Intermittent Fasting: Benefits
Ayurveda says “LANGHANAM PARAM AUSHADHAM” which means fasting is the best medicine. Intermittent Fasting or liquid diet or juice detox will help to remove toxins and ignite the digestive fire.
What is Intermittent fasting?
It is voluntary fasting over a given period of time. Methods of intermittent fasting include alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting, and daily time-restricted fasting. The most popular method of IF is fasting for 16 hours and eating your meals within an 8-hour window also referred to as 16:8 IF. Others are 20 hours fasting and eating meals within a 4-hour window or alternate-day fasting.
Intermittent Fasting is the best way to improve metabolism and remove toxins but it does not work well for everyone. Hence it is important that we know more about ayurvedic body types as IF (Intermittent Fasting) works great for people who are Kapha types as they have a very slow and sluggish metabolism and they respond very well to Intermittent Fasting. Normally the 16:8 ratio (16 hours of fasting and eating during 8 hours window) works for them. Both Pitta and VATA types also should do fasting because no one should bombard their digestive organs with food all the time but in their case 12:12 ratio might work better.
Benefits:
The most important benefit of IF is that it teaches self-discipline and self restrain which is very important for attaining well-being.
It is a perfect way to repair and rejuvenate as when you fast for a longer period of time, you are giving your digestive system some rest so that your body can spend energy on repairing your gut and removing toxins as well as undigested food.
It may help you to balance all the doshas so that you can transition from disease to ease.
It may reduce insulin and leptin resistance.
Reduces levels of insulin in the body and increases levels of HGH promoting significant weight loss, fat loss, and gain in muscle mass.
Promotes cellular repair and rejuvenation through a process called autophagy by removing toxins.
Promotes longevity and improves immunity.
Improves brain function, concentration, and learning by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Improves quality of sleep.
Reduces sluggishness.
Increases energy levels and vitality.
Treats lifestyle-related illnesses like diabetes, hypertension, migraines, obesity.
Improves skin clarity resulting in radiant and youthful appearance by removing toxins from the body.
Reduces visceral fat(abdominal fat). Abdominal fat is directly related to diseases like diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery diseases.
Thus IF is a great way to improve your health. It might not be easy to follow 16:8 or 18:6 Intermittent fasting when you are new to IF so listen to your body and start with 12:12 IF. Once you get comfortable with it, you can gradually increase the fasting period.
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