Intermittent Fasting Hacks

Intermittent fasting does have beautiful benefits for the skin and helps to beautify women too.

Today, we will be considering how intermittent fasting can help curb acne.

What is acne? And what are its causes?

Acne could be considered as a skin condition that occurs once hair follicles are clogged with oil and dead skin cells. It often causes pimples and blackheads and usually appears on the face, forehead, chest, upper back and shoulders. Acne is more common in teenagers, even if it affects people of all ages.

There are effective treatments, but acne can be persistent. The buds and bumps heal slowly, and when they start to appear, the others seem to get up. Depending on the severity, acne can cause emotional stress and create scars on the skin. The sooner you start treatment, the less you will encounter such problems.

Four main factors contribute to acne:

1. Excess oil production.
2. Hair follicles clogged with oil and dead cells
3. Bacteria
4. Excessive activity of a hormone (androgens)

Acne usually occurs in the face, forehead, chest, back and shoulders, as these areas of the skin have the most important sebaceous glands.

Factors that can Aggravate Acne

These factors can cause or worsen acne:

Hormones

Androgens are hormones that increase in boys and girls during puberty and lead to an increase in sebaceous glands and sebum production.

Hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives can also affect sebum production. Also, small amounts of androgens circulate in the woman's blood and can aggravate acne.

Medications

Medicines that contain corticosteroids, testosterone or lithium can worsen the situation.

Choice of meal

Studies suggest that certain dietary factors, such as skimmed milk and carbohydrate-rich foods (such as bread, bagels, and chips) can make acne worse. Chocolate has long been suspected to aggravate acne.

A small study of 14 men with acne showed that eating lots of chocolates worsens its symptoms. Further studies are needed to determine why this is happening and to determine whether acne patients can benefit from certain dietary restrictions.

Stress

Stress can make acne worse.

What is intermittent fasting?

The basic idea of ​​intermittent fasting is simple: eat all your food for the day for a short time and do not eat the rest of the time (fast).

This usually means that you skip one or two meals and take large meals later in the day. It can be as simple as skipping breakfast or so extreme that you only eat one meal a day.

Intermittent fasting is not a diet - it is not about what you eat. It is when you eat. Intermittent fasting is a premeditated schedule that provides a setting for the times you should eat during the day.

Intermittent fasting is an effective way to strengthen the results of one’s current diet and help one’s body recover faster from a nutritional failure. It is not to be considered as an excuse to eat foods that cause acne.

How intermittent fasting eliminates acne.

A healthier body means healthier skin, so it's no wonder that intermittent fasting is one of the best things you can do for your skin.

1. Intermittent fasting reduces insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is one of the main causes of acne. It causes the release of hormones that block the pores, force the skin to produce too much oil and worsen inflammation. If you constantly consume too many carbohydrates and your body has no chance of burning them, you develop something called insulin resistance. Here, your body needs more and more insulin to do the same job. More insulin means more acne.

Intermittent fasting is one of the best things you can do to keep your insulin levels low, reduce your glycogen stores and decrease your insulin resistance. If you do not eat for 16, 18 or 20 hours a day, it gives your body the ability to burn stored glucose. This also gives your body the ability to lower the levels of insulin in your blood.

2. Intermittent fasting reduces inflammation

Sometimes the pores of the skin get clogged up. Without contact with the air, the bacteria overflow from the area and cause a minor infection. In response to this infection, your body sends inflammatory chemicals to treat it. Here are two problems:

The infection in the pores is not dangerous at all and the body overreacts to this minor infection due to chronic inflammation. The end result is a big and inflamed grain that does not seem to disappear.

The reason is that most modern diets are extremely rich in pro-inflammatory foods such as vegetable and processed oils and anti-inflammatory foods such as wild fish and seafood (salmon, sardines, mackerel) are scarce.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to inhibit pro-inflammatory proteins and produce intestinal anti-inflammatory hormones. This double effect can significantly reduce the redness and swelling associated with acne.

3. Intermittent fasting promotes better sleep

Sleep is one of the most important factors outside the diet for clean skin.

Sleep deprivation leads to the release of a higher hormone called cortisol. Cortisol increases insulin resistance, weakens the digestive system and makes the skin more sensitive to acne. It has been shown that a bad night's sleep increases insulin resistance the next day, which contributes even more to acne.

Poor sleep leads to poor health of the immune system and an increase in inflammatory agents that can aggravate existing granules. If you're not sleeping enough, it's harder to fight acne.

Intermittent fasting is one of the best things you can do for a healthy sleep. Although issues such as blue light, exercise, and caffeine have a major impact on the circadian rhythm of your body (the "inner clock"), eating and timing also seem to be important factors.

Many studies have shown that shortening meal times alone can promote a healthier circadian rhythm: Intermittent fasting improves the overall effectiveness of circadian rhythm activators.

4. Intermittent fasting protects you from free radicals

You may have heard of free radicals. They are annoying small molecules that can put a heavy strain on the body. Without sufficient antioxidants, free radicals can spread from cell to cell causing damage, including oxidation of the oil on the skin.

If the oil on the skin becomes oxidized, it can easily clog the pore and make it mature for infection.

Free radicals can be caused by exposure to air pollution or sunlight if some acne cleansing agents such as benzoyl peroxide and even sugar are used excessively. They are everywhere and if you do not eat healthy and do not take care of your body, they can easily cause acne.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to increase resistance to oxidative stress and to combat damage caused by free radicals.

5. Intermittent fast results in lower levels of IGF-1

The growth factor similar to insulin or IGF-1 is a growth hormone that triggers the production of new cells throughout the body. IGF-1 is great if you want to  develop your muscles, but it is a disaster when it comes to acne.

As with almost all hormones in the human body, the key to an adequate balance of IGF-1 is balance. The presence of too much IGF-1 may increase the risk of certain cancers and develop acne. Insufficient IGF-1  can inhibit your growth and possibly decrease your sexual desire.

The problem with IGF-1 is that most of us follow a diet that causes too much IGF-1. With our high consumption of carbohydrates and dairy products, we see more and more people fighting against acne related to IGF-1.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to lower IGF-1 levels while increasing the levels of human growth hormone (HGH).

If you're battling with acne you should put intermittent fasting to test and share the testimony of the results you get.

Intermittent fasting has stormed the worlds of diet and nutrition, but is it right for you if you are a woman in your post-menopausal stage?

The latest study to explore the impact of fasting on the human body concludes that it increases metabolic activity more than previously believed and may even provide anti-aging benefits.

Recent studies on aging have shown that caloric restriction and fasting have a prolonged effect on the lifespan of model animals. In particular, scientists at the Graduate Institute of Science and Technology of Okinawa in Japan examined its impact on metabolism.

By understanding the metabolic processes involved, the team hopes to find ways to take advantage of the benefits of fasting without the need to go without food for long periods.

To investigate, four volunteers fasted for 58 hours. Using metabolomics, or measurement of metabolites, the researchers analyzed whole blood samples at intervals during the fasting period.



In women, a two-day nervous system activity quickly changed to the sympathetic domain. Although their cognitive function was not affected, they were stressed. In men, a two-day nervous system changed rapidly in the other direction, toward the parasympathetic domain. They were well rested and relaxed. Their blood pressure went down. Their cognitive performance improved.

Calorie restriction, including intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, and prolonged fasting, is valuable in achieving life span in the organisms studied, but has not yet been proven in humans or in the duration of health.

It is common within the aging and longevity space (at least via media depictions) to focus on lifespan to the detriment of quality of life.
In contrast, the length of time that a person is healthy and functional is correlated with higher quality of life. Health span can be mediated by dietary interventions, exercise as an example, but also social interaction, community, and family.

A recurring theme from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) conference that was held mid-December 2018 was the reminder that starvation (i.e., fasting) primes the system for rejuvenation, but it is the refeeding that rebuilds the new cells and organelles to increase health. Masochistic semi-starvation because it is “good” may be folly when cycles of moderate fasting interventions will do.

