Intermittent Fasting can be Fatal

I believe we all know how Indians are obsessed with their bodies, trying to fit into a box. 

Our bodies are tailored according to societal expectations: perfect weight and appropriate height, certain looks, and some unrealistic behavior patterns. Weight has been the most talked-about aspect of our lives. If you are too skinny or too fat, you will be called out by a relative. People feel no shame in body-shaming others when their bodies are not deemed to be healthy.

There are many ways people try to lose weight, and many of them are dangerous to practice. Unhealthy ways like skipping meals, excessive exercise, fad diets, weight-loss supplements, etc. Some people can at times see drastic results, but it is of no use because these can severely damage your body. 

The American Heart Association conducted a study on 20,000 adults who were following the intermittent fasting method to lose weight. In this process, the person has to follow an 8-hour restricted eating schedule. The research revealed that people who followed this diet had a 91% high risk of cardiovascular death.

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So let us first understand the intricacies of intermittent fasting. Intermittent Fasting is an eating plan in which you carve out a regular schedule of eating and fasting. You can go without eating for 8 to 16 hours after proper consultation with your doctor.  

Benefits of going no-contact with food for hours

This fasting method is practiced to lose weight primarily. Your body uses up all the calories and then eventually starts burning fat. A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has found that fasting can help in the regeneration of intestinal stem cells and can help heal inflammation or injuries in the intestine. 

So basically, this research shows that regeneration of stem cells is repressed during a fast, and then it is accelerated during the re-feeding time.

Is it really that great?

As stated above, AHA’s study has shown that fasting for long hours can cause heart-related diseases. People following the 8-hour restricted eating plan were more likely to die of cardiovascular disease. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has discovered that when stem cells are in this highly regenerative state, they are also more likely to develop into cancer. Intestinal stem cells are among the body's fastest-growing cell types because they provide complete support for the intestinal lining. These stem cells are the most common source of precancerous cells in the intestine because they divide so frequently.

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These findings were collected from mice who were under observation for this experiment.This finding can only be possible if your body reacts to refeeding in such a way after fasting for long hours. 

Fasting is a great way to balance out our weight, and it is especially beneficial in cases of type 2 diabetes. It has shown signs of reducing insulin reduction. Being overweight can make you prone to developing diabetes. 

Also, there is a huge difference between being overweight and following unrealistic beauty standards. If you practice fasting for reasons like-

• Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes

• Improved bowel movement

• Improved brain health

• Better hormonal functioning

You are doing it for yourself. If you are trying to fit into a dress or someone’s idea of an ideal weight, you are probably doing something wrong. Medically, this can be dangerous, and mentally, it can upset your self-esteem.

We are an information-gathering blog. For all medical interventions, please consult a registered medical practitioner.