Skip to content
Wellness Blog
Top Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting & How to Make it Work for You
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” In recent years, the practice of skipping breakfast has become a trend in the weight loss and health communities. Many people have found that practicing intermittent fasting has helped them feel more energized, achieve fat loss, and stabilize their hormone levels throughout the day. (1) However, there’s a bit more to it than just simply skipping breakfast. Let’s break down what intermittent fasting is, its benefits, and how to implement it into your lifestyle. What is Intermittent Fasting? Intermittent fasting isn’t a type of diet, it’s just a different eating schedule. Your body is always in one of two states, fed or fasted. When we’re fed, our bodies are actively digesting food and fueling our movements. During this state, burning fat is a challenge since we already have readily available fuel from the foods we eat during the day. (2) In a fasted state, our insulin levels are lower and our bodies are able to pull from our fat stores for energy. A fasted state is achieved only 8-12 hours after our body has finished digesting. (3) People rarely enter the fasted state throughout the day, and many eat small meals all day long. This causes spikes in our insulin levels which, in turn, can hinder fat loss. (4) Note: Fat loss is different from weight loss. Weight loss can be accomplished simply by eating at a caloric deficit. (5) For those who practice intermittent fasting, they follow an eating schedule that fits their lifestyle, but typically it’s a 16/8 hour eating window. That means for the 16 hours of fasting, you aren’t eating any foods, creamers, or sweeteners/artificial sweeteners. Only water, black coffee or tea is allowed to keep your body in the fasted state. There are more benefits to intermittent fasting than fat loss and research has shown there are benefits for your overall health as well. Key Benefits of Intermittent Fasting There has been much research on the benefits of regular short-term fasting on our metabolism, hormone balances, and overall health. Some major benefits of intermittent fasting include: Fat Loss Benefits: Encourages the body to burn fat while maintaining muscle mass (6) Does not lower your body’s basal metabolic rate long-term (7) Improved hormone balance Increased norepinephrine and epinephrine levels, which increases fat breakdown (8) Increased glucagon levels Increased lipolysis and fat oxidation Decreased blood glucose levels Decreased insulin levels (9) Overall Health Benefits: Reduces the risk of coronary problems Reduces insulin resistance How to Start Intermittent Fasting Fasting for short periods of time on a regular basis helps people eat fewer calories and helps regulate hormones related to weight management. Here are a few eating protocols to choose from: The 16/8 Protocol: Begin your fast after dinner, then skip breakfast. Break your fast 16 hours after your dinner the night before allowing you to begin an 8-hour eating window. Do this daily for the best results. Example of a fasting window: 8:00 pm - 12:00 pm (noon). Then begin an eating window from 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Eat-Stop-Eat: Do one or two 24-hour fasts each week. Example: not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day. The 5:2 Diet: Only eat 500-600 calories on two days of the week, then eat your normal calorie intake the other 5 days. If these options seem like too much of a challenge, try starting with a shorter fast and gradually extend it as you go. Many find that after just a few days of this, it won’t be as much of a challenge to fast. It’s very important, however, that you still eat enough calories in your 8-hour eating window and aren’t creating too much of a deficit in order to lose weight. Who Should Try Intermittent Fasting? It’s always best to be safe and speak with your healthcare provider before making any major lifestyle changes. Intermittent fasting can be beneficial for many; however, it probably isn’t best for pregnant or breastfeeding women. [wc_box color="inverse" text_align="left"] In Summary: Intermittent fasting is simply an eating schedule that allows your body to reset while you’re fasting, making it easier to burn fat and time your meals within a shorter eating window. Our bodies are either in a fasted or fed state. Being in a fed state (digesting foods) all day long makes it hard for our bodies to achieve fat loss. There are many benefits to intermittent fasting including increased energy levels, accelerated fat breakdown, improved hormone balance, and heart health. (10) Make sure to choose the right eating schedule; you can make your eating/fasting windows flexible to fit your lifestyle. Begin with shorter fasting windows and gradually extend them. Avoid fasting over 48 hours straight on a regular basis. Most people follow the 16/8 hour eating protocol. While fasting, make sure to stay hydrated with plenty of water. Coffee/tea is allowed as long as there are no added creamers, sweeteners/artificial sweeteners that can affect your fasted state. [/wc_box] At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your brain health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of supplements, please visit us at BrainMD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen. References: 1. Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M. Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Ageing Res Rev. 2017;39:46-58. 2. Patterson RE, Laughlin GA, LaCroix AZ, et al. Intermittent fasting and human metabolic health. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(8):1203-1212. 3. Tinsley GM, La Bounty PM. Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans. Nutr Rev. 2015;73(10):661-674. 4. Anton SD, Lee SA, Donahoo WT, et al. The effects of intermittent fasting on metabolism and health outcomes. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2018;21(4):264-270. 5. Patterson RE, Sears DD. Metabolic effects of intermittent fasting. Annu Rev Nutr. 2017;37:371-393. 6. Horne BD, Muhlestein JB, Anderson JL. Health effects of intermittent fasting: Hormesis or harm? A systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(2):464-470. 7. Varady KA, Hellerstein MK. Alternate-day fasting and chronic disease prevention: a review of human and animal trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(1):10-16. 8. Harvie M, Howell A. Potential benefits and harms of intermittent energy restriction and intermittent fasting. Obes Res Clin Pract. 2017;11(2):207-221. 9. de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(26):2541-2551. 10. Anton SD, et al. The effects of intermittent fasting on health. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2018;21(4):264-270.