Belly fat is a concern for many post-menopausal women, not only for appearance, but also for health.
The reduction of abdominal fat caused by intermittent fasting has helped women reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome, a set of health problems that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in a postmenopausal woman.

Intermittent fasting for different durations has also helped middle-aged women reduce their risk of serious illness through much of the research focused on the positive effects of fasting on cancer.
The study indicates that fasting seems to inhibit some of the pathways that lead to cancer and may also slow the growth of tumors.

In general, the results are very positive and the researchers concluded that fasting is a safe medical intervention for women before and after menopause.

Intermittent fasting mimics caloric restriction, which is the most effective way we know to increase shelf life. When you fast, your cells have the opportunity to detoxify and re-train, which allows your body to slow down aging and even prevent age-related diseases.

The time of pregnancy and child care is a very beautiful and delicate time in a woman’s life. No two pregnancies are alike, even with the same woman. That said, your obstetrician should be consulted at every turn, and especially before embarking on any fasting journey.

With all the new weight that a woman gains while pregnant, it is a real dilemma trying to lose the baby fat and still provide the necessary nutrients needed for the baby.
The time of pregnancy and breastfeeding is a delicate time. Everything the woman is affected by, affects the child also, therefore she isn’t thinking of her health alone, but that of her baby.

Fasting during pregnancy is a delicate balance. Some research has shown that abstaining from eating for any length of time when you're expecting can cause the production of ketone bodies, molecules produced by the liver during periods of low food intake that may have a negative impact on the fetus. On the other hand, most experts agree that fasting for one day does not impact milk production or impair the health of either mother or baby if both are healthy beforehand.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers need every bit of nutrient they can get, considering they’re literally feeding for two, and pregnancy, as well as breastfeeding are physically (and emotionally) demanding. That said, there are different ways to do intermittent fasting, and most don’t require complete abstinence from food.

Here are some tips for intermittent fasting for pregnant and lactating mothers:

Be ready to start slowly. 

Your body has undergone/is undergoing changes and so you need to ease it into this new habit

Listen to your body. 

The body is blessed with the ability to tell you what it needs and how it feels, so listen to it. Take note of when you’re really hungry, as opposed to when it’s just cravings. Pay attention to emotional triggers that will have you searching out and grabbing every morsel you find.

Drink lots of water. 

I’d say “stay hydrated”, but no, specification is important. Water is the best substance with which to stay hydrated. Water helps maintain milk supply for lactating mothers and it also helps navigating true hunger pains i.e. a lot of times we think we’re hungry, we’re actually just thirsty and so drinking water often  helps eliminate these “false” hunger pangs.

Exercise, but not excessively and allow your body to ease into it.
Start small (but be regular), with easy routines and you can build intensity gradually till your body is used to it.

Proteins, vegetables and healthy fat should be a constant in every meal. They help in providing proper nutrition and keeping hunger away.
Plan your meals ahead of time. This is so that when you do get hungry, you already have a prior knowledge of what you’re going to be having and you won’t just stumble into the kitchen and eat everything and anything available.

Take your vitamins and other medication recommended to you by your obstetrician/pediatrician. Consult with them at every point where there’s even the slightest reason to.

Yours and your baby’s health are top priority on this journey, never lose sight of that and ensure you’re doing everything to preserve it.

Research shows that there are a lot of health benefits one can gain from engaging in intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting improves brain function, prevents diseases, weight loss and even increases life span.

While some may practice intermittent fasting for just weight loss, others do it for its nutritional healing. It is something we all should embrace.

Referring to intermittent fasting, it is a term normally used to explain periods without food. It is an eating pattern and most times the intervals without food is often determined by the person involved based on his or her intentions.

These intentions could vary. Some of the reasons people engage in intermittent fasting includes: weight loss, religious tradition or other health benefits. Sometimes out of scarcity, we are forced to attempt intermittent fasting.

Just like there are schedules for the religious fasting tradition like the six to twelve, six to three,  six to six etc: there are also schedules in intermittent fasting. Some of them includes:

Alternate-day fasting
24 hours fasting
Night Fasting

Up-to the Ninth hour fasting is an example of the 24 hour schedule intermittent fasting.

For some religious sect, the ninth hour usually comes with a special prayer. It is often called the mid-afternoon prayer. This could possibly be the reason behind this schedule.
During this schedule, one stays away from food or fast from 6a.m to the ninth hour which is 3pm.

This type of intermittent fasting does not require that you stay away from food completely; rather it gives you the period to eat while still enjoying the benefits of intermittent fasting. During this schedule you can take fruit or vegetables at the ninth hour then dinner by 6p.m. This way you don't completely stay away from food but control your intake of calories.

At the point of fasting the calories that are not needed in the body are eaten up to relief your excess and unnecessary unhealthy diets. This process keeps you healthy and as well allow you enjoy your junks without fear of excess fat or poor healthy conditions.

However, there are specific benefits of the ninth hour intermittent fasting. Some of them includes:

Weight loss

People who are obese and want to lose weight often engage in the ninth hour intermittent fasting exercise. It is more effective in losing weight. People who engage in the ninth hour intermittent fasting will easily lose weight than others who engages in other forms of intermittent fasting.

Improve Metabolic Fitness

The rate at which food and water is processed for body use is faster when one engages in the ninth hour fasting. The ninth hour fasting helps the body in the metabolic process. It helps to breakdown and use the food and water efficiently and effectively.

Intermittent fasting schedules are always advisable as the benefits cannot be overemphasized. Trying it will bring a healthy difference and balance. Those planning to lose weight can attempt the ninth hour fast as it helps them control the intake of calories while making sure they stay fit.

Intermittent fasting is an exercise where you consciously stop eating every day or every other day for a period of time. There are several ways to do this, but the most common is to fast 16 hours a day while limiting your consumption time to an eight hour period. It has become a popular method to become slim and lose weight. It is also said to increase energy levels, increase motivation and endurance, and improve cognitive function.

Although intermittent fasting seems to offer some promising benefits, it may not be suitable for everyone, especially if you are a woman. The answer to the question of whether intermittent fasting will work for you has its roots in human biology. Although shorter periods of fasting are generally considered safe for most people, prolonged periods of fasting associated with intermittent fasting are not recommended for women.

Several studies have been carried out on intermittent fasting in rats to understand the variable effects of intermittent fasting on men and women. Before starting a fasting plan, many women have two main concerns:

 1) Is it safe?

 2) Do I receive the same benefits as men?

 Is it safe?

The most common concern is probably whether intermittent fasting can have an adverse effect on women's hormonal levels. A study on rats has shown that intermittent fasting can cause hormonal imbalance in the rat. However, scientific research in humans has shown exactly the opposite. Short-term fasting does not appear to affect the woman's hormones or menstrual cycle and all reproductive hormones must be kept within normal limits.

Fasting in the short term is just under 24 hours. Fasts that last more than 24 hours are not recommended for women as they may have a negative effect on hormonal balance. Some women trying intermittent fasting have missed rules, metabolic disorders, and even an early transition to menopause.

 The effects of intermittent fasting on women

A special study showed that intermittent fasting, if done properly, can help regulate blood glucose, regulate blood lipids, decrease the risk of coronary heart disease, manage weight, help us get (or keep ) lean mass, reducing the risk of cancer and more. With regard to weight loss, almost all studies on fasting confirm that men and women enjoy the same benefits. There is sufficient evidence that men and women had similar weight loss during fasting.

Furthermore, besides the highly desirable weight loss, women have been observed to experience many side effects as a result of intermittent fasting. This includes decreased glucose control in women after three weeks of intermittent fasting, which was not the case in men, changes in their menstrual cycle after the start of intermittent fasting. These changes occur because female bodies are extremely sensitive to caloric restriction.

At the end of the day, the choice of whether or not to practice intermittent fasting can only be made by the individual involved. It can produce excellent results irrespective of the human biology in terms of weight loss but it comes at a price for women who choose to practice it.

Find out intermittent fasting plans suitable for women here.

