Consider that our ancient ancestors, the hunter-gatherers, didn’t have supermarkets, refrigerators or restaurant which had food readily available all-year round. There were many periods where they couldn’t find anything to eat for extended periods of time during the day as well as over seasons. As a result, humans and animals evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time.
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History passed it down through top religions including: Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism as they completed these practices of not consuming any food on an intermittent basis for religious and spiritual reasons. Fasting is still often used as a tool to make a political or spiritual statement, to protest and to bring awareness to a cause or movement. A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance where participants would fast as an act of political protest. A spiritual statement incorporates fasting due to personal spiritual beliefs with the desire to express personal principles.
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In fact, some research indicate that fasting from time-to-time is more natural than always eating every 3–4 hours every day. On top of what you are eating, another danger lies in failing to provide rest to your digestive system. Fasting is simply abstaining from eating any food over an extended period of time and the health benefits of following a fasting cycle include: insulin and blood sugar regulator, fat loss, weight loss, cellular repair and an increase in the Human Growth Hormone (hGH).
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Knowing this and being the curious cat that I am, I have been completing a 18/6 fasting cycle where I consume proper foods from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. and outside of this window, I focus on drinking water which provides my body with a fasting period of 18 hours. I put this discipline into practice at the beginning of February 2021 and bringing this discipline to my eating regime has allowed me to focus on eating essential foods that are rich and nutritious and reduce my snacking considerably on top of developing a new love and appreciation for food and its powers.
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Here’s a glimpse as to what happens during fasting over a 72-hour period that many people complete to get the maximum benefit from fasting. After 4-8 hours of fasting, your blood sugar falls, all food in your stomach has left and insulin is no longer being produced. After 12 hours, all foods have been consumed and the digestive system halts. Only when it’s halted that the body begins to heal, hGH begins to increase and glucagon is released to balance blood sugars. After 16 hours, the body is burning all excessive fats and by the 18th hour, hGH is skyrocketing.
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The following day (24 hours), autophagy begins and ketones are released into the bloodstream. Autophagy is a vital process in which the body’s cells “clean out” any unnecessary or damaged components. After 36 hours, your autophagy has significantly increased and after 48 hours, your immune system resets and starts regeneration. It’s only after 72 hours of fasting that your autophagy maxes out and plateaus.
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Many who swear by intermittent fasting, whether a 12/12, 16/8 or 18/6 cycle, will share the gratifying and rewarding feeling of breaking your fasting with that first delicious meal. Your taste buds, palette and stomach rejoice and endorphins are released throughout the body when you devour that meal. That satisfying feeling boosts your mood and your energy. It couldn’t be more important to ensure that your first meal will satisfy your body’s craving so don’t waste it on cheap calories as well as ensure that you only consume proper foods during your “eating window.” I don’t place many limits on the type of foods that I consume except to fill my body’s craving with delicious and nutritious foods that my body needs.
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To pass time and control cravings, I drink water, herbal teas and black coffee as well as exercise and take long walks. Black coffee and herbal teas are permitted during the fasting window as they don’t induce any insulin response and aid with cleansing. Exercise is important during fasting as it assist in releasing toxins through your pores. If you’re lucky, take advantage of a sauna or a hot bath to further cleanse your body. …. Even without any food in the morning or in the evening, I still have the same amount of energy to complete my cardio, workout and do everything I need to complete without any issues or complaints. After a workout or a walk, I’ll drink some water with fruit salts in it to provide me with the necessary minerals that my body is craving. The sunlight always provides great benefits even during cloudy periods.
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Since I’m providing my body with sufficient time between my last meal and the time that I go to bed, I’ve found that my rest is better and deeper. I wake-up feeling rested and with energy. I drink a considerate amount of water as well as a large gratifying cup of black coffee in the morning. By late-morning, I’m counting down to my first meal where I start planning my cravings. While I work and complete other duties in the afternoon, I enjoy all kinds of delicious foods, fruit juices, vegetable smoothies and treats. By 5:00 p.m. I, honestly, have little room to take-in any more food, but I enjoy a nice solid meal before starting my fasting period.
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Since starting this new eating cycle, I’ve already noticed some of the benefits to fasting since including getting rid of food intolerances, more energy during the day, more body definition and enjoying a better deeper sleep. For those that require it, check with your physician to see if they confirm it. Intermittent fasting, like many other things, exponentiates its benefits over time and the longer you maintain this discipline, the more in-tune your body is to its natural state.