One of the worlds most popular health (and even fitness trends) is intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and periods of eating. It focuses more on when you eat than on what or how much.

People use intermittent fasting to lose weight and improve their health, with several studies showing that it can have powerful effects on your body and brain.

Its not a diet in the conventional sense, but more accurately described as an eating pattern.

Fasting has been a practice throughout much of human history and, as a result, we evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time. Using it from time to time is just as natural as eating three meals a day if not more so.

Theres more than one way of doing intermittent fasting. There are several methods that involve splitting the day or week into eating and fasting periods. Essentially, you introduce a daily or weekly fasting period.

These are the most popular methods:

During the fasting periods, you eat either very little or nothing at all (no drinks with calories, either). By reducing your calorie intake, all of these methods can cause weight loss as long as you dont compensate by eating much when you do eat. Many people find the 16/8 method to be the simplest, most sustainable, and the easiest to stick to. Its by far the most popular.

Fasting leads to a set of reactions in your body on the cellular and molecular level. Your body adjusts hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible, while your cells also initiate important repair processes and change the expression of genes.

The levels of growth hormone can also skyrocket with intermittent fasting, increasing as much as 5-fold. This has benefits for fat loss and muscle gain, among other things. Insulin sensitivity improves and levels of insulin drop dramatically. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible.

When you fast, your cells can initiate or accelerate cellular repair processes. This includes autophagy, where cells digest and remove old and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells. Changes are also observed in the function of genes related to longevity and protection against disease.

Its also been suggested that periods of intermittent fasting increase cellular stress resistance and defense, repairing important pathways that improve the resistance of cells to stressors, promoting cellular growth. However, the science around intermittent fasting is not entirely clear.

When thinking about fasting, weight loss is the most common reason given. By making you eat fewer meals, it can lead to an automatic reduction in calorie intake. Additionally, it changes hormone levels to facilitate weight loss.

Studies show that intermittent fasting can be a very powerful weight-loss tool. A 2014 review study found that this eating pattern can cause 38% weight loss over 324 weeks. According to the same study, people also lost 47% of their waist circumference.

It should be said that researchers studying fasting are calling for more human studies, especially large-scale human studies. Many of the purported benefits of intermittent fasting come from animal studies or small-scale animal studies and have not been confirmed in larger cohorts. In addition, while weight loss seems like the most appealing upside, other claims are debatable.

For instance, decades of studies on rodents have shown that intermittent fasting can help them remain lean, develop fewer aging-related diseases, and live 30-40% longer. A 2019review of studies in theNew England Journal of Medicine showed that intermittent fasting can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve brain health, reduce inflammation, and boost endurance. But studies on humans have been less conclusive. It seems to be good for losing extra pounds, but anything else is less clear.

However, even then, keep in mind that the main reason for its success is that intermittent fasting helps you eat fewer calories overall. If you binge and eat massive amounts during your eating periods, you may not lose any weight at all.

Intermittent fasting is probably not for everyone. This is actually one of the reasons why its so hard to thoroughly confirm any nutritional study: theres so much variety between different individuals, diets, and a million other factors that can have an influence. It may even be detrimental.

If youre underweight or have a history of eating disorders, you should not fast without consulting with a health professional first. In these cases, it can be downright harmful.

There is also some evidence that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for women as it is for men. For example, one study showed that it improved insulin sensitivity in men, but worsened blood sugar control in women. Another study suggested that it can lead to shedding muscles, not fat, which would be counterproductive.

There are a number of anecdotal reports of women whose menstrual period stopped when they started doing fasting and went back to normal when they resumed their previous eating patterns. For these reasons, women should be especially careful with intermittent fasting. They should follow separate guidelines, like easing into the practice and stopping immediately if they have any problems like amenorrhea (absence of menstruation). This eating pattern is likely also a bad idea if youre pregnant or breastfeeding. As always, consult with a professional before embarking on any diet.

Among the side effects, hunger is considered the main one the bane of all diets. People also feel weak and their brains may not perform as well as they are used to. This may only be temporary, as it can take some time for the body to adapt to the new meal schedule. Most people seem to get on and adapt after a couple of weeks.

If you have a medical condition, you should consult with your doctor before trying intermittent fasting. This is particularly important if you have diabetes, problems with blood sugar regulation, low blood pressure, take medications, are underweight or have a history with eating disorders.

All that being said, intermittent fasting has a rather remarkable safety profile. There is nothing dangerous about not eating for a while if youre healthy and well-nourished overall. Unlike other diets which can be extreme, it doesnt seem to produce any major risks.

Its likely that at some point in your life, youve inadvertently done some intermittent fasting. If youve ever eaten dinner, then slept late and not eaten until lunch the next day, then youve probably already fasted for 16+ hours. Ever skipped breakfast or dinner? Same thing. Some people instinctively eat this way. They simply dont feel hungry in the morning.

Many people consider the 16/8 method the simplest and most sustainable way of intermittent fasting, so this one might be the best one to try first. If you find it easy and feel good during the fast, then maybe try moving on to more advanced fasts like 24-hour fasts 12 times per week.

Another approach is to simply fast whenever its convenient simply skip meals from time to time when youre not hungry or dont have time to cook. There is no need to follow a structured intermittent fasting plan to derive at least some of the benefits.

