INTERMITTENT FASTING A POWERFUL WAY TO KEEP A HEALTHY BODY!

By: apt. Made Krisna Adi Jaya, S.Farm., M.Farm.

Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Udayana University    

WHAT IS INTERMITTENT FASTING?

Intermittent fasting is a way to set the time period to eat at a certain time interval. The application of intermittent fasting focuses on scheduling meals and fasting periods. In the period of fasting, we are not allowed to consume food in any form except water. Whereas in the eating period, we are allowed to consume food normally. To optimize this intermittent fasting effect, we must pay close attention to the nutritional intake that we eat.

HOW DOES INTERMITTENT FASTING BEGIN?

Several methods can be applied to do intermittent fasting, including daily or weekly techniques. Some popular intermittent fasting methods implemented are:

1. Method 16/8: This method is done by skipping breakfast. Meal periods are only conducted from noon to evening in the 8 hour period. This method essentially recommends limiting your daily mealtime to 8 hours, and the remaining 16 hours you must fast.

2. Method 20/4: The 20/4 method only gives you a 4-hour mealtime window and a 20-hour fasting period. This method is not recommended for those of you who have just started intermittent fasting. You can start your first meal in the afternoon, and the last meal must be done in the afternoon before sunset.

3. Method 5:2: This method focus on weekly intervals. 5:2 means during these five days, you are welcome to eat normally, while two days of the week, you must limit your food intake to 500-600 calories/day. A calorie reduction interval is recommended not to be done consecutively. There must be at least one day of the normal eating interval.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF INTERMITTENT FASTING?

Many studies find that intermittent fasting is very good for health. Even if this condition is maintained, it will make you live longer. The following are the benefits that you will get include:

1.     Achieve ideal body weight

Intermittent fasting helps you lose weight or maintain ideal body weight and miraculously lose fat in your stomach without having to consciously regulate the calorie intake of the food you eat every day.

2.     Reducing insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is a phenomenon where our body does not respond to insulin. If you do not respond to insulin resistance, then type 2 diabetes will wait for you in the future.

3.     Minimizing inflammation in the body

Some studies say that intermittent fasting can reduce Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which cause inflammation in the body significantly. Thus humans will be more protected from various diseases.

4.     Maintain your heart health

Intermittent fasting can reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the body, LDL, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, and all risk factors that cause heart disease.

5.     Improve brain memory

Intermittent fasting can increase the brain's Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) hormone and stimulate the growth of new nerve cells. This condition will make your memory better and can protect you from Alzheimer's.

6.     Prevents aging

Researchers found that intermittent fasting was able to extend the life of test animals 36-83%. This result illustrated that intermittent fasting is able to give effect as anti-aging.

SIDE EFFECTS AND SAFETY OF INTERMITTENT FASTING

Hunger is a major side effect of intermittent fasting. At the beginning of it, you might feel weak and difficult to concentrate on carrying out daily activities. However, these things are only temporary, because your body will experience an adaptation phase first with a new eating schedule. When the adaptation phase has passed, your body will feel fitter than before intermittent fasting.

In general, there is nothing dangerous that might happen with intermittent fasting when you are in a healthy condition and not in a special condition include:

1.     Pregnant women and breastfeeding

2.     Diabetes with a history of hypoglycemia

3.     History of hypotension / low blood pressure

4.     Currently using certain drugs such as insulin, antidiabetic, antihypertensive drugs, etc.

5.     Women who are planning to become pregnant

6.     Women with a history of irregular menstruation, and

7.     Male / female with below normal weight / under weight

Overall, if you are not a group of people in the above conditions, try to start intermittent fasting. Start with the simplest method, which is 16/8. Try and prove what changes will occur in your body after 30 days of routine doing it. Good luck, greetings, a healthy and fit body!!