Day 13 | Why Intermittent Fasting?

When it comes to intermittent fasting, it's essential to emphasize that its benefits extend well beyond weight management. In fact, doctors have long recommended intermittent fasting to treat patients for various ailments.  Today, let’s explore more about this common trend, get to know how it works and understand why you might want to try it.

Metabolic Flexibility

Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of eating and periods of fasting.  The touted benefits are quite convincing: weight management, improved metabolic health, enhanced brain function, and even potential longevity benefits.  During fasting, the body undergoes 'metabolic switching,' transitioning from using stored sugar for energy to burning fat and producing ketones. This not only improves metabolic flexibility with a cascade of physiological benefits, it can even have an affect on aging.

Leading expert in this field, Mark Mattson provides detailed insights in his book, The Intermittent Fasting Revolution.  Having served as the Chief Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging, Mattson is a distinguished expert in the scientific study of aging.  His findings show that intermittent fasting can not only help with anxiety, improve memory and brain function, it can also protect against common neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.

Why are Ketones Important?

Ketones are a good energy source for cells and they also stimulate a critically cleansing function in the body called autophagy.  According to Mattson, this process is like ‘a garbage disposal and recycling system of the cells,’  As this natural cleaning out process gets stimulated, damage or dysfunctional components in the cells are removed.  

Why do we need a 12 hour window when Intermittent Fasting?

It is around this 12-14 hour window that our body is able to do this ‘metabolic switching’ where we move from feeding on glucose stores in the liver to burning fat.  This state is commonly known as ketosis and it can occur after just twelve hours of not eating.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

  • weight management

  • improved metabolic flexibility

  • enhanced brain function

  • potential longevity benefits

  • reduced oxidative stress on cells

  • enhanced mitochondrial efficiency

  • regulated blood sugar levels

  • induced autophagy

ACTION - Getting Started with Intermittent Fasting

For the Yoga Body Cleanse, we suggest a 12-hour window. To implement this, select your daily eating and fasting periods. For instance, if you go to bed at 10 PM, you might choose a 7 AM - 7 PM eating window. It's beneficial to include some awake fasting time before bedtime to minimize digestive activity during sleep. This approach allows for a structured yet flexible fasting routine aligned with individual preferences and sleep patterns.

RECIPE

*Note: Soba noodles are traditionally made with buckwheat flour (which, contrary to the name, is actually gluten-free). However, soba noodles regularly also contain wheat flour. Eden Foods brand of soba noodles does not add wheat flour (so they are gluten-free).

On Demand - Day 13

I love you, Keep going!

Alex

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Sunday - Fascia Flow & Release (60-min)

10:30 AM