16/8 and the Health Benefits You Can’t Ignore

Metabolism is the term used to explain how food is broken down and turned into fuel for the body. Unfortunately there are many influences on our body’s metabolism which make it difficult for many people to maintain a healthy body weight. Some of the influences include: endocrine disrupting chemicals in personal care products, large amounts of simple carbohydrates, lack of movement, impaired detoxification, poor nutrition, and lack of quality of sleep (just to name a few).

However, there is a very direct method to tweak the metabolism of your body to unleash a variety of health benefits. It’s called Intermittent Fasting (IF).

This type of fasting has been practiced all throughout human history inadvertently and intentionally.

WHAT IS IF?

IF is a period of time without eating or drinking anything that contains calories for at least 12 hours. Research has shown that in a fasted state the body will use fat reserves as a source of fuel in the absence of sugar from the diet and this has many benefits. 16/8 simply refers to the amount of time in fasting (16 hours)/time non-fasting (8 hours).

HOW IS IF BENEFICIAL?

Since the body is using fat for fuel in the fasted state it will naturally promote fat loss. It has also been shown to increase Human Growth Hormone production by the brain to enhance the breakdown of fats more efficiently which can result in a healthier body composition. Also, fasting has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce insulin resistance- a situation in which the the cells of the body stop responding to insulin and glucose is not taken into the cells for energy, but is rather stored as fat in the cells as a reserve. This means that now that the cells are more sensitive to insulin, sugar is being burned as fuel rather than stored as fat, revving up the metabolism. This has been shown to even reduce caloric intake on non-fasting days, improved blood glucose and better energy. This is especially good news for individuals who have been told that they are “pre-diabetic”, struggling with weight concerns, have PCOS and a sluggish thyroid.

Intermittent fasting may hold the key to better blood sugar control, improved energy throughout the day, increased metabolism and better weight management.

HOW TO DO IF

16/8 is a very commonly practiced IF method. The 16-hour window of time (ie. 6p-10a) is spent fasting followed by an 8-hour window (ie. 10a-6p) of eating. During the hours of fasting foods and drinks that will increase insulin levels in the blood should be avoided, but black coffee, green tea and water are ok to have. Pretty much everything else will bring your body’s fasting state to an end. Best choices for ending the fast are protein and healthy fats/oils. Followed by whole grains.

I practice and recommend IF for most of my patients in combination with functional medicine testing to check on the proficiency of their metabolic functions, detox pathways and nutrient deficiencies so that they are addressing hormone imbalances, mood swings, weight gain, low energy, poor nutritional status, toxic burden and more with uniquely tailored supplementation that their body requires. Talk with your doctor to see if IF is a good fit for you and your health goals. If you would like to give your metabolism a boost simply schedule a free inquiry call with me today.