Fasting, intermittent fasting or intermittent fasting (IF)
Intermittent Fasting (IF), also known as intermittent fasting/intermittent fasting – it is spelled in many different ways – is a diet in which you have a long break between your first and last meal. The diet in which this form of fasting is involved offers numerous health benefits, provided that you apply it correctly and consistently and your situation allows it, because fasting is not recommended for everyone.
To realize the health benefits of intermittent fasting, you need to have a gap of at least 16 hours between your last and next meal.
Variations of intermittent fasting
(Intermittent) fasting has different variations, including water fasting, dry fasting and juice fasting. Within the different variations of fasting there is also a diversity of fasting schedules and newly developed types of fasting such as the 10 variations below.
10 Popular Fasting Variations Including (Intermittent) Fasting
- Intermittent fasting (IF): IF remains popular because of its flexibility. It involves cycles of fasting and eating, such as the 16/8 schedule, where you fast for 16 hours a day and eat within a set eight-hour window, or the 8:5 schedule, where you eat very few calories two days a week.
- Ketogenic diet with fasting: A combination of the ketogenic diet, which focuses on consuming few carbohydrates and many fats, with intermittent fasting. This is often done to promote ketosis, where the body uses fat for energy.
- Time-Restricted Eating (TRE): This is a form of intermittent fasting where you eat during a specific time frame during the day, such as between noon and 12.00:8.00 pm.
- Fasting during retreat: This is a form of fasting that we offer with our organization during retreats, where fasting is specifically tailored to a program and schedule to support deepening and opening.
- Omad (One Meal a Day): This is an extreme type of intermittent fasting where you fast for most of the day and eat only one large meal.
- Water fasting and fasting-mimicking diets: These approaches involve fasting for a period of time, consuming only water, or diets that mimic the fasting effect with few calories and specific nutrients.
- Mindful eating and conscious fasting: In addition to the purely physical aspects of fasting, attention is also paid to conscious eating, with an emphasis on listening to the body and being aware of food intake.
- Fasting-Mimicking Diets (FMD): These diets mimic fasting by having a strictly controlled calorie intake for a short period of time, with the goal of experiencing the benefits of fasting without completely stopping eating.
- Intermittent fasting: This involves fasting during certain days of the week or month, such as fasting on certain days.
- Religious fasting: This varies greatly between different religions. For example, the fasting month of Ramadan in Islam, the fasting period during the Christian Lent before Easter, and Jewish fast days such as Yom Kippur.
- Mindful Eating: While not a traditional fast, mindful eating involves being aware of what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat, which can sometimes result in a kind of natural restriction of food intake.
Why Fast? Autophagy (Cell Renewal)
(intermittent) Fasting is an age-old principle and, as you may have read above, is also used for religious purposes. More recent discoveries about (intermittent) fasting teach us that there is a connection between fasting, cell renewal (autophagy) and stem cell regeneration. There is growing research that shows that fasting can have a positive effect on regenerative processes in the body.
“The body clears out damaged cells and unwanted particles, creating new, healthier cells. Fasting stimulates this process, leading to cell renewal and a host of benefits for the body.”
(intermittent) fasting stimulates autophagy, stem cell regeneration and rejuvenation
Autophagy is a process in which cells break down and recycle damaged or non-functioning components with the aim of keeping the cells vital and supporting regenerative processes. Recent study (on mice) shows that (intermittent) fasting influences the regulation of stem cells, which play a key role in regeneration and can more effectively repair damaged tissues with a rejuvenating effect!
What is the benefit of cell renewal?
Cell renewal offers a wide range of benefits to the body. Not only does it help repair damaged cells, but it also has positive effects on the immune system, metabolism and overall health.
List of Benefits of Intermittent Fasting and Autophagy
- Improved metabolism: Fasting boosts metabolism, helping the body burn calories more efficiently.
- Weight Control: Fasting generally has a beneficial effect on overweight people. It stimulates fat burning and increases the chance of weight loss.
- Increased energy levels: Cell renewal contributes to increased energy levels and improves overall vitality.
- Improved mental clarity: Fasting is associated with improved cognitive function and mental clarity.
- Strengthened immune system: Autophagy plays a role in strengthening the immune system, which promotes resistance to disease.
Learn more about intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is an age-old principle for a reason
Despite the fact that the majority of the population did little fasting for years, there has been a turnaround in the trend and more and more people are working on health and self-development. And that is not without reason because the list of positive effects of fasting goes on and on.
(Intermittent) Fasting has an impact on hormone balance
Hormonal changes: Hormonal changes can occur during fasting, such as an increase in growth hormone and insulin sensitivity. These changes can positively influence the regenerative capacity of various tissues and organs.
Fasting helps reduce inflammation in the body
Anti-inflammatory effects: Fasting may have anti-inflammatory effects. Chronic inflammation is associated with several diseases and can also hinder the body's regenerative capacity. By reducing inflammation, fasting may help create a favorable environment for regeneration.
Fasting has a metabolism-promoting effect
Improved metabolism: Fasting can improve metabolism and increase the body's efficiency of energy use. This in turn can promote overall health and support regenerative processes.
Please note: Fasting has many benefits, but can be very difficult both physically and mentally
Although promising results have been achieved with (intermittent) fasting, it is advisable to seek professional advice before starting a fasting program, especially for people with health problems. Pregnant women are advised against fasting in any case.
Metabolism and digestion improvements through fasting
Improved metabolism: Intermittent fasting can affect metabolism due to the regular fasting periods. Improved metabolism can help process nutrients and waste products more efficiently.
Want to become more independent of food? Perhaps our community can offer a helping hand.
Support liver cleansing
Supporting liver function: Fasting can help the liver process toxins more efficiently. During fasting, the liver is given the opportunity to focus more on the detoxification process without the burden of processing food. Be aware that a strong detox can also cause problems.
If too many toxins enter the blood, your liver and other organs can react to it. Always make sure you are well prepared, know what you are doing or are under the care of an experienced professional.
Intermittent fasting is not the same as a detox diet
It is important to note that fasting is not the same as a traditional 'detox' cure, which also involves fasting in combination with specific herbs and other foods that have a detoxifying effect.
The body already has a natural mechanism for detoxification, carried out by organs such as the liver and kidneys, and fasting can stimulate this process when the diet is followed correctly.
Can you become completely independent of food?
Although the fasting period means you abstain from food for a certain period of time, science is not yet convinced that you can live without food at all. Yet, there are hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who have become completely independent of food through transformation. They live mainly on another source of energy than food, namely 'prana' and only eat when they choose to. Not because it is necessary!