Intermittent fasting, as already said a couple number of times, is a diet plan with wholesome benefits. Asides being a great way to lose weight, it helps with muscle gain, mental health, finances and so much more.

In this article, we will be exploring another angle of health benefits attached to intermittent fasting, as it concerns our heart.

The heart is a very vital part of the body. It is responsible for pumping blood to the other parts of the body where it is needed, so its importance cannot be overemphasized. That said, heart care automatically means caring for our lives because the moment our hearts stop beating, our lives end.

Research shows that fasting can help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, control diabetes and reduce weight. These four things are the major risks for heart disease so if they can be reduced, then the risk for heart disease is reduced too. New research also shows that people who regularly participate in intermittent fasting are less likely to go have strokes or develop heart disease.
Fasting results in better insulin sensitivity, and insulin resistance is strongly associated with heart disease.

Another possibility is that intermittent fasting increases Autophagy in arteries. Older people have impaired autophagy, the cellular self-cleansing process that rids cells of junk and keeps them in a youthful state.

Age is the most significant risk factor for heart disease. It’s been shown that impaired autophagy causes reduced endothelial function (meaning that arteries become old and not as useful). People who have had a heart attack show lower levels of autophagy. Therefore, if you boost your cellular self-cleansing through intermittent fasting, you end up with cleaner, younger, elastic, and unplugged arteries.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve ischemic cardiac injury, age-related cardiac hypertrophy, doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and risk factors for coronary heart disease. Therefore, intermittent fasting may be considered as a potential intervention for certain forms of human heart disease.

But the answer as to whether intermittent fasting cures “all” heart diseases is yet unknown, as there is a limitation to the amount of research that has, thus far, been carried out to prove that.

On the other hand, it is a very good preventive measure against a lot of these diseases.

One word of caution, though: Fasting can lead to an electrolyte imbalance. This can make the heart unstable and prone to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat). People with heart problems should take extra precautions while fasting, and consult their cardiologists, particularly in determining the proper timing and dosage of their medications, in order to avoid complications. People with heart problems are advised to eat in small portions, and to avoid fatty and salty foods, as well as large quantities of beverages (which could lead to shortness of breath).
Smaller food portions trigger favorable hormonal and metabolic changes which will increase the production of good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol.

Big words aside, embarking on intermittent fasting to reduce the effects of, or cure heart disease, is definitely worth a try, but one has to consult their physician at every turn to know how best to do this and to avoid any sort of complication.
Stay healthy, stay safe!

Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine, once said “The addition of food should be much rarer, since it is often useful to completely take it away while the patient can withstand it, until the force of the disease reaches its maturity. The man carries within him a doctor; you just have to help him do his work. If the body is not cleared, then the more you feed it, the more it will be harmed. When a patient is fed too richly, the disease is fed as well. Remember, any excess is against nature.”

Intermittent fasting is one of the most powerful modalities for reducing inflammation, boosting immunity and enhancing tissue healing. This is one of the reasons why many people feel nauseated when they have infections.

This innate mechanism is the body’s way of influencing us to fast so it can produce the right environment to boost natural immunity.

There's evidence that fasting may help with a long list of diseases, but in the vast majority of cases, careful experiments have not yet demonstrated that fasting can actually cure disease or slow aging. There are several reasons why it is believed that fasting can cure diseases, and this is due to the effects it has on the body, some of which include

Fasting Improves Immune Regulation

The practice of fasting allows the body to put more energy and focus into the process of effective immune regulation.  Fasting while drinking water and cleansing beverages flushes out the digestive system and reduces the number of natural microorganisms in the gut.  The microorganism count is typically regulated by the immune system.  So this allows the immune system to divert energy to other more important areas.

Fasting Stimulates Cellular Autophagy

Fasting also stimulates the process of autophagy, where the body breaks down old, damaged cells and abnormally developing cells to recycle for energy. Intermittent fasting stimulates autophagy processes, which restrict viral infections and the replication of intracellular parasites.  This process helps the body rid itself of abnormal cancer cell development.  It is also important in protecting the brain and tissue cells from abnormal growths, toxicity and chronic inflammation.

Intermittent Fasting and Chronic Diseases

Individuals with auto-immune diseases such as systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, colitis and Crohn’s disease have seen a tremendous improvement in symptoms with the incorporation of intermittent fasting .  This process reduces the hyper inflammatory processes these individuals undergo and allow for more normalized immune function. Cancer cells are known to have anywhere from ten to seventy times more insulin receptors than normal cells and depend upon anaerobic metabolism of sugar for fuel.  Intermittent fasting starves cancer cells and leaves them vulnerable to free radical damage and ultimate destruction.

Fasting Improves Genetic Repair Mechanisms

Research has shown that cells have a greater lifespan during times of food scarcity and famine.  Intermittent fasting enhances cellular rejuvenation by acting on certain genetic repair mechanisms.  We use less energy to repair a cell than to divide and create new cells. When food consumption is low, the body slows down cellular division to conserve energy.  This is a very important finding as cancer cells are driven by very fast and out of control cellular division.  In this way, the act of fasting will reduce the very mechanism that cancer cells use to take control.

Intermittent fasting provokes a lot of positive reactions in our body, which also lead our cells and immune system to react positively in fighting diseases. If this results in a cure of “all” diseases is a fact still yet unknown, but it sure does help.

There are a handful of diets that people follow and see positive results, such as Keto, Paleo, Whole30 and intermittent fasting.

Now, a recent study published in the journal Obesity revealed that intermittent fasting is an effective way for obese and overweight women to lose weight.

Studies have provided some evidences that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for some women as it is for men.

One study showed that glycemic control worsened in women after three weeks of intermittent fasting, which was not the case in men. There are also many anecdotal stories of women who have experienced changes in their menstrual cycles after the onset of intermittent fasting.

These changes occur because female bodies are extremely sensitive to caloric restriction. When the caloric intake is low, for example, after a prolonged or frequent fast, a small part of the brain called the hypothalamus is affected.

This can interrupt the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a hormone that contributes to the release of two reproductive hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). When these hormones cannot communicate with the ovaries, you run the risk of irregular periods, infertility, poor bone health and other health effects.

In terms of diet, there is no single approach. This also applies to intermittent fasting.

In general, women should adopt a more relaxed approach to fasting than men.

This may include shorter periods of fasting, fewer days of fasting and / or a small amount of calories consumed on fasting days.
Given below are some of the best types of intermittent fasting for women:

Crescendo method

Fast 12 to 16 hours two to three days a week. Fasting days must be non-consecutive and regularly spaced during the week (for example, Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

Eat-stop-eat (also called the 24-hour protocol)

A full 24-hour fast once or twice a week (maximum twice a week for women). Start with fasting from 14 to 16 hours and gradually increase.

The 5:2 diet (also called The Fast Diet)

Limit calories to 25% of your usual consumption (about 500 calories) two days a week and eat "normally" the other five days. Plan a day between days of fasting.

Modified alternate-day fasting

Fast every other day but eat "normally" on days without fasting. You are allowed to consume 20 to 25% of your usual caloric intake (about 500 calories) on a fasting day.

The 16:8 method (also called the Leangains method)

Fast 16 hours a day and consume all the calories in less than eight hours. It is recommended that women start with a 14-hour fast and possibly increase to 16 hours.

Although no comparable human studies have been conducted, rat tests have shown that 3-6 months of fasting every other day (alternate-day fast) leads to a reduction in ovarian size and irregular reproduction cycles in the spleen.

For these reasons, women should consider a modified approach to intermittent fasting, such as shorter periods of fasting and fewer days of fasting.

At the end of the day, the best approach is one that can tolerate and sustain itself in the long run, and that does not have a negative impact on health.

Are you already wondering what relationship intermittent fasting could have with myopia? Or how it can benefit a myopic person?

You'd be surprised how simple things are the most effective.t

Let's start by considering what myopia really is.

Myopia, which is nearsightedness, is the more common cause of impaired vision in people under the age of 40 and is associated with the greatest risk of pathological outcomes.

