What Is A Fasting Diet And Who Is It Suitable For

In the conditions of modern life, the word "fast" (to fast) in English smoothly migrated into the common language and began to denote a whole range of diets with which you can change weight, adhering to a certain type of "fasting". However, it is important to make a reservation here: to call it "starvation" is literally not entirely correct, because it is not about depriving the body of calories, but about their systemic distribution.

This approach to the diet is approved by many experts, because the way we organize it today in many ways contradicts the logic of the evolution of human nutrition. Its main factor was the "sporadic nature" of food, that is, its appearance from time to time.

What are they like?

The most popular are intermittent fasting, lemonade diet, and various detox programs that promise relatively quick weight loss and detoxification. Fasting diets also vary in intensity and duration. For example, some of them can only be carried out on water, and intermittent fasting can mean restricting calories from 1-2 days a week to 12-14 hours every day.

Intermittent fasting

This option assumes a habitual diet at some time intervals and a rapid or significant restriction of calorie intake at others (see also: "Interval fasting: why are top managers of Silicon Valley starving"). For example, with a 5: 2 fasting plan, you can eat normally five days a week, and on the other two days stick to a 500 (for women) or 600 (for men) calorie limit.

An alternative plan offers 12-hour fasting between dinner and breakfast. Many studies have already proven the effectiveness of intermittent fasting in the fight against age-related changes in the body, cell damage as a result of oxidation, and also in increasing stress resistance at the cellular level.

Detox programs

Other popular types of fasting diets can be combined under the well-known name "detox". It involves cleansing the body of toxins, which leads to the normalization of metabolism, which means it helps to take weight under control and prevent various diseases. For example, music industry star Beyoncé resorted to the lemonade diet to lose weight before filming Dreamgirls (2006). The so-called "cleansing" of the body is difficult to measure, but its main processes are associated with the liver - the main organ-detoxifier.

How it works?

When the rate of food intake is limited, the body is forced to resort to the help of stored energy sources in order to maintain the course of metabolic processes. Particular changes are observed with a decrease in carbohydrate consumption: in this case, the body switches from the standard breakdown of glucose for energy to such a process as ketosis.

Its essence lies in the use of an alternative source of energy accumulated by the body itself - fatty acids. It is believed that this process contributes to the reduction of fat mass and body weight. Thus, healthy fasting is always about forcibly getting rid of those surpluses, which at best turn into extra centimeters on the sides, and at worst - health problems.

The best part is that fasting diets make it possible to significantly improve the metabolic activity of the body, giving up the usual diet only for certain periods of time.

pros

Various studies point to a positive role for fasting in weight loss, longevity, and certain health conditions. Scientists have shown that as a result of fasting, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity is reduced, and indicators of metabolic health and the rate of aging of the body are improved.

Also, fasting diets help to reduce the intensity of inflammatory processes and regulate cholesterol, glucose, insulin levels, which determine the state of metabolism. By the way, restricting calorie intake and intermittent fasting are the only scientifically proven strategies for increasing life expectancy.

Minuses

Perhaps the most annoying negative associated with the practice of fasting diets is the feeling of hunger (read also: “What is emotional hunger, or why we actually overeat”). It will be especially difficult to transfer it in the early stages of fasting, but it will become easier to cope with it the further you move. Many nutritionists claim that within a few days of starting, patients feel more satiated and more satisfied with their meals.

However, there is always the risk of a poorly formulated diet, and fasting is no exception. However, the health risks will be high: this can lead to loss of muscle mass (rather than excess fat), regular headaches, decreased metabolic rate, and acid-base imbalance. That is why it is important to consult a specialist before going on a serious fasting diet (such as intermittent fasting).

Who can or cannot try?

Some fasting diets may be strictly contraindicated - people with problems with blood pressure and diabetes should be especially careful. Fasting diets are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. But with diagnoses such as rheumatoid arthritis, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, Parkinson's disease and others, fasting diets can play a positive role not only in prevention, but also in the fight against this or that disease. This is especially true for intermittent fasting, which improves cognitive functions and increases the plasticity of neurons.

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