Fasting can be a powerful tool to improve your health and wellness and may even add years to your life!
Fasting has long been part of many religions’ cleansing and ritual healing practices.
It turns out that fasting me be good for more than your soul! What are the benefits of fasting, and how can it help you live a longer, healthier life?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), here are five proven ways fasting can help you achieve longevity and optimal health.
- It Promotes Cellular Repair
One of the most important anti-aging benefits of fasting is its ability to promote cellular repair and regeneration. When fasting, your body goes into a state known as “autophagy,” which is a kind of biological “spring cleaning” where your body clears out damaged cells and regenerates new ones. During autophagy, your body breaks down damaged cells and recycles the cellular components to create new cells. This process can help your body repair damaged tissue and reduce inflammation, leading to a healthier, more resilient body.
- Improve Metabolic Health
Metabolic health refers to the body’s ability to process and utilize energy from food. Poor metabolic health is linked to several chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Fasting improves metabolic health by reducing insulin resistance, lowering blood sugar levels, and decreasing inflammation. Insulin resistance occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin’s effects, leading to high blood sugar levels and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Fasting can help reduce insulin resistance by reducing the amount of glucose your body produces and improving the sensitivity of your cells to insulin.
- Promotes Healthier Eating Habits
Fasting can help reset your relationship with food and encourage healthier eating habits. By practicing intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating, you become more aware of your food choices. You learn to appreciate the importance of nourishing your body with whole, nutrient-dense foods and how to get rid of cravings. Furthermore, fasting can help improve your sense of taste and satiety. This will make recognizing when you’re genuinely hungry easier and thus help you prevent overeating
- Improves Cognition and Brain Health
Studies show that fasting can improve brain function. This is because, while fasting, your body produces higher amounts of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This is a protein that promotes the growth and survival of neurons. BDNF has been linked to improved memory, cognitive function, and mood. Studies have also found that fasting may help protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by reducing inflammation and promoting autophagy in the brain.
- Reduces Systemic Inflammation
Much of the degeneration of mental and physical function that we think of as aging has to do with systemic inflammation. The potential for fasting to promote longevity is one of the most exciting research areas. Several studies have shown that fasting can extend the lifespan of animals and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.
And while we need more research to determine the long-term effects of fasting on the human lifespan, the current evidence is promising. The studies that have linked fasting to extended longevity all point to its ability to reduce systemic inflammation.
You should not try fasting or severe calorie restriction without consulting with a medical professional; however, if it is deemed that it is safe for you to do so, fasting may be a simple and practical way to optimize your health and possibly add years to your life.