Myopia is described by focus of light in front of the retina. Therefore, objects close to the eye appear clearly, but those distant from the eye appear blurry. It occurs when an eyeball grows too long or the cornea becomes too steeply curved, the result being that light entering the eye doesn't come to a clear focus point on the retina, which is required for clear vision at all distances.

Globally, research suggests that in the year 2000, roughly 25 percent of the world's population was nearsighted but by the year 2050, it's expected that roughly half the people on the planet will be myopic. If you are nearsighted, you will have difficulty reading road signs and seeing distant objects clearly, but will be able to see well for close-up tasks such as reading and computer use. Other signs and symptoms of myopia include squinting, eye strain and headaches. Feeling fatigued when driving or playing sports also can be a symptom of uncorrected nearsightedness.

The extremely rapid changes in the prevalence of myopia and the dependence of myopia on the level of education indicate that there are very strong environmental impacts on the development of myopia. This conflicts with the common occurrence of familial patterns of inheritance of myopia, which suggests a role for genetic determination.

The importance of myopia as a public health issue is often underestimated because of the ease with which refractive errors can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, refractive surgery or orthokeratology.
The real public health costs associated with myopia are undoubtedly much higher, for myopia, particularly high myopia, is a major cause of visual impairment and blindness in many countries. Long -term debilitating conditions such as blindness impose extremely high public health costs. These costs are certain to increase, for the prevalence of myopia is increasing in many parts of the world.

The only way to fix myopia is to address the causes. That being said, intermittent fasting can help with some aspects of myopia rehabilitation, if you are already working with reduced prescriptions, getting good breaks from close-up, and getting focal stimulus. Once you have reduced your myopia to either the last diopter (or for high myopes by about half in many cases), things can slow down a bit, this is when intermittent fasting will be most successful.

Also, it has been suggested that changes in diet, specifically the move to high sugar, high processed cereal diets, may have a role in the increasing prevalence of myopia, perhaps by increasing sensitivity to environmental risk factors through an interaction of diet-related insulin-like growth factors with eye growth regulatory processes.

In intermittent fasting, you start to lower your basal insulin level, and start to back off on motor activation, and turn on autophagy which is an intracellular cleaning process (has a lot of benefits in terms of removing damaged proteins). Your brain-derived neurotrophic factor gets a boost, a lot of benefits for the brain, metabolically and hormonally you get a lot of benefits from this.

In one study, Food restriction was used as a strategy to restore plasticity in the adult visual cortex of rats. A short period of food restriction in adulthood is able both to reinstate ocular dominance plasticity, hence, ability for changes to be made.

Let’s look at it simply as this, the ocular system which has been running a normal course, being fed with all necessary nutrients, now having shortages on some days makes the system more active in the search of a balance and alternative sources. It is always at these times that the system recognizes and makes changes to errors in the system  while trying to reach a balance and this includes refractive changes, example, myopia.

As usual, it is the simple things that are most effective.

Keto diet and intermittent fasting are two of the most current trends in health. Many health-conscious people use these methods to lose weight and control certain health conditions. While both have solid research that confirms their supposed benefits, many people wonder if it is safe and effective to combine the two. The answer, however, can be found in this article.

Ketosis is a metabolic condition characterized by high levels of ketone bodies in body tissues, which are generally pathological in conditions such as diabetes, or may result from a very low carbohydrate diet.

A typical list of keto diet foods requires getting rid of most carbohydrates, including healthy foods such as whole grain high fiber and most fruits, while fats are a priority, such as avocado, olive oil, beef with grass and even bacon.

The keto diet can undoubtedly lead to rapid weight loss in the short term. Critics point out, however, the lack of long-term research (over two years) on people who use keto to lose weight.

If you commit to the ketogenic diet while performing intermittent fasting, you can obtain the following benefits.

Fat loss

Keto and intermittent fasting are a double blow to lose weight. Fasting and keto spontaneously increase fat loss, even when people do not intentionally restrict their calories. When you combine intermittent fasting and keto, you become a fat-burning machine.
The weight comes off quickly, and because keto also suppresses ghrelin, you don’t get nearly as much of the hunger and feelings of deprivation that usually accompany weight loss.

Make Smooth Your Path to Ketosis:

Intermittent fasting may help your body reach ketosis quicker than the keto diet alone. That’s because your body, when fasting, maintains its energy balance by shifting its fuel source from carbs to fats, the exact premise of the keto diet. During fasting, insulin levels and glycogen stores decrease, leading your body to naturally start burning fat for fuel. For anyone who struggles to reach ketosis while on a keto diet, adding intermittent fasting may effectively jumpstart your process.

Hunger suppression:

A ketogenic diet suppresses hunger, too. On a keto diet, your liver converts fat into little bundles of energy called ketones, which it then sends through your bloodstream for your cells to use as fuel. Ketones suppress ghrelin, your body’s main hunger hormone. High ghrelin makes you hungry. On keto, your ghrelin stays low, even when you don’t have food in your system. In other words, you can go longer without eating and you won’t get hungry. Fasting becomes significantly easier on keto so you can fast for longer windows to reap all the benefits.

Combining the ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting is likely safe for most people as it may help you reach ketosis faster than a keto diet alone. It may also result in greater fat loss. However, while this method may work wonders for some, it’s not necessary to mix both, and some people should avoid this combination.

You’re welcome to experiment and see whether a combination or one practice on its own works best for you. But as with any major lifestyle change, it’s advisable to speak to your healthcare provider first.

However, pregnant or breastfeeding women and those with a history of disordered eating should avoid intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is the diet everyone wants to know. There have been so many success stories that show how effective intermittent fasting can be, whether in the name of weight loss  , more energy or better digestion.

Regardless of the quality of intermittent fasting, it is not a magic pill that solves all your problems. However, when used effectively with other lifestyle changes, it can profoundly affect your health and well-being at different levels.

It may seem obvious that intermittent fasting can be an excellent way to lose weight. After all, you eat fewer calories, which usually helps you lose weight. The benefits of intermittent fasting to lose weight are actually much more than a simple net loss of calories.

Giving the body significant rest in the diet can optimize the hormonal function, facilitate weight loss and improve metabolism. In one study, mice that fasted for 15 to 16 hours each day lost 12% of their body weight.

There are several mechanisms at play, but intermittent fasting increases the level of human growth hormone (HGH), a hormone that increases muscle mass and ramps up metabolism at one-two punch for weight loss. In a research trial, fasting increased HGH levels in women by 13%.
Intermittent fasting also reduces insulin levels and increases insulin sensitivity, which can keep your metabolism in check. What is more, as your body runs through its primary source of energy (glycogen) after several hours of fasting, it switches to burning fat for fuel.

The digestive system has been trained to work only occasionally, yet it often works around the clock even during sleep, it still processes food. Most people start eating soon after they wake up, and continue until just before bed. This puts immense pressure not only on the digestive system, but on the entire body.

Intermittent Fasting has a positive effect on insulin levels, which can promote muscle growth as well as digestion, as it allows the digestive system to break down food digestion.

Intermittent fasting gives your overgrown guts a break from energy-intensive tasks such as digestion and food assimilation. It has been shown to reduce what is called postprandial endotoxemia, which increases the risk of obesity and insulin resistance.

In addition to these benefits, people with digestive problems should also consider intermittent fasting. When you fast, your body gets a break from the constant need to digest, which reduces the time needed to treat the symptoms of digestive distress.

By eating less in general, it is easier to create meals adapted to digestive support.

If you are looking for additional help for your digestive assistance, it is advisable to use digestive supplements, such as the Compendium Enzymedica Chewable. This supplement helps the stomach break down carbohydrates, fats, fiber and protein. Obtaining additional digestive support not only contributes to discomfort, but also to the absorption of nutrients. You should also see a health personnel that specializes in digestive health care for proper medical attention.

Intermittent Fasting will complement and enhance those digestive-healing efforts because the less your eating, the less stress on digestive system.

After hearing about the benefits of intermittent fasting for weight loss, mental health and all round health in fact, the success stories now beg the question “How does it work?”

