| Description |
Most weight loss diets focus on what or how much to eat, but more recent research is looking at when to eat. Restricting when one eats is referred to as Intermittent Fasting (IF), also known as Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER), and is fortunately bringing promising results for weight loss (Li, Wang, & Zuo 2013). IF is restricting oneself from any food and beverages (with certain exceptions) for a specified amount of time. There are multiple approaches to IF that will be discussed further, such as time-restricted feeding throughout the day or certain day restrictions throughout the week. IF has historically been practiced for religious reasons throughout the centuries but now studies are looking into it as a lifestyle change. The initial results of IF show benefit to weight loss and associated comorbidities. Animal studies show beneficial changes in glucose and lipid metabolism and increased resistance to stress. Further research is showing the benefits of IF in lengthening life span by decreasing the inflammatory response and reversing cellular damage (Li, Wang, & Zuo 2013). This results in not only living longer but with an improved quality of life. The results also show that patient compliance with time restricted feeding is typically higher than with traditional calorie restricted approaches. The human genotype responds well to IF because that is what it was designed for (Berger, 2017). Fung & Moore (2016) states that IF decreases weight and diseases in the human body. A decrease in insulin levels is the most consistent hormonal effect of fasting. Regularly lowering insulin levels leads to the body becoming more sensitive and responsive to insulin. High insulin resistance is the root cause to obesity and many comorbidities including but not limited to: T2DM, Alzheimer's, HTN, and hyperlipidemia. This is why IF could be a remedy for the obesity epidemic and decrease the incidence of associated ailments (Fung & Moore, 2016). |
