It is inevitable that as you age, you will be more susceptible to various diseases, and being overweight is one of the factors contributing to a variety of illnesses. A key component of anti-aging is intermittent fasting. Scientists are gaining some serious support for the idea of fasting to stop aging: According to a Japanese study, fasting appears to speed up metabolism in addition to reversing aging. You might wonder why metabolism is to do with anti-aging, the fact is metabolism slows down with age, as well as making you less active, losing muscle mass, and aging your internal components.
What is the Science Behind Fasting?
Fasting is a practice that has been done by millions of people for thousands of years. The most common form of fasting is intermittent fasting (or IF). It involves restricting the period of time you eat during a 24-hour period.
Another form of fasting gaining traction in the skincare world is a fast with intermittent refeeding (or IFIF). This variation of intermittent fasting involves eating whatever you want (including calories) in a two-hour window section, followed by two hours of fasting.
What happens when the fasting tasks are perfectly done? Firstly, several metabolic changes will happen in our body because it starves for a prolonged period of time. The food we eat provides us with energy. A process of gluconeogenesis takes place in the absence of food, which uses stored fats to produce energy. This can be accomplished by the body using non-carbohydrate sources, such as amino acids, to extract glucose. Secondly, our purines and pyrimidine levels rise, which leads to a rise in antioxidant levels in the body. As a result, our skin will have less systemic inflammation thanks to a high antioxidant level and better gut health, leading to a smoother, more healthy, and younger looking skin.
Fasting Factors to Consider:
Before you decide to fast, there are a few things you should consider. Whether or not fasting is right for you depends on your goals, personal preferences, and what works best for your body’s metabolism.
Your Goals
There are a number of goals that you can accomplish through fasting. Fasting has been used as a form of cleansing in many religions, and it can help the body rid itself of toxins. It has also been used to help with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight.
Your Age
Fasting is not right for everyone, and the younger you are, the more likely it is that fasting will not agree with your body. The older you are, the more likely you are to have other health issues, such as arthritis or diabetes. If you have other issues such as these, you may need to discuss fasting with your doctor. If you are at the peak of your life and are able to fast without any complications, then more power to you!
Your Health
Before you start fasting, you should talk to your doctor about your health and discuss any chronic health conditions that you may have. You should also request tests to make sure that your body is in healthy condition.
Your Weight
Weight loss is a common goal of most people. Fasting can be a great way to help you achieve weight loss. However, a fast can be counterproductive if you are also trying to maintain or lose weight. Calorie restriction and fasting are not the same things. Calorie restriction involves eating fewer calories each day, while fasting involves abstaining from food.
However, since you are consuming fewer calories than usual if you are fasting, there is a chance that you could lose weight. It is extremely important to note whether or not you are getting all of your nutrients. Some people struggle with eating fewer calories, and find that fasting is more sustainable for them.
How Fasting May Help you Look Younger?
It has long been said that what you eat is what you become, and there is some truth to this. Fasting can help you to achieve a leaner, healthier body. The main reason fasting helps you look younger is because of the many benefits it offers to your skin.
i. Fasting Slows Aging
Fasting helps slow down aging by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Fasting is a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. This is because fasting helps to balance the hormones that regulate inflammation. By doing this, you will help to prevent tissue damage and aging caused by chronic inflammation.
ii. Fight Inflammation
With aging comes inflammation. One of the reasons that people often look older than they are is because of persistent skin inflammation. Inflammation causes premature aging and may even lead to cancer. Fasting helps reduce the amount of inflammation in the body.
iii. Helps Fight Oxidative Stress
Just as fasting helps reduce inflammation, it also helps to fight oxidative stress. Aging causes oxidative stress, and as a person ages, their body becomes less effective at fighting oxidative stress and may even produce more of it.
iv. Increases Collagen Production
Fasting helps to boost collagen production in the body. Collagen is what keeps your skin looking vibrant, plump, and youthful. When you are fasting, the body releases growth hormone, which helps to stimulate elastin and collagen production.
How to Get Started with Fasting
To get started with fasting, here are some things you should do first:
Talk to your doctor about fasting
Even if you are convinced that fasting can help you look and feel younger, you should still ask your doctor whether or not it is right for you.
Fasting requires willpower
Fasting requires a lot of discipline. You need to be committed to doing it, and have willpower. If you can’t commit, then fasting is not for you.
Set realistic goals
If you want to start fasting, make sure that you set realistic goals. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds in a month, you should try to do that. Fasting does not work for everyone, and some people can’t commit to it. Find out whether or not fasting will work for you by discussing it with your doctor first.
Avoid sugar
Switching from sugar-laden foods to fasting is not the easiest thing to do. Sugary foods increase inflammation and oxidative stress and may actually worsen your skin. Bottom line: You can have it all with intermittent fasting, but you need to avoid sugar at all costs.
It can be difficult to decide if and how to fast, but there are ways that you can get started. Many people feel confident about their decision if they start intermittent fasting as early in their lives as possible. By fasting, you can help to maintain or improve your health and, and help you look younger.
Voibon Tips
Here are some tips for those who are about to try intermittent fasting for the first time:
- Don’t start fasting if your body can’t handle it.
- Don’t push yourself too hard. If a fast is going to be difficult for you, then don’t do it.
- Remember that you can re-feed whenever you want.