Intermittent fasting is not something that anyone needs to do. Its simply one of many lifestyle strategies that can improve your health. Eating quality food, exercising, and taking care of your sleep are still the most important factors to focus on.

If you dont like the idea of fasting, then you can safely ignore this article and continue to do what works for you. At the end of the day, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to nutrition. The best diet for you is the one you can stick to in the long run.

Intermittent fasting is great for some people, not others. The only way to find out which group you belong to is to try it out. If you feel good when fasting and find it to be a sustainable way of eating, it can be a very powerful tool to lose weight and improve your health.

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Whats intermittent fasting? The science behind it - ZME Science

Rob Cohen, director of the first Fast & Furious movie aimed to be as authentic as possible with technical details of the movie. However, according to the movie's technical director Craig Lieberman, Cohen reportedly said that the movie was not meant to appeal to gearheads. It was made to attract audiences who like action movies." Now, Lieberman's newest video exposes some of the film's biggest technical errors.

As we've covered before, Lieberman helped with finding the cars, the parts, and extras for various scenes. At the time, he was deeply immersed in the import street racing scene and was well connected, which benefited Universal Studios. Nowadays, hes a YouTuber with a fervent passion for not only the Fast & Furious franchise but for technical perfection. He has owned more than 40 cars including a Supra, GT-R, and Maxima that played starring roles in the first movie.

For instance, one of the errors that Lieberman covers is where a truck follows a Supra with a white bumper. Nobody called it out until just this year, Lieberman says, but it was actually a Miata bumper on the roof, not a Supra bumper.

As a technical advisor, Lieberman had a chance to review the script and make recommendations for changes, but as he notes in his video, I gave advice; they didnt always take it.

The net result is that some scenes wouldnt be feasible in real life and some of them are just pure drama for the fun of it. But only the most ardent tuner superfans would pick them out.

For example, in the opening sequence during a truck hijacking, the lead Honda Civic has a double-decker rear wing. Then youll see later in the scene that it has a single wing; the second airfoil was removed to keep the stuntman from getting tangled up in it. Further, that same Civic slides under a semi-trailer as part of the plan, which would not be possible in real life. To help viewers suspend disbelief, the truck was custom made to be an extra 18 inches off the ground. Now you know.

I particularly enjoyed the explanations about what nitrous oxide does and what it doesntand the improbability of the massive nitrous Mitsubishi Eclipse explosion. "You dont have two nitrous systems on a wheezy naturally aspirated stock block 428 Eclipse," Lieberman scoffs in the video.

If you prefer your movie magic to be complete immersion, dont watch this. Personally, Id recommend you listen to all of the delicious details, and heres Liebermans video explaining it all.

Read more from the original source:
Fast & Furious Director Reveals the Film's Biggest Errors You Never Caught - The Drive

Remco Evenepoel has said that he was concerned about gaining weight during his injury lay-off, but has dropped 5kgs from his 2019 wight.

In the past, Evenepoel (Deceuninck Quick-Step), has been told that he is too fat by team boss, Patrick Lefevere, on multiple occasions, so weight has been a big focus of the 20-year-olds early career.

According to the young Belgian, he has lost four to five kilograms since his crash but says it is not all down to loss of muscle mass. It is also the amount of weight Lefevere wanted him to lose.

Speaking in a Zoom interview, Evenepoel toldcycling news site Wielerflits: I knew that every kilogram I would gain would be one kilogram too much to get back to the top.

>>> Wout van Aert: Sometimes I wonder what Im doing to myself with this busy programme

I havent done any tests yet. It is also difficult to compare, because my weight currently fluctuates between 59 and 60 kilograms. That is four, five kilos less than a year ago. My baby fat is gone.

And it goes without saying that you then have to push less watts to drive just as fast. But tests will be done within a few weeks and I will have a better idea of that.

Evenepoel also said that he is about a month ahead of schedule with training saying he was due to start riding this month but has already been back on the bike for much longer than expected.

He continued: The fear of gaining weight was there, so I paid extra attention.

Its not like Im an anorexic patient now, is it. But my upper body, that is skin and bone. Over the past few months I have seen the seriousness of the importance of nutrition, and have researched and learned a lot.

In March last year, during Evenepoels debut WorldTour season, Lefevere called the then-19-year-oldtoo fat in an interview with Belgian media, adding he thought the rider was four kilograms too heavy.

Then in February this year, as Evenepoel was on his way to victory in Portugal, Lefevere told the press that Evenepoel still needs to lose two kilograms.

There has been an increased focus on mental health in the pro peloton in recent years, particularly the impact of weight and nutrition.

Jani Brajkovi revealinghe had been dealing with his own unhealthy relationship with food and a diet expert recently warning that she had seen anincrease in cyclists with eating disorders.

Team Ineos riderRohan Dennisalso recently revealed he had taken a step back from his Grand Tour ambitions because ofconcerns he was developing disordered eating.

Chris Froome, four-time Tour de France winner, also has also revealed some of the pressure a Grand Tour rider faces when it comes to diet saying riding six hours a day youre just starving all the time, starving day and night.

Evenepoel was having an incredible season in 2020 before his crash in Il Lombardia, winning the San Juan Tour in Argentina, the Volta ao Algarve, Vuelta a Burgos and the Tour of Poland, the latter being won with an epic long distance solo attack.

