Always consult with your doctor before making any changes to your diet.
If you’re reading this, it’s because you want to look and feel your best.
An intermittent fasting diet is a straightforward lifestyle hack that offers all sorts of benefits with minimal planning.
Touted by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Kourtney Kardashian, and Reese Witherspoon, intermittent fasting has gained popularity amongst biohackers, cleanse enthusiasts, and health-conscious humans.
Different medical professionals will have varying approaches towards intermittent fasting, so you may want to consult your doctor before starting.
Reasons to Intermittent Fast
Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term for a wide range of diets that involve fasting for a specific period of time.
But does intermittent fasting work?
It depends on what you mean by “work”, but if you want more energy, greater focus, and clearer skin – then yes, intermittent fasting absolutely works.
Intermittent fasting has been shown to:
- Reduce blood pressure and resting heart rate.
- Increase stress resistance.
- Reduce inflammation.
- Preserve muscle mass and function.
- Improve moods.
- Offer clearer skin.
Plus many more benefits.
Safest Ways to Intermittent Fast
If you’re wondering how to intermittent fast, we’ve got some tips for you.
The most common intermittent fasting methods are:
- The 16/8 method: Fasting for 16 hours, and limiting meals to an eight-hour window.
- Eat-Stop-Eat: This technique involves fasting for a 24 hour period, once or twice a week.
- 5/2 Fasting: This method entails eating normally without restriction for five days a week, and fasting the other two days.
Everyone’s body has different needs, so what safe intermittent fasting means will be different from person to person. When trying out a new fasting technique, it’s important to listen to your body’s signals, and adjust as needed.
As you might imagine, adjusting to a new lifestyle can take some time, and may come with some side effects. Intermittent fasting can cause some people to experience headaches, irritability, hunger pains, and food cravings.
But you don’t have to just wait for these to go away. Innovative tools like Citravarin can help make intermittent fasting easier and more manageable. This fasting mint helps the process of intermittent fasting with the cannabinoid THCV, which, unlike THC, suppresses the appetite.
While most THCV is extracted from the cannabis plant, Citravarin is derived from citrus peel extracts and is completely free of cannabis.
When Not to Intermittent Fast
As many benefits as intermittent fasting offers, it’s not for everyone.
Certain individuals that should avoid intermittent fasting include:
- People with diabetes: Fasting can increase the blood sugar spikes and drops that a person with diabetes experiences during the day. Fasting is not recommended for people with Type-I diabetes, while those with Type-II diabetes should be medically supervised if fasting.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding: Pregnancy and nursing are hard work, and your body needs a certain amount of calories to function properly. You may also want to avoid intermittent fasting if you’re trying to become pregnant.
- If you’re on certain medications: Avoid intermittent fasting if you’re on medications that require you to eat when you take them.
- You have certain diseases or disorders: If you have cancer, a weakened immune system, gastrointestinal issues, or other chronic or major illnesses, intermittent fasting may not be the right choice. Some of these disorders like cancer and gut issues may be able to be improved through intermittent fasting, but should again be done so under medical supervision.
- If you have an eating disorder: Or a history of eating disorders, intermittent fasting can trigger these behaviors. Other behavioral changes like binge eating and obsessive thoughts around food may be signs that intermittent fasting isn’t the right fit for you.
Symptoms like dizziness, confusion, light-headedness, and difficulty concentrating are signs that you may be dehydrated or low on electrolytes. Try drinking water, and adding in electrolytes as needed.
If you’re still experiencing these symptoms, your body might need nutrients and you may have to break your fast.
That doesn’t necessarily mean fasting isn’t for you, but you may want to try a different method or try at a different time.
If you’re unsure if intermittent fasting is right for you, discuss it with your doctor. They will be able to give you valuable information about the best method for you, or other healthy alternatives.
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