The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: Part 6
Updated: Jan 22, 2022
High insulin levels caused by constant eating are the number one reason people have health issues and struggle with weight. Discover why it is not just what you eat but when you eat that matters.
Excerpt from Stress Free Diet Podcast EP 105
Matt: Welcome to Part 6 of the Stress Free Diet
The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Rich: When people hear the word Fasting, they may think of suffering, but what we are sharing today is one of the most powerful things a person can do to lose weight and gain vitality. Matt, you and I do intermittent Fasting and find it easy to do.
Disclaimer:
This information is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health-care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen.
Rich: As amazing as Intermittent Fasting is, it is not for everyone: pregnant women, young children, people with eating disorders or low BMI scores. Just check with your health care professional before starting this.
Matt: Intermittent Fasting is setting a time when you are eating and not consuming any food or most drinks. Throughout the ages, hunter-gathers did not have a cave stocked with food, and they only ate when they acquired the food.
Rich: Every time we eat, it causes the pancreas to release Insulin into the blood to move the glucose into the cells. Everything we eat breaks down to glucose, which our bodies run on.
Matt: High insulin levels can lead to many health problems, including gaining weight. Insulin is a fat-storing hormone.
Rich: By confining your eating to a specific window, it helps keep insulin levels low.
Matt: A popular type of Intermittent Fasting is the 16:8. You only eat during that 8-hour window and not any before or after. Some do 18:6 or 20:4. There is OMAD. Which stands for One Meal A Day.
Rich: My dad used to tell me about his Italian grandfather, who used to eat only one meal in the middle of the day. It would last a couple of hours. He was healthy, and he lived well into his 90's.
Matt: The word, Breakfast means breaking a fast. Most people are doing it in some form already because people do not eat while they sleep.
Rich: Using time-restricted eating gives your digestive system a chance to rest and repair. Many people find that this clears up any digestive issues they may have.
Matt: If people keep their eating in the 8-hour window, what about snacking in between meals?
Rich: Snacking is the best way to sabotage all the benefits of Intermittent Fasting. Every time we eat, it spikes our Insulin. I was terrible at this until I realized how much harm I was doing—confessions of a Snack-A-Holic. I would eat a healthy breakfast only to be snacking on high glycemic carbs type foods between meals. Doing this keeps your insulin levels high, one of the most dangerous things you can do. People focus on how they gain weight, but that is only the symptom of a much more serious problem caused by high Insulin.
Matt: Example: you have not eaten since lunch, and you feel the urge to hit the snack machine for a bag of pretzels or cookies. Bam, you just spiked your Insulin.
Here are some of the things caused by high insulin levels.
High blood pressure, high triglycerides, and leading to insulin resistance and then diabetes.
Rich: High insulin levels caused by constant eating are the number one reason people have health issues and struggle with weight.
Matt: In the next episode, we will discuss what types of foods you can have that will contribute to you living a healthy life being at the weight you want to be.
Till next time. Thanks for listening.