Talk is that he will be focusing on the Tour de France for 2021, but maybe he will ride the Giro dItalia first, like he was originally going to do in 2020.

See more here:
Remco Evenepoel says the fear of gaining weight was there during his recovery as he drops 5kg - Cycling Weekly

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You wouldn't know it from all the recent sourdough bread-baking, but bread is considered the enemy in certain low-carb quarters. Its "unhealthy" reputation stems from the low-carb diet myth that all carbohydrates are inherently bad. Although it's true that heavily processed, refined carbohydrates and sugary foods lack nutrients, not all types of carbs or bread fall into this category, says Malina Malkani, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Westchester, New York. It's possible for bread to be part of a healthy diet.

In fact, depending on the loaf, bread can be packed with nutrients. Whole grain bread, for instance, is a good source of B vitamins, including folic acid, iron, magnesium, selenium, and dietary fiber, according to the American Heart Association.

Another common belief about bread is that it causes weight gain. Research in the Journal of Nutrition, however, found that weight gainand increases in abdominal fat over timeis lower in people who consume more whole grain foods such as whole grain bread.

One thing that Lisa DeFazio, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Los Angeles, looks for is whole wheat or whole oats as the first ingredient on the list. "Be careful," she says. "Wheat bread or multi-grain is not always a whole grain product." That's why it's important to look at the ingredients list instead of whatever the brand packaging says. (Here's the real difference between whole grain and whole wheat.)

Look for a short list of recognizable or pronounceable ingredients, Malkani recommends. Again, check that whole grains or sprouted flours are the first ingredients because the list is in descending order of predominance by weight.

Next, check out the nutrition label. The healthiest breads are higher in protein (about 3 to 6 grams per slice) and fiber (roughly 3 to 5 grams per slice) and lower in added sugar (less than 4 grams per slice), Malkani says.

When buying healthy bread, keep in mind:The color of the bread is almost meaningless.Sure, whole grain bread is darker than white bread. But manufacturers may add food coloring to give their processed bread a darker appearance and trick nutrition-savvy shoppers who want healthy wheat bread, according to DeFazio. Again, make sure to check the ingredients label.

DeFazio and Malkani have a few favorite healthy bread brands. Those include: Food for Life Ezekiel Sprouted Whole Grain Breads, Daves Killer Breads, Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Sourdough, Alvarado Street Bakery, Angelic Bakehouse, Vermont Bread Company, and Franz Bakery.

Whole wheat is the first type of healthy bread that typically comes to mind. The flour used to make 100 percent whole wheat bread is less processed and retains both the bran and germ of the wheat grain, according to Malkani. Whole grains, including whole wheat, have been linked to a range of health benefits, including decreased risk fortype 2 diabetes, heart disease, and weight gain, according to the review of studies in the Journal of Nutrition.

Sprouted bread is made from whole grains that have sprouted from exposure to heat and moisture, says DeFazio. This process increases the grains' antioxidants. Malkani adds that the sprouted grains in sprouted grain bread have a higher enzyme content, too. (Read about foods high in antioxidants.)

According to Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, these grainscontain more protein and more bioavailable, high-quality nutrients than other grains, andmay be easier to digest. Most sprouted breads are high in fiber and protein, per research in the journal Nutrients. So swapping out your white bread for sprouted whole grain is a simple way to get more fiber in your diet.

The benefits of sprouted whole grain bread may also extend to weight loss due to its lower carb count. According to a study in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, sprouted grain bread has fewer carbs, with 34 grams in a four-ounce serving, compared to 44 grams in 12-grain bread.

The sprouting process allows the grains to absorb more water, lowering the carb content. "Sprouting breaks down the starch in grains and reduces the carb content," DeFazio says. As a result, "sprouted grains do not spike blood sugar like white bread."

This bread is easier to digest than others, thanks to theprebiotics and probiotics created during the fermentation process, according to DeFazio.The fermentation process that's used to make whole wheat sourdough bread helps reduce the number of phytates that bind to certain minerals and impair their absorption in the body, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. As a result, Malkani says that whole wheat sourdough bread is digested more slowly in the body,helping stabilize post-meal blood sugar levels.

Flax bread uses whole grain flours and flaxseeds, according to DeFazio. "Flax bread contains omega-3 fatty acids that are good for heart health," she says. Bread made with flaxseeds is an especially great bread option for vegans who need more healthy fatty acids in their diet. (Read more about the health benefits of flaxseeds.)

These superseeds are also a good source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants. One study in the Journal of Food Science and Technology found that eating flaxseed bread and other flax foods may benefit digestion-related health issues.

Rye looks like wheat bread, but is darker and denser. Research in Nutrition Journal found that rye may be healthier in terms of making you feel fuller while not affecting blood sugar.Much like sprouted whole grain bread, sprouted rye is a good source of fiber, especially in comparison to regular rye bread. "Sprouted rye bread is high in soluble fiber, which slows your digestion of carbs and decreases the insulin response," DeFazio says.

One of the newest types of healthy bread on the grocery store scene is oat bread, which includes both oats and whole wheat flour as the primary ingredients. If cauliflower can turn into a pizza, then your favorite breakfast food can absolutely turn into bread.

The best part is that there are already plenty of benefits of eating oatmeal.Oats are high in nutrients like magnesium, zinc, and iron. Plus, the high fiber content may help lower cholesterol levels and decrease high blood pressure, according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Vascular Health and Risk Management.

