There’s a lot of things that science and research have been telling us is true. Examples include:
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
- Eating small meals throughout the day keeps your metabolism going and contributes to weight loss
- Reducing calories is the best way to lose weight
But are all of these remarks 100% accurate? Maybe not.
According to recent research, fasting at irregular intervals improves your metabolism and aids in weight loss. Better yet, you don’t need to reduce your caloric intake to reap the benefits.
Over the years, fasting has shown to have a ton of benefits. For example, it reduces inflammation, lowers oxidative stress, prevents cell damage, slows aging, increases insulin levels, and lowers the risk of acquiring diseases caused by old age.
According to research, fasting has this effect because it increases vascular growth, thereby triggering anti-inflammatory macrophages. These macrophages reduce inflammation by encouraging the cells to burn their fat stores in order to create heat.
According to Medical News Today:
STRIKINGLY, THESE FASTING-STIMULATED CHANGES IN THE GROWTH OF VASCULAR CELLS AND SUBSEQUENT IMMUNE ALTERATIONS OCCUR EVEN AFTER A SINGLE CYCLE OF 24-HOUR FASTING, AND ARE COMPLETELY REVERSED WHEN MICE START EATING AGAIN.”
– STUDY CO-AUTHOR YUN HYE KIM
Researchers are still looking into the specifics of ideal fasting, such as the length of time to fast, and what to eat in-between fasts.
However, this information gives researchers hope to one day be able to create specific fasting programs in order to help combat weight gain and obesity around the nation.