To answer this, we need to explore the science of the new trend (don’t roll your eyes yet, science can be fun) and discover what makes it tick. If you’re hearing about intermittent fasting for the first time, you have got some catching up to do.

A lot of the research done as regards to intermittent fasting has been carried out on animals; rodents and the likes, and only a handful have actually been done on human subjects. The results, however, have been promising. So let’s get “sciency” and explore what makes this practice work.

The body uses energy gotten from the food we eat to drive itself. During digestion, the stomach breaks down carbohydrates into sugar that your cells use for energy to run the body, so to speak. If your cells don’t use all the available glucose, it ultimately gets stored as, that’s right, fat.

When you go for a time without food, your cells switch from using glucose as their primary fuel source to using fat. Thus, your fat stores, chiefly triglycerides, get burned up for energy. The more fats get burned equals the amount of fat that leaves the body. This is now directly reflected on the body as weight loss, and there is now improved cardiovascular disease risk profile (because fat is bad for the heart).

The breakdown of proteins for fuel won’t happen until about the third day of fasting. That means that fasting can help you lose weight while maintaining muscle mass (because before the breaking down of the proteins begins, the body has refueled itself again).

When your body uses stored up fat for energy, it releases fatty acids called ketones into the bloodstream. Ketones play a role in weight loss, but they have also been shown to preserve brain function, even offering some security against epileptic seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.

We get a flood of insulin when we eat, while levels decrease when we fast. Insulin regulates whether extra glucose from digestion gets stored in the body as fat. Research shows that intermittent fasting decreases insulin dramatically and can reduce hyperinsulinemia, as well as improve insulin sensitivity (so extra glucose doesn’t get stored as fat, and weight loss is activated).

During intermittent fasting, your cells get a little stressed out (in a good way), making you more resilient. The cells respond to the stress adaptively by enhancing their ability to cope with stress and, maybe, to resist disease.

Fasting also seems to cause cells to initiate a waste-removal process called autophagy. During autophagy, the body cleans house and starts regenerating itself by eliminating dysfunctional, damaged cells to make room for new, healthy ones. Autophagy may offer protection against diseases like cancer or dementia.

Fasting has been shown to improve biomarkers of disease, reduce oxidative stress and preserve learning and memory functioning, according to Mark Mattson, senior investigator for the National Institute on Aging, part of the US National Institutes of Health.

Oxidative stress is one of the steps towards aging and many chronic diseases. It involves unstable molecules called free radicals, which react with other important molecules (like protein and DNA) and damage them.

Several studies show that intermittent fasting may enhance the body's resistance to oxidative stress. Additionally, studies show that intermittent fasting can help fight inflammation, another key driver of all sorts of common diseases.

Does your head hurt yet? All those words, right? (lol).

It is important to know, in detail, how our bodies work based on our lifestyle and practices. With more research, more benefits of the intermittent fasting practice and how it works with the body to achieve them will spring up. You will do well to do more research and keep informed.

Stay healthy, stay safe!

The growing rate of mental health issues in recent times is becoming alarming. Too many mental health related cases yet little or no remedy.
When any mental health case occurs we usually consider medications first before even considering finding out the cause of the problem.
Medications will treat the case temporarily but if the cause is not arrested, the case will resurface.

There are many possible reasons that can cause mental health issues, one of which is in relation to the food we eat. What we eat is of great importance as it circulates round the entire body and to the brain.
Food containing gluten can cause improper absorption of nutrients thereby causing the brain to malfunction.

Foods such as noodles, pasta, donuts, pancakes, cookies etc contain gluten and this can be harmful to the body and the brain. Reducing glutenous foods can reduce mental health issues. You may ask how possible it is for one to stay away from these foods, this is where intermittent fasting comes in.

This may sound religious but beyond helping one spiritually it can heal emotionally and physically. Intermittent fasting is gradually growing beyond just being a religious practice.

Intermittent fasting, however, is an eating pattern that involves staying without food for short intervals.

Intermittent fasting is can be short or extended. During the period of fasting, the body eats up bad cells which enhances our health but when you engage in severe fasting, it could eat into the body cells and cause harm.

There are different ways intermittent fasting helps the brain. They include:

Intermittent Fasting increases brain proteins

Intermittent fasting increases one of the protein which the brain makes, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). The BDNF is an antidepressant, that is it helps to fight depression and other psychological issues. BDNF also helps the brain to stay healthier and fight against brain damage.

‎Intermittent Fasting helps brain grow new nerves

The brain grows new neurons that fights stroke and epilepsy and helps the brain grow new nerves or brain cells.

‎Intermittent Fasting keeps the brain younger

The new cells produced by the brain helps with brain aging, protect the brain against stroke and prevent epilepsy. The brain can function effectively for a long time because of intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting also keeps the brain active

During intermittent fasting, the brain produces more anti-inflammatory brain compounds and antioxidant which helps the brain fight diseases to enhance mental health. It also protect against loss of structure and function of neurons thus keeping the brain active.

However, while some people may engage in intermittent fasting just for Weight loss, the exercise usually does more than requested. It not just help to reduce high blood pressure but manages rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. It also builds the brain to prevent depression and anxiety as well as improving our mental health conditions.

Nobody wants to go insane and that can be watched against if are careful of what you consume and you also engage in intermittent fasting.

Do you wish to know if intermittent fasting can help in body detoxification? You are not alone. Lots of people wish to know if this is possible. Luckily, it is!

Intermittent fasting helps to activate body detoxification. One amazing thing about our bodies is that naturally, it can clean itself up. Yes, our amazing bodies are completely capable of self detox. And it isn't even that complex. All you need to instigate this self detoxing process, is to stop eating for a while.

The world we live in has made everything so easy. Food is everywhere, so we eat everytime and what this means is that our vital organs that are responsible for flushing out toxins are working in overdrive. Organs like the kidneys and the liver. They will get stressed out at some point inevitably and might even break down. But when we stop eating and fast for more than 12 hours, our bodies go into self detoxing mode automatically.

Our ancestors did the 5:2 intermittent fasting method a lot because food was hard to find during their time but it paid off because they generally lived longer and were healthier and leaner.

Body detoxification is a normal thing, it is a process by which toxins are let out/eliminated from the body through the kidney, lungs, liver, skin, colon etc. Autophagy is activated when you intermittently fast for more than 12 hours. This is a process where the body eats up its old cells and produces new ones. All the wastes in these old cells are passed out as wastes and toxins.

Intermittent fasting is a fast and natural way to detox as the body tends to use up wastes and excess fats in the body as energy sources. This means that your body will be rid of unnecessary toxins and wastes and you will be able to lose weight too!

There are many methods of intermittent fasting that you can try to help activate the detox process. Lots of famous people testify to the amazing benefits of intermittent fasting including Beyoncé. You can decide to skip breakfast, you can stop your last meal of the day by 4pm and then eat your next meal by 12 pm the next day's afternoon, that's a 20 hours fast. You can go for the 5:2 method where you eat normal full meals for 5 days in a week then on the remaining 2 days, you eat nothing not more than 500 calories a day in total. You can also try the 16:8 method of fasting, where you eat for 8 hours which is your eating window, and then fast for the remaining 16 hours. There is also the fruit juice fasting, brown rice fasting etc. Just choose which method works best for you and your body.

Detoxification through Fasting is a completely valid process in science. Your body gets rest during your fasting period so it's able to break down left overs, wastes and toxins efficiently and let them out of the body. This also helps you to reduce gut inflammation, increases your metabolic rates and helps you to lose weight!

If you are new to intermittent fasting, start gently. Don't go all in for a 16 hours/ 20 hours fast. Start with 8 hours or 12 hours, then slowly work your way up. Also, don't put your fasting window/ period during times of the day when you are at work/ busy, put it at a time when you're resting or less busy. After the fast, always eat rich, nutrient filled wholesome foods, don't eat junks and don't binge eat.

Did you notice your skin for fresher and finer while you were fasting? Share your experience

Speaking more on the benefits of intermittent fasting, research has also shown that the practice could have some effect on inflammation. To very well understand this, we will first touch a little on the subject of “Inflammation”.