Gluten-free bread doesn't have grains like wheat, rye, or barley, according to DeFazio. Instead, gluten-free bread is a mix of gluten-free flours such as brown rice, almond, coconut, tapioca, potato, or corn flours. Gluten-free bread is good for people who need to avoid gluten, like those with signs of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

When manufacturers remove gluten, they add other ingredients to compensate because they need the bread to be chewy and have texture, DeFazio explains. So gluten-free bread often has refined flours, added sugars, gums, and tapioca starch that can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal issues.

DeFazio urges those without celiac and or gluten allergies to opt for regular bread. Some people without these health issues mistakenly think if they avoid gluten, they will lose weight, she says. Keep in mind that avoiding gluten will not automatically result in weight loss, nor is it necessarily healthier than other types of bread.

Bread is not the enemy."Find a bread you enjoy that is also healthy," suggests DeFazio. If you hate the taste and texture of one type of bread, move on and find another.

The healthiest bread option for you really depends on a few factors. Bread made with 100 percent whole grains is less processed and offers more health-promoting nutrients per calorie than bread made with refined flours. That alone makes it the best healthy bread option for most people, according to Malkani. Sprouted grain bread and whole grain sourdough are good choices for those with digestive concerns, she adds.

Look for bread that features whole grains and is high in fiber, but low in sugar. If you use the tips from Malkani and Defazio and choose a loaf from one of the healthiest bread brands, you'll make a foolproof, tasty choice every time.

The post What Is the Healthiest Bread? appeared first on The Healthy.

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What Is the Healthiest Bread? - msnNOW

Intermittent fasting is one of the more popular forms of fasting and is currently a health and fitness trend. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Fasting is the new trend in town. Or is it just a fad?Since when didUAE residents startturning their faces away from food?

UAE is a second home to more than 200 nationalities who work and live here. All of these nationalities have brought to the UAE their own cuisine, making it the culinary capital of the world, in terms of sheer size, variety and per square metre availability. There is no denying the fact that the average UAE resident spares no second thought when it comes to eating out or testing out a new dish. However, more and more people you meet are talking about fasting as a new pursuit as much as eating. It is as though they have found a new balance in life. We enquired and this is what we found.

Fasting and health: Let's start with the basics

Shyam Krishna, Senior Associate Editor

Whats fasting?

Fasting is abstaining from eating food for a specific length of time. The human body is well equipped to handle extended periods without food. Humans must have been fasting since they were around. Most of the time, it was done out of necessity when food wasnt available. When there was adequate food, fasting has been used for therapy and as spiritual practices in several religions. Now, fasting has been used for maintaining fitness and weight loss.

Hows fasting linked to medicine?

Fasting is one of the oldest medical therapies. It is used in many ancient healing systems since fasting allows the body to rid itself of toxins that are responsible for several ailments. Greek physician Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said that fasting helped the body to heal itself.

How does fasting work?

When the intake of food is stopped for a certain period, many organs and systems of the body will not have to work on digestion. So the energy saved from the digestive process is used to repair the body, thereby healing it. The liver and immune system are freed to detoxify and heal the body. It also allows the body to burn the stored calories.

What are the benefits of fasting?

Many studies have shown that fasting can help reduce weight, improve metabolic health, protect against ailments, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, some forms of cancer, and Alzheimers. Besides, theres the promise of a longer, healthier life. During fasting, theres also a significant reduction in blood sugar and insulin levels, besides a sharp spike in human growth hormone.

Although fasting is recommended, medical advice has to be sought before starting any form of fasts. The various kinds of fasting may not work for everyone, and some people may require a tailor-made plan. So its best to consult a healthcare professional before starting a fast.

Intermittent fasting

It is one of the more popular forms of fasting and is currently a health and fitness trend. Simply put, its alternating cycles of fasting and eating. But the duration of fasting differs in each version. So these are time-restricted eating plans.

Intermittent fasting has been used as a weight-loss tool, but it doesnt work for everyone and is not recommended for people with eating disorders. Is very important to consume nutritious food during the eating periods, and avoid excessive calorie intake.

There are several approaches to intermittent fasting, but we have focused on nine of them.

1. Fast for 12 hours a day

Its fasting for 12 hours and the remaining 12 hours is a window for eating before resuming the fast. According to researchers, this diet could persuade the body to turn its fat stores into energy and release ketones into the bloodstream. And that should encourage weight loss.

Known as the Leangains protocol, it involves fasting for 16 hours, and the daily eating window is restricted to 8-10 hours. Its easier to follow if you dont eat anything after dinner and skip breakfast the next day. The method, structured by fitness expert Martin Berkhan, permits drinking water, black coffee, black tea (a splash of milk is allowed) and other zero-calorie beverages during the fast.

The weight loss in this diet is also triggered by ketosis. During the 16-hour fast, glycogen in the liver is depleted, and the body slips into ketosis. Leangains includes exercise into the fasting period to increase the rate of burning fat.

Called the Fast Diet after the book authored by Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, it allows regular food intake for five days of the week, but for the remaining two days the calorie intake is reduced to 500600. The 5:2 diet prescribes lean protein, vegetables, and fruit on fasting days as two small meals and snacks. On the other five days, you can eat almost anything.

