. It happens that a contraindication may even become a reason for fasting treatment. In any case, you need to approach the issue of fasting wisely, carefully, gradually, and in difficult cases you cannot do without consulting a specialist.

List of possible side effects of fasting

• constipation This is normal - the less that goes in, the less that comes out. It is necessary to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. You should resort to medical remedies only in case of obvious discomfort. Regular laxatives will do.
• headache. They often occur in the initial stages of fasting and gradually disappear on their own. It is believed that their cause is a decrease in salt entering the body, so it is possible to additionally take it in broths or mineral water for some time.
• rumbling in the stomach. The problem is solved by drinking mineral water.
• heartburn. We must try not to transmit it during the eating window. Maintain an upright position longer after eating. At night, you can raise the head of the bed slightly.
• dizziness. Usually caused by dehydration. It is necessary to increase the amount of fluid consumed. The cause may also be lack of salt and low blood pressure.
• muscle cramps. It is necessary to take magnesium supplements or magnesium baths.
• refeeding syndrome. It occurs extremely rarely, usually after a long (1-2 months) fasting. The reason, as a rule, is an incorrect (too abrupt) exit from the diet. A sudden influx of carbohydrates and fluid can cause potassium, magnesium and phosphorus to move inside cells. This leads to disturbances in the functioning of the heart, respiratory system, electrolyte imbalance, and sometimes even death.

Celebs who practice intermittent fasting

• Hugh Jackman is a proponent of cyclic fasting. He took the 16/8 system as a basis. The eating window lasts from 10 to 18. During this period, he consumes a lot of protein and fiber, but there are almost no carbohydrates in the diet. Hugh's daily three-hour workouts help him build muscle and stay in great shape.
• Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch prefers to stick to the 5/2 system. 2 days a week his collage does not exceed 500 calories per day.
• Actress Nicole Kidman and model Miranda Kerr adhere to the 16/8 scheme. The best argument in favor of cyclic fasting is their excellent physical shape.

Cyclic fasting is a very valuable tool in the arsenal of anyone who wants to lose weight and regain health. This is an effective diet that allows you to have a small snack during the day, eat well in the evening, and at the same time lose weight in a short time.

Possible side effects

Proponents of fasting may encounter the following difficulties:

• Hunger

Anyone who decides to change their eating style will have to fight this feeling. Those who are accustomed to fractional meals will experience the most severe hunger. The first days are difficult, especially when it’s time for your usual meal. This is caused by a conditioned reflex. But conditioned reflexes weaken without support. Therefore, you can only endure the feeling of hunger and remember that by 3-4 days it will become easier.

• Constipation

Occurs in people with insufficient amounts of beneficial bacteria in the small intestine. Fiber supplied with food does not have time to be digested. If this happens, you should make vegetables, not grains, the main source of fiber. If the problem does not go away, then mild laxatives will help.

• Headache

With their help, the brain signals low blood glucose levels. Increasing your salt intake will reduce pain. After a couple of days, the brain will adapt and the headaches will stop.

Hunger and Intelligence

In a study in mice, intermittent fasting led to improved memory in a maze test and a thicker layer of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. The hippocampus is the center of short-term memory, helping you remember a phone number or a person’s appearance for a while. Even the dendritic network has become enlarged. What does this mean? Roughly speaking, this is a small pumping of the brain, like muscles (15). Your brain becomes more functional and there is less risk of dementia as you age! (16, 17)

Proliferation or multiplication, or neurogenesis of hippocampal cells. 30% more RAM in the brain after 3 months in a group of mice. Not bad huh (18)?

Most likely, one of the methods of increasing intelligence - the increase in our beloved BDNF, a protein that protects your nerves and helps them build new connections - speeds up learning. Increase by 50% (19 )

Advantages

Intermittent fasting has an incredible number of benefits. Not only ordinary people use this technique. Athletes often resort to PG to quickly dry their bodies and prepare for competitions. Main benefits:

• Normalization and acceleration of metabolism.
• Effective weight loss with a guarantee of lasting results.
• Improved health.
• Increased performance.
• Restoring concentration.
• Reduced blood sugar levels.
• Filling the body with energy and vigor.
• Increased concentration of growth hormone.
• Rejuvenation and life extension.
• A pronounced cosmetic effect.
• Effective prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
• Accelerating the process of tissue regeneration.
• Improving the functioning of the immune system.