16/8 intermittent fasting is one of the foods plans many people have turned to for numerous health benefits. Some do it to lose weight, shake off fats, keep diabetes type 2 at bay, or shun obesity-related conditions.
Health is a major concern, and people will do whatever is within their reach to keep it. One of such things involves adopting an eating plan like the 16/8 intermittent fasting plan. This is where a person eats within 16hours of the day and starves or fasts for the next 8hours. This allows the body to utilize the calories and improve the body’s health conditions.
What is 16/8 fasting?
16/8 intermittent fasting is an eating plan, just like the 5/2 eating plan. This fasting criterion is also referred to as the 16:8 eating plan. It is a dietary plan that is time-bound and restricted by durations. A person eats within sixteen hours of the day. For the next eight hours, he does not eat anything but allows the body to operate by consuming the calories obtained during the first sixteen hours of the day. It is not clear how this method works to improve the body’s state, but it certainly does work for the body’s benefits. Some studies have related it to the body’s circadian rhythm and claim that it could support it. Many people on the 16/8 intermittent fasting plan eat during the day and avoid food in the evening and early morning. During abstinence time, the body utilizes the calories it took during midday. Here are the proven benefits of 16/8 intermittent fasting.
Health benefit of 16/8 intermittent fasting
The following are the main health benefits of following the 16/8 intermittent fasting as the preferred eating plan.
In the cells, gene, and hormone functionality
The effectiveness of any lifestyle practice largely depends on how well you do what you need to do. This being the case, the effectiveness of the 16/8 intermittent fasting depends on how well a person does it. When done well, several adjustments feature in the body, impacting the cells, hormones, and genes. These adjustments are the tenets on which all other health benefits of intermittent fasting rely. For instance, for fats to burn well, insulin levels must fall back, which is what fasting causes. The human growth hormones also increase in level to facilitate fat burning and utilization. In addition, cell repair processes are initiated, and more wastes are gotten rid of. Besides, cells and genes are modified to suit the defense against diseases.
Fat and weight loss
Many people who try to shake off extra weight and fats have turned to intermittent fasting with positive results. First, by subjecting themselves to a time-bound eating plan, a person takes in fewer calories. And then, these calories burn during the abstinence time, making the weight loss quest a success. Besides, intermittent fasting causes hormone adjustment, which facilitates weight and fat loss. Finally, as the fats available in the body burn off, you are more inclined to shake off the extras.
Remedy from oxidative stress and body inflammation
Free radical cells are important elements in the body yet can be dangerous. They at times react with protein DNA and cause gene alteration and other related conditions. When this happens, the body suffers a complication called oxidative stress. Some studies tend to relate oxidative stress and inflammation relief to fasting. Fasting works against the radical cells, improving the body’s conditions.
Diabetes type 2 control
Contemporary research shows that 16/8 intermittent fasting can help control diabetes type 2 by reducing the body’s insulin resistance potential. Diabetes type 2 results when a substance in the diet causes a sugar spike, but the body offers resistance against insulin. However, by fasting, the body no longer resists insulin. This improves its potential to fight diabetes type 2. When a person fasts intermittently for 2-3months, insulin resistance is reduced by 3-6%. In addition, research involving rats showed that intermittent fasting could reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy, a condition that results in blindness.
Cell repair initiation
The other health benefit of 16/8 intermittent fasting is that the process initiates the repair of body cells to the ultimate advantage of the body. This happens when the phagocytes engulf the old and dysfunctional proteins in the cells in a process called autophagy. The dysfunctional proteins in the cells compose the wastes in the cells. This in itself constitutes cell repair initiation. Thus, fasting increases the frequency of autophagy. With this happening, the body is offered protection against Alzheimer’s and other degenerative complications.
Heart health
Scientists have carried out various research projects on animals to investigate the effect of intermittent fasting on heart condition. The results of such experiments have left a lot to be desired. There are some hopes that 16/8 intermittent fasting can benefit heart health, only that more in-depth study is needed. Fasting reduces sugar spikes and the consequent blood sugar levels in the body. When fasting, triglycerides, blood pressure, and bad cholesterol all go down. The reduction of these components makes the heart have better health. When there is inflammation in the heart region, the heart suffers. Fasting remedies a person from the effect of inflammatory markers and the action they have on the body.
Cancer prevention
Modern studies have linked intermittent fasting can help in preventing and managing cancer. As a person fasts, inflammation which leads to cancer and other conditions, is reduced. The overgrowth of cells is controlled. In addition, fasting subjects the body to several metabolic processes, strengthening it and reducing the potential of getting cancer.
Improved brain functionality
Often, what works for the benefit of the body has benefits for the brain too. Therefore, since studies have shown that 16/8 fasting is good for the body, it is equally good for the brain. Furthermore, studies link fasting to improved brain performance, which only makes sense. Imagine a life without insulin resistance, high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, and inflammation. Aren’t these the causative agents of stress and reduced brain performance? Yet, once fasting keeps them in check, you will be alright, and your brain will perform well.
Improved life spans
It goes without a say that fasting will prolong your lifespan. This is especially true since it keeps the heart condition right and fights cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases. Studies investigated the effect of fasting on the life spans of rats, fruit flies, and other rodents, and the results were positive. However, further studies are required to affirm these claims.
Conclusion
Fasting is common worldwide, both for religious and cultural purposes. Besides these two primary reasons, people also fast intermittently to improve their life quality. This article has looked at the 16/8 fasting, one form of fasting. The blog has also discussed the health benefits associated with fasting. This should be informative to anyone planning to undertake this diet plan.
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