Its simple: You fast every other day. Fasting for a full day may seem extreme and could be unsustainable. Some variations allow for an intake of 500 calories during the fasting days. Several studies have shown the benefits of this method, popularised by Krista Varady, a nutrition professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

An Austrian study last year found that after four weeks of alternate-day fasting, people had more lean muscle and less body fat, lower cholesterol levels and improved heart health. All these things can happen with exercise and nutrition programmes, according to a Reuters report.

This Eat-Stop-Eat method involves a 24-hour fast once or twice per week. Water, black coffee, black tea and other zero-calorie beverages are allowed during the fasting, made popular by fitness expert Brad Pilon. The only problem is that some people may find it difficult to fast for a full 24 hours.

This is not a structured fasting plan. It merely involves skipping a meal or two from time to time. So it is a spontaneous intermittent fast.

Health experts say skipping meals is not good since it can lead to tiredness and loss of essential nutrients. It could also trigger snacking on high-sugar foods, resulting in weight gain.

The diet, popularised by fitness expert Ori Hofmekler, involves eating small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables during the day and a big meal at night. Which mean you fast during the day and eat during a four-hour window at night. Some recommend the food to be mostly whole grains and unprocessed, while others advise the consumption of plenty of vegetables, proteins, and healthful fats, besides some carbohydrates. Hofmekler believes the plan mimics the pattern of ancient warriors, hence the name.

Known by the abbreviation OMAD, this is a weight-loss plan in which a person eats only one meal per day and fasts the rest of the time. Its also called 23:1 diet since people fast for 23 hours and eat for one hour. This diet may help some people lose weight, but it may also carry some risks, according to Medical News Today. Low sugar levels could result in fatigue, increased irritability and trouble in concentrating. The risk of binge eating at a single meal time is also high.

The diet also presents a significant problem for people who take prescription medications with food more than once per day.

In a 48-hour fast, you take a full, two-day break from eating. During the two-day fast, you can drink water, black coffee, black tea and zero-calorie fluids. Its essential to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. At the end of the fast, food should only be consumed gradually, starting with a small snack. On non-fasting days, it is advised to avoid very high-calorie foods. The 48-hour fast is generally done only once or twice a month.

First person: From health condition to reinvented self

I was 29 years old when I was diagnosed with Hashimotos, an autoimmune disease which causes your thyroid to have a low function. Because of that I started to gain weight and suffered from other medical conditions. My doctor suggested that I should try doing intermittent fasting (IF).

Being a Muslim, I am used to fasting but making such a change to your body isnt easy. The first few days of IF were really hard I had terrible headache at the end of my fasting window. But eventually it got easier. I started my journey from 16:8 which is 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating.

Then I eventually moved onto 20:4 and now two years of being on this journey I do OMAD (One meal a day). I sometimes do more than 24hrs of fasting which is very beneficial as your body goes into autophagy mode. During this process the cells break down viruses, bacteria and damaged components.

After two years of fasting, I can say that IF has really helped me in various ways: my thyroid function is normal, I have more energy now and I feel healthy and I have lost 15kg in total. For me, fasting was not at all about losing weight but also to get my health and fitness under control.

Recently my brother was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and the doctor suggested that he try IF. Eventually his diabetes reversed and today he is diabetes free.

For everyone reading my story, I would say that please consult your doctor first before starting your IF journey, just as I did before trying it.

I love fasting, to me it isnt some fad diet but a lifestyle that has changed my body for the better.

First person: My journey with fasting

Sara Shurafa, Assistant Online Editor

In January this year, I had decided that 2020 will be the year to regain my healthy self. In the past years, with two pregnancies, and an unhealthy level of stress and juggling lifestyles, I had lost track of my healthy way of life. Therefore, I decided to start looking at options to get my health back on track. At that point, I did not have any serious health problems. However,my BMI was high, with a bad IBS that led me to be on painkillers most of the time, besides my lack of energy and my low morale.

For me, ahealthy personis someone who is full of energy.I was lacking in that no matter how much sleep I got orhow much I ate trying to get my energy levels back.

I'd hearda lot about intermittent fasting and how many people on it were losing weight. It intrigued me to take a serious look into it. Whenever Iasked anyone who is doing IF, the answers were positive: that it helped them lose weight. However, I was more concerned aboutthe long-term health benefits. Finally, I reached two fundamental conclusions that made mestart Intermittent Fasting

I have read in many papers that when your body is not working to digest food, it works on repairing cells. Which could also mean that, during this period,your body takes care of some of the cells thatcould later become cancerous. Fasting also meant that you will be eating less sugar and fewer calories. As a result, you will be losing weight, which also meant that your risk of obesity and diabetes became lower.

Ive been fasting now 12 to 16 hours a day, for more than 6 months now. Fasting didnt just make me lose weight, but today I have so much more energy to work, to look after my kids and to even exercise and socialise. I am more focused now. I do not feel sluggish any more, neither do I feel angry or depressed. My digestive system is much better, and my hunger prangs and sugar rush are gone.

Fasting has made me a better person at all levels; it hasmade me calmer and more patient.

