Have you ever wondered how eating affects processes within your body? The scientific reasoning behind intermittent fasting reveals all of the implications of eating versus fasting for a defined period of time. Some of your favorite celebrities swear by intermittent fasting, including Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez, Miranda Kerr, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Ben Affleck; so, why do they do it?

 Eating all day long inevitably results in a greater storage of sugar and fat because you are not giving your body any time for food digestion and to burn food energy. Every time you eat, glycogen is stored in the liver as glucose, which can take between ten and twelve hours to be emptied. After the glycogen is completely reduced, your body starts burning fats. These fats are then converted to ketone bodies, which positively affect synapses associated with learning, memory, and brain health. In summary, eating food will increase insulin levels and cause a greater storage of sugar in the liver, producing fat, whereas fasting will decrease insulin levels and burn stored sugar along with fat.

 With all of that said, intermittent fasting can be adopted in different ways depending on how long you are comfortable with maintaining a fasted state. Fasting is defined as any period of time in which one abstains from eating, be it one hour or twenty. Intermittent fasting can be done in any capacity from just two hours to several days. As long as you alternate between fasting and eating regularly, meaning you consume all calories within the time frame you have allotted to eating, it is considered intermittent fasting. While most people committed to the practice choose to begin with a standard of at least sixteen hours for optimal results, any time frame can be effective.

 There are many positive benefits of intermittent fasting beyond the modification of insulin levels. Fasting for any period of time can work towards fighting inflammation and resisting stress. It has also been proven to lower cholesterol and risk of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. In addition, it can ease the effects of mood disorders such as depression.

 Intermittent fasting is a great way to improve your health and get your eating habits on track. Junior Amelia Shea commented, “It sounds like a great way to adjust different health factors to get the results that are best fit for you. I would definitely be open to trying it.” Become more aware of how and when you are eating by establishing an intermittent fasting schedule; just a few changes in the way you eat will go a long way.