Inflammation is a defense mechanism in the body. The immune system recognizes damaged cells, irritants, and pathogens, and it begins the healing process. When something harmful or irritating affects a part of our body, there is a biological response to try to remove it. The signs and symptoms of inflammation can be uncomfortable but are a show that the body is trying to heal itself. Infections, wounds, and any damage to tissue would not be able to heal without an inflammatory response.

Inflammation can be beneficial when, for example, your knee sustains a blow and tissues need care and protection. However, sometimes, inflammation can persist longer than necessary, causing more harm than benefit. Chronic inflammation can eventually cause several diseases and conditions, including some cancers and rheumatoid arthritis.

According to Thomas DeLauer, “Diet plays a huge role when it comes to chronic inflammation in the body. It has been shown that a diet high in fish oil decreases the production of LTB4, so one study wanted to look at how total calorie reduction would impact this.

14 individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) participated in a 1 week fast, with inflammatory marker measurements taken before and after the fast. They found that fasting reduced the release of leukotriene B4 from RA neutrophils, reduced the generation of cytotoxins from serum and altered the phospholipid fatty acid composition. It was shown that the phospholipid composition changed following the fast with a resulting reduction of LTB4 production, demonstrating an anti-inflammatory effect of fasting. No adverse effects of fasting were found in the study, only lightheadedness and a bit of weakness during the fasting period, making fasting a good option for those with RA.

Several other studies have also been successful in demonstrating that a calorie restriction diet, which is reducing your calories without malnutrition, reduces inflammatory markers. This occurred through the reduction of inflammatory cytokine production, including reduced tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6.

Chronic inflammation can impact every part of the body, including the brain. Chronic neuroinflammation is typical in many neurodegenerative diseases, including depression and Alzheimer’s.

In a 2015 study on rats it was found that IF reduced the risk of damage to brain function in both younger and older rats when looking at neurodegenerative diseases linked to central nervous system inflammation. The inflammasome is a set of proteins linked to several disorders, including type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, Alzheimer’s and autoinflammatory disorders.

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine conducted a study on mice in 2015 and found that beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) produced by fasting inhibits NLRP3, the set of proteins known as the inflammasome. BHB is produced when you fast, consume a ketogenic diet, do high-intensity exercise or experience calorie restriction, so these can all be used as tools to inhibit the inflammasome and decrease inflammation throughout the body.”

In a nutshell, what you eat, if/how you exercise and engaging in intermittent fasting help very well to decrease inflammation in your body and help you live a longer, healthier life.

Stay healthy, stay safe!

Fasting is a practice that goes way back to the early days of man’s existence. It can be for spiritual purposes, traditional purposes, health purposes or otherwise.

Fasting could also be out of necessity, as there is probably no other option for the one carrying out the exercise at the time, for example, the Paleothic

Whatever the purpose, the exercise has been shown to have great, holistic benefits and it has been adopted in more modern times as a more than okay weight-loss strategy.

When it comes to weight loss, there's no one size fits all fix. It's simply a matter of figuring out what strategy best work for you and sticking with it.

The One Day Per Week fast is one method of the several in the now-very-common Intermittent Fasting Diet plan that is gaining ground and seems to have come to stay.

As the name implies, the fast simply means that you take one day out of the 7 days in the week to either not eat anything at all or abstain from high-calorie foods and focus on eating healthy meals to balance out the rest of the calorie-rich diets you have had for the other days of the week.

When starting out for the first time, it is easier to start small and easy, that is why I will recommend the “one day per week” fast for beginners, who can then build their strength to last for longer fasts, and explore the other intermittent fasting options.

Another set of people who the “one day per week” diet will fit are those who have attained their weight-loss goals on a more intense diet and will like to slow things down, but still maintain the healthy lifestyle.

To successfully carry out the one day per week fast (or any fast at all), one needs to consider a few things:

Purpose

The purpose of a thing is the driving force of that thing. Whatever the reason for the fast, be it weight loss, spiritual purposes or what not, your “why” has to be strong enough. You may find that you get much more out of the fast if there is a drive behind your discipline.

Define the time-frame

Depending on the purpose of the fast, a time frame should be picked. Some spiritual fasts have a set time frame, which is usually before sun up and up until sun-down. The health-based fast however, usually lasts 24 hours, which can be from after the time of the evening meal the first day till that same time the day after. This usually allows the intake of drinks and certain kinds of low-calorie foods.

Make it a habit

Consistence is a beautiful thing. Whatever the purpose, fasting has all round benefits and is a good thing for one to practice often. Consistence also builds forte and makes the exercise easier the next time, and the next, and the next. For those whose goal is weight loss, doing it more often aids with faster progress. Fasting triggers the self-healing properties of the human body; that is to say, your general health may improve when you give your digestive system a rest and your organs have time to heal themselves. A regular practice of fasting can help you digest food more efficiently, enhance your mental clarity, fortify physical and mental vigor, remove toxins, improve vision, and imbue you with a general sense of well-being.

The one day a week fast is a cool plan for anyone, either beginning their fasting journey or balancing it out. It’s also a good starting point for anyone who wants to embark on the journey for the long haul. With all the benefits involved, fasting should be adopted by everyone as a lifestyle.

Cataract is an eye condition that leads to the clouding of the eye's natural lens, which to an outsider, the clouding appears to be milky and whitish in colour.

Cataract is a leading cause of blindness in the world and is very common in people over 40 years of age. There are also different types of cataracts depending on which part of the eye lens is affected.

Symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision, colours won't appear as bright as they normally would etc. A lot of factors may contribute to the development of Cataract in elderly people. For example, aging, exposure to UV rays, hypertension, obesity e.t.c. All these can cause Cataracts to form in the eye lens.

In this article, we will be looking at how intermittent fasting affects Cataract. Does it make the Cataract symptoms worse, or does it make it better? Does food restriction really matter when it comes to treatment of Cataracts in people?

Well, Intermittent Fasting, which is also a type of wet fasting has helped some people clear up their Cataracts. This might seem unbelievable, Isn't it? But it's true.

In a particular study that looked at how diets and vegetarianism affected Cataract patients, they gave a group 100 grams of meat to eat a day as part of their diet, then they gave another group a lesser amount of meat to eat in a day and gave another group fish-only diets, and another group vegetarian diets, and another group vegan diet, then they studied the results.
It turns out that the group with the lesser amount of meat in their diet, for example the vegan and vegetarian group, had a higher likelihood of their Cataracts clearing up. While the group with lots of meat in their diet had their Cataracts worsen.

Intermittent fasting helps you in food restriction so it makes sense that when you fast, you eat less foods that might have worsened the Cataract symptoms. And since you will be drinking only Water, Water has so many health benefits that it might help your vision get clearer and less blurred over time.

There are lots of testimonies from lots of people on the Internet that are out there for you to read up on, about how Intermittent Fasting has helped to clear their Cataracts.

A 68 years old woman on fastdiet.co.uksaid she embarked on a 5:2 intermittent fasting for two weeks and afterwards, her vision significantly improved. And she was even able to start driving at night once again! Although, she didn't understand the science behind this and was very surprised with the outcome, but she was also interested in knowing if any research had backed this up. But unfortunately, not much research has gone into studying the benefits of intermittent fasting on improving eyesight in Cataract patients. A lot still needs to be studied.

Also, a change in diet towards vegan and vegetarian diets might significantly improve your eyesight. Studies have shown that eggs, dairy products and meat might worsen Cataract symptoms. Intermittent fasting helps you to stay away from these foods. And it also helps you to activate cell detoxing and cell renewal, a process scientifically called Autophagy which might be highly beneficial to your eye cells.

So all in all, Intermittent Fasting is beneficial to most people with Cataracts and are trying to improve their eyesight.

For some people though, there is no observed benefit. But for most people, it is highly beneficial.