Fasting should be followed under professional guidance:Juliott Vinolia

Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Senior Reporter

Juliott Vinolia, Clinical Dietician and Research Scholar, RD/ LD, Head of Dietary Services at Medeor Hospital

In the early 90s, the diet mantra to boost metabolism and burn fat was to consume small frequent meals of up to 5 small meals per day for sustained energy levels. Over the years, with our busy lifestyles, we have highly compromised on our diet and lifestyle, which has gotten worse during these pandemic times. We were unknowingly eating a diet excess in calories compared to our energy expenditure and also inadequate in vital nutrients putting us all at risk of chronic diseases, inflammation and poor immunity.

Most of our foods today come with hidden calories more than what we need- making our bodies vital disease preventing and energy sustaining functions sluggish. With the era of weight loss trends, fasting has taken more light in the area of research with the focus light on boosting our metabolism while managing work fatigue and preventing obesity.

Though research has clearly set out the benefits of autophagy and fasting in the evolution of the Super Human, we should understand that fasting directly impacts us at cellular level and should be followed under professional guidance to prevent any irreversible damage to health. Before following any type of fasting whether intermittent, time- restricted or alternate day fasting we have to first make sure we are medically fit to proceed in order to gain full benefits of autophagy in reviving good health.

It is clearly evident from studies that with the current lifestyle, eating practices and covid times, fasting when done the ideal way definitely helps in disease suppression, enhanced immunity and correct our genetic disposition to chronic diseases, prevent obesity and promise longevity. Our inactive life, poorly managed stress, inadequate sleep and high processed food intake has pushed humanity to a state of from eat to live to fasting to survive.

What Ayurveda says about fasting

Biju Mathew, Online Editor

Dr. V.L.Shyam, UAE-licenced Ayurveda practitioner

Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, advocates fasting as a means of healthy living and to cure many ailments.

Ayurveda suggests fasting for the treatment of several diseases. Fasting or upavasa is one of the most effective biological methods of treatment for several diseases. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness, said Dr. V. L. Shyam, a UAE-based licenced alternative medicine practitioner, who runs Dr Shyams Ayurvedic Centre in the country.

Ayurveda recommends eating between 10am and 6pm with sufficient intervals, which leaves 16 hours of fasting time. According to Ayurveda, one may take breakfast around 10am, lunch by mid-day and dinner before the sunset, said Dr Shyam.

But fasting should have its regulations too, Dr Shyam cautioned. As per Ayurveda, hunger is a natural urge, which shouldnt be suppressed, nor pre-initiated nor overfed. Eat light while hungry is what is proposed by Ayurveda for a healthy individual. Suppression of hunger can result in body pains and aches, anorexia, debility, emaciation, weight loss, abdominal colic pain and delusion.

Is there a particular diet recommended by Ayurveda?

Dr Shyam, highlighting the benefits of eating right, said: No food is good or bad. Everything needs to be eaten in moderation.

According to Ayurveda, certain food types should not be consumed habitually:

Ayurveda also recommends certain food types that should be included on a daily basis:

Ayurveda recommended discipline of eating food

Fasting studies

Jay Hilotin, Senior Assistant Editor

In both men and mice, numerous studies have found that curbing food intake helps. Fasting has been used and observed for thousands of years. It was seen as one of the oldest therapies in medicine. Great doctors of the ancient world and many of the oldest healing systems have recommended it as an integral method of healing and disease prevention.

There's an ancient wisdom behind it: Among the earliest records of fasting involved the ancient Romans, who apparently found the idea of "breakfast" repulsive. They were obsessed with digestion, historian Caroline Yeldham stated. The Romans seemed to believe eating more than one meal a day was gluttonous even unhealthy. Some researchers argue that's one of the early starts of what's now known as "intermittent fasting".

Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, believed fasting enabled the body to heal itself. About 500 years ago, Paracelsus, another great healer in the Western tradition, wrote that fasting is the greatest remedy", the "physician within". In ancient Greece, Pythagoras was among many who extolled its virtues.

Dr Herbert Shelton (1895-1985) was a revered pioneer of "therapeutic fasting" in which fasting is used to either treat or prevent ill health, with medical supervision. It became popular in the 19th century as part of the Natural Hygiene Movement in the US. Dr Shelton He claimed to have helped 40,000 patients recover their health with a water fast.

Many scientific studies had been done on fasting, starting from the early 1900s. A 1986 study published inMetabolism (Elsevier) led by G.L. Burke on 3,313 children ages 5-17 years showed that fasting insulin levels are positively related to measures of obesity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, -lipoprotein cholesterol and pre--lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

Fact file: what is lipoprotein

A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly whose primary function is to transport hydrophobic lipid (also known as fat) molecules in water, as in blood plasma or other extracellular fluids.

2009 Carmela study

If you're 55 or older, fasting may bring benefits, according to a 2009 study led by Dr Jorge Escobedo and his team. The so-called CARMELA (Cardiovascular Risk Factor Multiple Evaluation in Latin America) study was done to estimate the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, "impaired fasting glucose" and related risk factors in seven urban Latin American populations. The study was one of the largest of its kind, and included 11,550 adults 2564 years of age, with 1,600 subjects were randomly selected in each city.

Fact file: What is "impaired fasting glucose"

Impaired fasting glucose is a type of "pre-diabetes", in which a person's blood sugar levels during fasting are consistently above the normal range, but below the diagnostic cut-off for a formal diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Together with impaired glucose tolerance, it is a sign of insulin resistance.

