Unlocking the Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: A guide to Regulating Metabolism, Improving Health and Well-being.

“OMG! OMG! OMG!” exclaimed Ravina, putting her foot gently onto the weighing scale. She has been trying to lose weight for some time and the mere thought to hop on the platform to weigh, gave her jitters.

This scenario is very common in our household these days. Almost one and a half decades before when I was working for Dr. Shikha Sharma’s Nutri-health clinic almost 15 years ago, I found a lot of people coming in for the weight loss program. We gave them a number of metabolic diets to shed those extra kilos. We were successful in some cases, but many people were frustrated to see their weight stuck for months. There we used to educate that an ideal weight loss is one where a person loses 10% of his / her body weight in a period of 6 months and the next 6 months was for the maintenance of the lost weight. This sounds very depressing, but our bodies work differently. We do not lose weight in a straight line but can be in a step ladder fashion where the body loses weight and then maintains and then loses and so on.

So, what diets to follow?

Fad diet culture was the craze then and also now. GM Diet, Keto diets, Mono diets, water diet and you name a diet, you have it. So, many diets but what to choose is the question. Of all the various diet programs, we need to watch out for our metabolism, age, any predisposing illnesses etc., as these factors do play an important role in our lives.

In my clinical practice, I have found that often we don’t remember or pay heed to what we eat. Maintaining a food diary will give a lot of info on how our system behaved during the process of weight loss. One must be aware of what foods suit him/her and what food doesn’t agree with their system. The measurement is simple. If any food that makes you energetic, and light, don’t give any bloating, gas, acidity, heaviness, or heavy water retention, that food is most suitable for their system.

What does Ayurveda have to say about fasting?

Of the many techniques of diet, I have found ‘fasting’ to be very appropriate. Ayurveda talks about ‘Langhanam Chikitsa’ which is nothing but observing a fasting routine to help the body to detoxify and reboot itself. In our Indian culture, fasting is observed on many occasions. Be it Navaratris, Ekadasi, Ramadan in the Muslim calendar, or Lent in Christianity all aim to purify our thoughts and bodies from toxins and erratic behavior. 

Fasting also is the first module of treatment in ayurveda whereby the liver and digestive system is given time to digest the “ama” or undigested metabolites. Ayurveda says these “ama” become toxins, they circulate in the whole body and when our bodies are weak, they act as precursors or media for the bugs or our immunity to act and make us sick.

Day & Night Cycle affects our eating pattern..

There is a lot of information about intermittent fasting. It is a fasting type in which there is a fixed period of eating and a fixed period of fasting. Usually, our bodies are tuned to the circadian rhythm of waking and sleeping cycles. If there is any anomaly in the wake-sleep cycle, the hunger, metabolism, and hormonal axis go for a toss. It is for this reason, people who are on night shifts have weight and metabolism issues. They have very weak livers and often suffer from hormonal fluctuations, emotional disturbances, and frequent health issues.

Ideally, the time for eating is during the day, and before sunset, our eating should discontinue. In Jain culture, they don’t eat anything after sunset. It’s a brilliant habit to follow. After dark, our brain becomes less sensitive to glucose peaks, and often the switch to the satiety center is deactivated. It is for this reason, we may overeat when we have a dinner out. So, it is wise to finish the eating ritual before dusk.

So, coming back to intermittent fasting, if one finishes dinner before sunset, then he/she has plenty of time to digest the food before he/she hits the bed. In 2-3 hours, the food will pass through the stomach into the small intestine, leaving a lot of room for the stomach to rest. This will reduce acid reflux and belching immediately.

The next eating cycle should begin, 12 -15 or 18 hours after the last meal. So, if one has dinner at 6.00 pm the next day 7.00 am to 10.00 am would be ideal for catching up with breakfast. During fasting, one may consume water and keep themselves well hydrated.

Once practiced well, intermittent fasting can work wonders in our bodies, namely

1.      Regulated glucose metabolism: The body will mobilize extra sugar in the blood and thereby improve glucose metabolism. Even it can regulate insulin dependency as well.

2.      Improve liver health: The Liver is an important organ where all carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism take place. So, a healthy liver will give healthy enzymes.

3.      Brain development: Intermittent fasting helps boost nerve cell growth. It also produces brain derived neurotic factor, which helps in maintaining the integrity of neurons and stops brain cell damage.

4.      Growth hormone: Growth hormone product plummets as we attain adulthood. It is documented that intermittent fasting induces growth hormone production levels up to 4000 times.

5.      Lowers tissue insulin resistance of tissues thereby lowering circulating blood glucose levels.

6.      Manages excess weight without compromising on muscle mass and bone mass.

7.      Lowers inflammatory reactions in the body. So, your bones and joints will be happier.

8.      Improves energy levels: Intermittent fasting makes one more alert and kills lethargy.

9.      It is also found in studies that intermittent fasting can also help in controlling cancer cell proliferation. Intermittent fasting sensitizes the immune cells to attack the cancer cells sparing the normal ones.

10.   Last but not least, intermittent fasting improved longevity and lifespan. So, if you want to live a long and healthy life, this fasting method could prove to be the elixir of life.

A word of caution to enthusiasts: Intermittent fasting should not be practiced during pregnancy and in lactation. It is also contraindicated in some special health conditions as well. It is always advisable to use this method under guidance from a health expert or nutritionist for the best results.