Do you have cataracts? Or it's symptoms? You should try the 16:8 or 5:2 intermittent fasting methods and monitor their effects on your eyesight. If it improves, then try to fast more! But if it doesn't improve or your sight gets worse, be sure to stop the fast immediately and seek more conventional and proven treatment methods from a certified eye doctor.

Astigmatism is an eye condition where the eyeball (one or both), is not in a complete round shape. The normal shape of the eyeball is a perfect round but when it is spherical or egg shaped, it can cause errors and eye sight problems. It is a fairly common eye problem and some people are born this way. Because the eyeball is not in a perfect round shape, light enters it and does not bend evenly. Instead, light is bent in one direction than the other which causes the person to see only a part of an object in focus. For a person with astigmatism, figures at a distance may look blurred.

How does intermittent fasting relate to astigmatism?

Well, a particular study published in 2011 in the journal called Nature, which is a well respected and well reviewed scientific journal, found that food restrictions can improve weak eye sight. Intermittent fasting is a perfect way to do this, it is a healthy way to do food restrictions effectively. A lot of people have testified to the somewhat miraculous improvements in their astigmatism symptoms on reddit.com.

It has been found that food restrictions e.g through intermittent fasting, can improve cortex plasticity in adulthood. This means that the brain is able to adapt to form new neural connections. Although, there isn't enough evidence out there to prove that intermittent fasting helps to cure eye problems, based on the little information out there, intermittent fasting has a positive effect on improving astigmatism symptoms.

Also, since intermittent fasting activates Autophagy, which activates recycling of the eye cells, improved vision is gotten as a result, which helps to lower the strength of the astigmatism symptoms.

But eating a healthy and proper diet can also help in improving your eye sight tremendously. Whether intermittent fasting will work to cure your astigmatism depends on your body and if it goes down well with it.

Although, studies have shown that Fasting can help to improve your vision but some people who have tried it say otherwise. Some said that their vision got worse after the fast. So it all boils down to the person and his body system.

You can try a 3-day or a 2-day wet fast and see how it goes on your body and eyesight. If after the fast, your eyesight gets better, then you should definitely try to fast more to gain more benefits! But, if after the fast, your eyesight gets worse, even slightly, then please stop the fast. Perhaps, intermittent fasting isn't for you. It is often best to try and see how it goes. There's still a lot to know about the relationship between intermittent fasting and astigmatism, though.

But, you might want to see your doctor and discuss with them how you would like to try to use intermittent fasting method to improve your eye health. Since, intermittent fasting isn't certified yet, stick to the conventional treatment methods that are available and trusted e.g wearing prescribed glasses from an eye doctor, eating the right foods etc. Much research still needs to be done to study the correlation between intermittent fasting and its effectiveness in treating astigmatism/eye problems in general.

Of all the wellness tools we have, intermittent fasting (IF) is by far one of the most exciting. Stimulated by its ability as a weight loss and fat burning tool, amidst its other numerousbenefits, it has helped many celebrities and health experts maintain their weight in good health.

Below are some testimonies of people who engaged in intermittent fasting and got results.

From Sheila Williams's Facebook post: "I've been doing intermittent fasting for 14 months I've seen all the videos of Dr. Jason Fung on Diet Doctor and I've been inspired, I fast 19 hours every day and like in a 5 hour window I lost 42 pounds and 8.5 inches at the waist Thanks, DietDoctor.com and Dr. Fung!"

According to Christine, "in October 2016, I had made a trip 'to leave the sugar' for a few months and I had managed to give up the sweet and white things. The desserts, biscuits and packaged food were no longer part of my diet, but they resulted in very slow weight loss I started this journey to lose weight and reverse metabolic syndrome, fatty liver, insulin resistance and, if I was very lucky, 'Sleep Apnea.
After nine months of intermittent fasting, I dropped more than 36 kg and am very close to a healthy weight. I also lost: daily headaches, monthly migraines, cystic acne, ovarian cysts, late nights and lethargic nights, joint pain, inflammation and, most importantly, sleep apnea. I am very grateful for the real food and its website. It really gave me the gift of LIFE that I could enjoy with my family and friends for many years. Here are the next 50 years! May God bless you and your work!"

Joel Kahn, M.D., is a big supporter of the fast-food diet, a program created by Valter Longo, Ph.D., of the USC. "I adopted a five-day intermittent fasting plan and lost 18 pounds in three months," he said.

Fasting, however, is more than just losing weight.

Amy Shah, MD, a doctor of integrative medicine, regularly fasts and tells how it makes her feel more mentally alive and less "hungry." She also believes that her skin has improved significantly. "The benefits of intermittent fasting go beyond fat loss!" Many people think that it is just another diet, and if the loss of fat is one of the benefits, it is not the only reason to do it.

With 337 pounds, the influential health and beauty Janielle Wright was afraid of dying. Her body ached and she had trouble breathing at night. "I was going to sleep with the worry of not waking up the next morning," Wright told NBC News. She also feared she would not see her 3-year-old daughter Novah grow up. It was then that Wright, 28, realized that something had to change. "It's not a way of life to think you're going to die because you're overweight and you're in poor health," she says. In January, Wright began her journey of weight loss through intermittent fasting. "It is a limited-time food method, in which you only allow yourself to eat within a certain period of time. Wright said the method had helped her lose 65 pounds so far.

These are testimonies of some people who partook in intermittent fasting. Start yours today and stand to share your testimonies real soon.

Do you already have testimonies? Please share with us.

Intermittent fasting may help cancer treatment, as there is more and more evidence supporting the role of fasting in cancer treatment and prevention.

Some research suggests that fasting helps fight cancer by lowering the levels of insulin resistance and inflammation. Fasting can also reverse the effects of chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes- cancer risk factors.

In addition, researchers believe that intermittent fasting can cause cancer cells to respond better to chemotherapy while protecting other cells. Fasting can also stimulate the immune system to help fight cancer already present.

Insulin is a hormone that allows cells to extract glucose from the blood for use as energy.
When more food is available, the body's cells become less sensitive to insulin. This insulin resistance means that cells no longer respond to insulin signals, resulting in higher blood glucose levels and greater fat storage.

When food is scarce, the human body tries to conserve as much energy as possible. One way to accomplish this task is to make cell membranes more insulin sensitive. Cells can metabolize insulin more effectively by eliminating blood glucose.

Better insulin sensitivity prevents the growth or development of cancer cells. One way that a fasting diet can help cancer patients is to activate the immune system. The immune system attacks and destroys pathogens, such as viruses that enter the body.

For cancer patients, the immune system seems to lose the ability to detect, attack and kill abnormal cells such as cancer. New cancer treatments are being developed to boost the immune system. However, research have suggested that a simple fasting diet could achieve the desired result.

The University of Southern California recently conducted a study on laboratory mice. The researchers found that when the mice were given chemotherapy and a fasting diet, the immune system was better able to attack and kill the breast and skin cancer cells. Fasting mice produced more cells of the immune system, including B cells and T cells, which actively attack and destroy tumor cells. Another exciting discovery was that regulatory T cells, the cells that normally protect tumors, stayed out of them. This may have helped chemotherapy drugs work better.

The same researchers also conducted a pilot study of cancer patients to determine if fasting regimens with chemotherapy would be safe. The researchers found that a two-day fast with water was safe for cancer patients. In addition, when practiced under the supervision of a physician, a four-day low-calorie diet that mimicked fasting was considered safe. All these results indicate that fasting or a diet imitated by fasting, as well as chemotherapy, could be used to slow tumor growth in patients with cancer.

Treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy, can cause side effects ranging from discomfort to debilitation. Studies suggest that intermittent fasting may offer protection against these side effects. In one study, patients with cancer fasted for a few days and then ate normally before treatment. These patients did not lose a dangerous amount of weight and found no interference in cancer treatments. However, patients experienced a reduction in side effects (fatigue, headache, nausea and vomiting) compared to a control group without fasting. Fasting patients also had fewer incidences of dry mouth, mouth sores, numbness and cramps.

People who are curious about intermittent fasting and if it will benefit them during their cancer treatment should consider talking to their doctor.