The CARMELA study found thatthe prevalence of individuals with diabetes or impaired fasting glucose increased with age. For example, they found that in the oldest age category (5564 years), prevalence of diabetes ranged from 9 to 22%, while prevalence of impaired fasting glucose ranged from 3 to 6%.

Among diabetics, 83.7% had impaired fasting glucose i.e. only 16.3% of people with prior diagnosis of diabetes and who were receiving diabetes medication, were in "good" glycemic control (fasting glucose <6.1mmol/l). Most important: the study found that the prevalence of diabetes in individuals with abdominal obesity was about two-fold higher. Participants with hypertension, elevated serum triglycerides and increased common carotid artery intimamedia thickness were also more likely to have diabetes.

Fact file: Diabetes killed more than COVID-19

Diabetes (1.6 million deaths in 2016), of course, is today, a bigger killer than COVID-19 (1.4 million deaths till November 24, 2020). Now, several COVID vaccines have proven at least 95% effective. Diabetes, too, a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. The WHO reported that 2.2 million deaths were attributable to high blood glucose in 2012. Sadly, there's no vaccine for diabetes. But study after study show that good exercise and healthy fasting can somehow do the trick.

2019 Feel-good trial

A 2019 study led by Rachel Washburn of Texas Tech University on intermittent fasting (IF) effects (24-hour water-only fasting), known as the "Feel-good trial", focussed on trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels measured due to their association with elevated risk of coronary artery disease.

During the fasting period of the study, researchers found that TMAO levels were substantially decreased during the fasting day compared to the fed day. "TMAO is a novel and exciting biomarker of cardiovascular disease in humans that arises from intestinal microbiota," the researchers wrote. "Due to its connection to dietary intake, TMAO is also a good candidate to be affected by intermittent fasting, and its change highlights the possibility that fasting may also beneficially alter the microbiome at least during caloric desistance, if not for a more extended period of time after the end of a fasting episode." The key: "caloric desistance", i.e. no food.

2019 Buchinger Fasting trial

In 2019, thePloS journal published a clinical on fasting, with 1,422 participants. It was one of the few studies that documented longer periods of fasting (one year) in a large number of participants, including non-obese people. The Franco-German research team led by Franoise Wilhelmi de Toledo documented the safety and changes in the participants' basic health and well-being indicators.

To measure blood lipids, glucoregulation and other health-related blood parameters, blood tests before and at the end of the fasting period were done. It also used pre-post analysis using mixed-effects linear models. The observational study ran for one year following the Buchinger periodic fasting (4 to 21 days of fasting periods, during which participants were limited to 200250 kcal of daily caloric intake). The study subjects included 404 people with pre-existing health complaints, including diabetes and obesity.

Startling results

De Toledo's study asked the participants to do a moderate-intensity lifestyle program, including regular exercises, with clinical parameters and adverse effects and well-being documented daily. The results were startling: Among the 404 subjects with pre-existing health-complaints, 341 (84.4%) reported an improvement significant reductions in weight, abdominal circumference and blood pressure in the entire group. At the same time, 93.2% of the subject reported an absence of hunger feeling. Statistically, this type of fasting proved safe: Among the 1,422 study participants, only 1% reported adverse effects.

Fasting, when done right, has clear health benefits. But there's the biggest hurdle of all: It's rather difficult to do and stick to. Moreso if one doesn't have the right motivation and strong resolve. But it's one of life's inevitable conundrums: no pain, no gain.

Read more:
UAE: Is fasting the best route to fitness? - Gulf News

When Chris Mabes mother, Gramma Blue, moved to Brazos County, her family got a bigger home for all the friends and grandkids they expected her to draw from across the country. The house had a music room, a large kitchen, extra beds and a 12-seat, hand-carved dining table.

But this Thanksgiving, the house will be nearly empty. Mabes 81-year-old mother, Jewel Bergan-Brumbaugh, died this March, one of the states earliest victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

It's all gone, Mabe said. Nobody comes. We don't see anyone. Mom is gone.

Adding to the isolation, no students and faculty from Texas A&M University, where Mabes husband Jim works, will be invited to share a meal this year. And all of the couples family, including their two adult children, live out of state. The only attendees for Thanksgiving dinner will be Jim, Chris and her mothers yowling, 16-year-old cat, Scooter.

I dread the things that will come up for me and the amount of effort it's going to take to rise above the grief and the fear and the anger about this happening to our country and the world, Chris Mabe said. It's not fair. It's not just. It's terrifying. And yet I know we're going to figure out how to be OK.

This years pandemic has brought untold suffering to families across Texas. The state has reported over 20,500 deaths from the pandemic alone. More than 8,000 were hospitalized in the days leading up to the holiday. Since March, more than 3.8 million Texans have applied for unemployment relief, with 70,000 applying through the first two weeks of November.

And now the holidays are arriving, a season that will be especially difficult for many of those who have lost loved ones, jobs and a sense of normalcy. Making things worse: At a time when they might take solace in the company of friends or family, public health authorities are urging them to stay apart.

Justin residents Ashley and Terry-Lee Washko were saving to buy a house before the pandemic hit. Then when Terry-Lee, 35, was laid off from his job at an oil field company in June, Ashley, 32, had to drive four hours to pick him up from the side of the road. After months of searching for a job and receiving unemployment checks that didnt amount to enough to pay the bills, Terry-Lee got a job at a nearby warehouse last week. Still, they lost the company car that came with his job and their dreams of buying a house anytime soon.

