Intermittent Fasting: Boon or Bane

The newest trend in weight loss and management has won numerous fans both here and abroad. But we have to ask: does it really work and, better yet, how safe is it?

 

While fasting has long been a part of human culture, with different religions practicing it as an act of faith or commitment, there is one type of fasting that has gained popularity over the past few years as a way of keeping fit and reducing one’s body weight.

 

Intermittent fasting (IF) is the act of adjusting your personal diet to periods of eating and not eating. Indeed, IF is not so much about what not to eat, but more of when not to eat. While there are many types of IF currently in practice, the most popular one among Filipinos is the 16/8 Method wherein one eats only within a set eight-hour period and fasts for the remaining hours of the day.

 

 

Dietitians say that IF is actually aligned with our evolution-driven impulse to “feast or fast,” which is to say it hearkens back to the time when hunter-gatherers, fasted during lean times when there was no game to hunt or fruit to forage. In doing so, the body burns up its fat reserves, leading to lower weight and a more streamlined physique.

 

But, of course, this begs the questions: is it more boon or bane for those seeking to keep weight off for good?

 

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Let’s get down to the details and say at once that IF does have numerous benefits. According to clinical studies, these may include:

  • Increased levels of human growth hormone (HGH) which can increase fat loss and build muscle;
  • Improve insulin sensitivity and lower insulin levels throughout the body, enabling it to process energy sources more efficiently;
  • Accelerate cellular regeneration in order to speed up the healing of wounds and other physical injuries; and
  • Improve genetic functions related to longevity and immunity. Note, however, that more research is being done to back this up.

 

Some researchers have also noted improved cardiac and brain function among those who do IF on a regular basis. However, as with anything, there is a flip side to this – and the results are not as pleasant as we think.

 

There are Drawbacks to Intermittent Fasting

It is interesting to note that, in the Philippines, nearly 80% of those who practice IF are women. This is a disturbing trend for both dietitians and gynecologists as prolonged fasting can wreak havoc on the female reproductive system.

 

The National Institutes of Health in the United States have published numerous studies which do not recommend intermittent fasting among women due to the following reasons:

  • Cyclical fasting can lead to amenorrhea or the absence/complete cessation of a woman’s menstrual period. This, in turn, can prove challenging for those who are trying to conceive;
  • Doing IF whilst pregnant can lead to congenital effects in one’s unborn child and, in extreme cases, miscarriage; and
  • Among breastfeeding women, IF can drastically decrease milk production or reduce the nutritive value of one’s breast milk.

 

Likewise, IF is not recommended for those with a known history of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, those with juvenile (Type 1/insulin-dependent) diabetes, cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension and hypotension, and those on a standardized regimen of maintenance medicines.

 

Why do IF When You can Do FIRs?

While IF does have its benefits, clinical studies performed in France, Japan, and the United States show that there is a safer, less invasive, less depriving, and healthier way to keep excess poundage off your body: far infrared ray (FIR) therapy.

 

 

Unlike more harmful UV rays, FIRs pose no danger to one’s skin or raise the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer. Indeed, FIRs actually help prevent such conditions through the natural acceleration of internal cellular regeneration.

 

Accelerated cellular regeneration enables the body to heal itself faster from wounds and inflammation. Likewise, it kick-starts one’s metabolism, enabling the body to maximize the use of stored fat resources for energy, burning it down, and helping reduce one’s weight more safely and rapidly.

 

 

Using the Vital Dome for 40 minutes helps the cellular regeneration process along and has been clinically proven to have the same beneficial impact as a 40-hour high impact workout. Try it for yourself and experience better weight management without the hassle of deprivation.