Autophagy is a cellular process in which parts of cells are broken down for later use.

Autophagy is essential for maintaining proper cell function and also helps defend cells in the body. Autophagy plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Several studies in mice suggest that autophagy can prevent cancer. These studies show how the absence of autophagy leads to a decrease in tumor suppressor gene levels. Although lower autophagy may allow the initial formation of tumors, it is not the only cause of the growth or spread of malignancies.

Intermittent fasting stimulates the process of autophagy, a process in which the body breaks down old damaged cells and abnormally developing cells in order to recycle their energy content. The autophagy process is part of the innate immune system and uses pattern recognition receptors to identify invaders of viral cells.

It's ability to stimulates autophagy processes limits viral infections and replication of intracellular parasites. This catabolic process helps the body get rid of intracellular pathogens and stop the abnormal development of cancer cells. It is also important to protect the brain and tissue cells from abnormal growths, toxicity and chronic inflammation.

During feeding, when insulin increases, the rate of autophagy is low. During fasting, as insulin decreases, autophagy increases considerably, perhaps five times. Most of the anti-aging effects of calorie restriction and intermittent fasting come from increased autophagy.
A high rate of autophagy is characteristic of young organisms; with aging, autophagy decreases, allowing the accumulation of cellular damage. When you fast intermittently, autophagy rates can be restored to those of a younger person.

Exercise improves insulin sensitivity. Therefore, regardless of the stimulus of fasting, a fit person will see their insulin levels decrease and lipolysis will start faster than that of a person who is not in shape. Low-carbohydrate diets cause a smaller increase in insulin. Therefore, it is likely that a person on a carbohydrate diet will also see a faster decrease in insulin in the range in which it promotes lipolysis and autophagy.

Autophagy is suppressed in case of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. This could be one of the main mechanisms responsible for the detrimental effects of diabetes and obesity.

In some studies, intermittent fasting has been shown to improve cognition, brain structure and neuroplasticity, which can help the brain learn more easily. That said, it was not entirely clear whether autophagy was the cause; In addition, these studies were conducted on rodents. People are not rodents, and we cannot always assume that the benefits will be the same for us humans.

Autophagy deserves special attention because it is the most important metabolic process to select if the goal is to slow down the aging process and promote the performance of the body and brain.

On October 3, the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institute awarded Yoshinori Ohsumi the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries about the mechanisms of autophagy. You do not win a Nobel Prize in Medicine if you do not work on something that legitimately has the potential to change humanity.

Fasting is actually much more beneficial than simply stimulating autophagy. It does two good things. By stimulating autophagy, we eliminate all our old proteins and cellular parts. At the same time, fasting also stimulates growth hormone, which tells our body to start producing new and attractive parts for the body. We are giving our bodies the complete renovation.

Intermittent fasting, as already said a couple number of times, is a diet plan with wholesome benefits. Asides being a great way to lose weight, it helps with muscle gain, mental health, finances and so much more.

In this article, we will be exploring another angle of health benefits attached to intermittent fasting, as it concerns our heart.

The heart is a very vital part of the body. It is responsible for pumping blood to the other parts of the body where it is needed, so its importance cannot be overemphasized. That said, heart care automatically means caring for our lives because the moment our hearts stop beating, our lives end.

Research shows that fasting can help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, control diabetes and reduce weight. These four things are the major risks for heart disease so if they can be reduced, then the risk for heart disease is reduced too.

New research also shows that people who regularly participate in intermittent fasting are less likely to go to have strokes or develop heart disease.

Fasting results in better insulin sensitivity, and insulin resistance is strongly associated with heart disease.

Another possibility is that intermittent fasting increases autophagy in arteries. Older people have impaired autophagy, the cellular self-cleansing process that rids cells of junk and keeps them in a youthful state.

Age is the most significant risk factor for heart disease. It’s been shown that impaired autophagy causes reduced endothelial function (meaning that arteries become old and not as useful). People who have had a heart attack show lower levels of autophagy.

Therefore, if you boost your cellular self-cleansing through intermittent fasting, you end up with cleaner, younger, elastic, with unplugged arteries.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve ischemic cardiac injury, age-related cardiac hypertrophy, doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and risk factors for coronary heart disease. Therefore, intermittent fasting may be considered as a potential intervention for certain forms of human heart disease.

But the answer as to whether intermittent fasting cures “all” heart diseases is yet unknown, as there is a limitation to the amount of research that has, thus far, been carried out to prove that. On the other hand, it is a very good preventive measure against a lot of these diseases.

One word of caution, though: Fasting can lead to an electrolyte imbalance. This can make the heart unstable and prone to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat). People with heart problems should take extra precautions while fasting, and consult their cardiologists, particularly in determining the proper timing and dosage of their medications, in order to avoid complications. People with heart problems are advised to eat in small portions, and to avoid fatty and salty foods, as well as large quantities of beverages (which could lead to shortness of breath). Smaller food portions trigger favorable hormonal and metabolic changes which will increase the production of good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol.

Big words aside, embarking on intermittent fasting to reduce the effects of, or cure heart disease, is definitely worth a try, but one has to consult their physician at every turn to know how best to do this and to avoid any sort of complication.

Stay healthy, stay safe!

What are some of the things that people do wrong while intermittently fasting? What are some things that you are doing wrong in your intermittent fasting journey that you might not know that you're doing wrong?

Let's consider some common mistakes people make while intermittently fasting together in this article. Of course, if you have been fasting the wrong way, or doing something wrong while fasting the right way, this article will make a good exposure and you'll get to make amends.

So, let's get right to them! shall we? Some of the mistakes people make during intermittent fasting are:

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1. Not taking any fluids or enough fluids during the fasting hours.

Intermittent Fasting does not necessarily imply "dry" fasting. You can and you should drink fluids during your Fasting hours. This is to keep you hydrated and balanced. Going without water or fluids for long hours at a time could be very dangerous to your health. You can drink not only water but also unsweetened and non-caloric liquids like Black Tea, supplemented water, Green Tea etc. This common mistake by newbies is totally avoidable.

2. Giving up.

In order to see the effects and reap the benefits of intermittent fasting, you can't just throw in the towel once you are feeling too hungry. Many people new to intermittent fasting make the mistake of giving up on their fast because they're feeling too hungry and they believe that they can't make it through the fast. This is very wrong. The more you train yourself to get through a fast, the more hours your body will be able to get though. Giving up is never the solution!

3. Fasting for too long.

Another mistake people do is to overdo their fast. A 24 hour fast  and even a 48 hours fast supported with fluids is just about right, but going 3, 4, 5 or more days without eating anything could be very dangerous, it could take a toll on your life and health. Try the 16:8 approach which is the most common flavour to intermittent fasting. The 5:2 approach too is okay. Where some people get it wrong is when they fast for too long. This usually poses a huge health hazard.

4. Overindulging during the Eating Window.

Another mistake, a very funny mistake, people make is to overeat when it is time to eat. Yes, I know it is normal to want to pack the whole plate in your stomach considering how hungry you are, it won't be smart for you to do so. It kills the whole point of your fasting. The point is to take a few calories than you normally take. Overeating defeats the purpose.

5. Choosing the wrong intermittent fasting plan. 

Depending on the busy hours of your day, you might want to shift your eating window to the times when you do the most work. Many people choose the wrong intermittent fasting plans and find that they can't cope. Since food is a good source of energy, it is only logical that you eat during your busy/working hours. So, choose a plan that lets you have a meal during your busy period. A lot of people make this mistake.

6. Rushing in. 

When you are new to intermittent fasting, it is common for people to think they can go on a 24 hours fast. Most people try to take on long fasts than their bodies are trained to. Your body is not used to shortage of food, so you have to take it slow. With time, it will adapt and you will find yourself more capable of going on reasonably long fasts. So, don't make the mistake of rushing into the long intermittent fasting process. Start with a few hours then work it up from there.

So, all in all, we have considered six things that people do wrong when it comes to intermittent fasting. I am hoping that you take these tips to heart and don't make these mistakes while fasting.