Ashley said the job shed always worked to stay busy became the only source of income to help feed their two teenage kids and Terry-Lees father. As their savings has started to run out, they wont be able to afford food they typically have for Thanksgiving.

"It's been so long since I've had to worry about groceries and now, I'm like, 'Hey, why dont you go to Dollar Tree, I think they have that there,'" she said. "It's just a struggle when the kids are about to be out for Thanksgiving break and they're gonna be home all week and I'm like oh my gosh we don't have enough food for them."

Normally, Ashleys family gathers and brings out a large tablecloth for people to write what theyre thankful for this year. She wrote last year that she felt blessed to have the life she did. Now, her family will stay home. She said if she had to write something on the tablecloth, it would be that the year is almost over.

Social service organizations and food banks across the state are working double to serve an influx of Texans needing assistance. The holiday season is always the busiest time of year for food banks, as they work to ensure every Texan gets to sit down to the Thanksgiving dinner table with enough to eat, said Celia Cole, CEO of the food bank network Feeding Texas, which serves 4.5 million Texans annually.

But this year, the need is much higher than in previous years, Cole said. She estimates food banks statewide are serving twice as many families as they were before the pandemic.

In El Paso, a major hot spot for cases, the organization is currently receiving many more requests for home delivery from people who cannot safely go out to get food, Cole said. The Rio Grande Valley and Houston have also seen a significant increase in need over the last month, she said.

There are, unfortunately, no instances of decreased need, Cole said. Its a lot more people needing help, a lot more food going out the door, and its a lot harder to get food to people in need.

Early in the pandemic, food banks struggled to keep their shelves stocked as volunteers were told to stay home and grocery stores had less surplus to donate.

More Texans than usual showed up Saturday to receive a Thanksgiving turkey from CitySquare, a Dallas nonprofit that provides affordable housing and operates a local food pantry, said John Siburt, the organizations president and chief operating officer. The annual event was turned into a drive-thru this year, with volunteers handing turkeys to people in cars.

Were definitely seeing increased need at our food pantry, with a new segment of people needing food pantries for the first time and a steady stream of people needing to access food to get through the month, Siburt said.

More Texans are also turning to social service organizations for help maintaining their housing.

The most alarming needs were seeing right now are around rental assistance and utility bill assistance, Siburt said. Were being overrun with people who need help paying their rent and paying their utility bills and trying to avoid eviction.

That strain is being felt even by people not directly affected by the pandemic. In Mt. Vernon, Tony Hall, 57, lost his job last year. Hall and his wife, Teresa Barinecutt, 59, have tried reaching out to organizations for housing, but havent been able to find any help.

Hall was working as a log roller last year when one of the 150-pound logs rolled into his chest. He told himself he could shake it off, but had to go to the hospital a month later and discovered that he had loose blood in his lungs that caused blood clots and pneumonia. Without health insurance and unable to work, he and Barinecutt were evicted from their home and are now living in their car.

What I need more than anything is a place to get out of my car and lay down and get some rest, Tony said.

Experts say that reports of depression and anxiety increase around the holidays during a typical year. They fear increased loss and lack of normal support systems will make this year even worse.

There's a lot of societal pressure on us to be happy and joyful during this time of year, said Julie Kaplow, executive director of the Trauma and Grief Center at the Hackett Center for Mental Health. We know that there are a lot of reasons why that may not be feasible or possible for many families, this year.

Joy Alonzo, clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M Health Science Center, said the constant stress of worrying about you or loved ones catching COVID-19 isnt making things any easier. Almost 80% of adults said the pandemic was a significant source of stress for them, according to the American Psychological Associations Stress in America 2020 report.

And people like Chris Mabe, who have already lost someone, are navigating their grief in a time where typical support systems like gathering together arent possible.

They're also grieving for a loss of tradition, loss of what they would normally do during this time period, Alonzo said. They're actually grieving for normalcy.

Mabe said shes feeling dread about the coming holiday, but I dont want to feel that.

She said sticking to the routine and finding ways to stay connected during the holidays are going to be the familys safety light. She said shes still planning to cook a big turkey, make video calls, exchange photos on Facebook and stick to her ritual of watching football and yelling at the TV.

I mean, it's not what I want to project, and it's not what I'm going to talk about on the Zoom call, but I'm really aware that that's what I'm feeling because it's a reckoning," she said. "It's a milestone, anniversary dates and little milestones, they bear so much weight, and it's going to be hard.

Mabes family could never gather for a funeral after the death of her mother because of the pandemic. She said it makes her angry that while her family canceled its celebration, her neighbors are still having parties.

Normally, family members would gather in the same room and process their loss together. They would talk about how angry or sad they were, laugh, cry, play music and crack jokes with a bottle of wine or sparkling cider in tow.

We never got to do that together. and that is a huge loss and were not alone in that, Mabe said.

She said she feels lucky to have the financial resources to support her family and access mental health support. Still, despite having experienced tragic losses in the past, she said grieving doesnt get any easier.

Our family has lived very hard lives for lots and lots of reasons. We've always found a way to get through it, Mabe said. And we'll get through this, too. But it is going to be exhausting.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

Facebook, Feeding Texas and Texas A&M University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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Thanksgiving carries extra weight for Texas families amid coronavirus - The Texas Tribune