Learn more
What Are the Benefits of an Elimination Diet for Your Health?
The term “elimination diet” doesn’t describe one specific diet but is an umbrella term that describes many different diets that target different issues while employing the same base method. Unlike other diets, the goal of an elimination diet isn’t weight loss. Rather, elimination diets are used or prescribed to individuals by their healthcare provider to identify foods that are causing symptoms such as headaches, stomach problems, or skin conditions. Whether you should go on an elimination diet is a question that’s best answered via a discussion with a registered dietitian or other healthcare provider who knows your personal medical history. In this article, we’ll cover what an elimination diet is, a few types, and the benefits and downsides so you can have an informed discussion with your healthcare provider. What’s an Elimination Diet? It works like this: depending on the issue you’re trying to identify, you’ll eliminate common trigger foods for a period of days to weeks. After this period, which gives your body time to heal from the issues caused by your trigger foods, you’ll gradually add these foods back into your diet one by one. In total, the diet lasts several weeks, although there’s no hard and fast timeline. It’s very important to space out the reintroduction of each food. This is to make sure you can properly identify which food or foods cause a reaction. If you add multiple foods back in all at once, it may be difficult to pinpoint which one is triggering your issues. One of the key things to know about this diet is that it’s meant to be short-term. It’s used only to identify trigger foods. After you do this, you can go back to enjoying all other foods as part of your regular diet. The goal isn’t long-term restriction. It’s a short-term restriction with the goal of optimizing the number of foods you can enjoy and only avoiding the ones that may be causing you problems. Although only adopted for short periods, these diets tend to be very restrictive, which is why it’s important to be under the care of a registered dietitian or doctor who can create a specific treatment plan for you and closely monitor any changes, as well as make recommendations for how to continue once the diet is complete. Types of Elimination Diets These elimination diets have the same method, but the difference comes down to the foods to be eliminated and the problems they may alleviate. Low-FODMAP Diet FODMAPs are Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Monosaccharides, and Polyols. These are different types of carbohydrates that some people have difficulty digesting. Polyols are found in sugar alcohols, which are often used in products like chewing gum to limit added sugars while maintaining sweetness. Each of these can cause different types of gastrointestinal (GI) issues, such as: gas, bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea. However, these sugars and sugar alcohols can be found in a wide variety of foods, and it’s best to restrict your diet only as much as is necessary for your health to flourish. A few of the foods you would initially limit on this diet include dairy products, beans, lentils, onions, garlic, apples, and pears. Once you identify which of these foods causes your symptoms, you can return to enjoying all others. For some, dairy is a trigger for indigestion, gas, and bloating. For others, dairy is fine, but garlic causes problems. This diet may help manage irritable bowel issues. Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet The AIP diet is often compared to Paleo because of the foods it eliminates. The goal is to eliminate foods that may create an unhealthy inflammatory balance. This includes foods such as grains, legumes, nightshade vegetables, dairy, eggs, nuts, refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, and coffee. These are avoided for the initial phase and added back into the diet gradually to identify which foods cause a reaction. This diet is usually used for identifying which foods cause problems in the bowel. These foods may also cause conditions such as leaky gut. Benefits of Elimination Diets If you think an elimination diet may be for you, what does science have to say about its benefits? When is it helpful to consider talking to your healthcare provider about starting one? From headaches to irritable bowel, there’s a growing body of data that shows how identifying trigger foods via an elimination diet and then limiting or avoiding them altogether works. Unlike weight-loss diets, where research shows they don’t work for maintaining long-term weight loss, elimination diets work when properly followed. A 2016 review examined the role of diet in headaches. This study showed elimination diets are effective for reducing headaches by identifying specific triggers such as caffeine withdrawal and consumption of MSG. Another review of several studies shows a Low-FODMAP diet improves some bowel conditions, particularly abdominal pain and bloating. Overall, the evidence is in favor of these diets when they’re used properly and guided by a trained healthcare professional. If you think an elimination diet may help you find some relief, talk to your doctor or dietitian. Downsides of an Elimination Diet It’s good to have realistic expectations before you begin this type of diet, so here are some things to be aware of. Limited Options To complete this diet, you must have access to enough foods that fit within the guidelines, and the options are few during the initial portion of the protocol. You also must have the ability and willingness to prepare these foods day after day. If you’re used to eating out or relying on convenience foods, it will require a big change for the short duration of the diet. Finding support in groups, either in person or online, can help you stay on track. Accountability helps many people meet their goals. Difficult to Follow Other diets may have “cheat days” or some wiggle room, but elimination diets don’t. For it to work right, you must completely avoid all potential trigger foods and ingredients for the initial days or weeks. This is the only way to accurately identify which foods are causing your symptoms. While this may be a breeze for some, it may be quite the burden for others. This diet requires a high level of motivation. Thankfully, it’s not your new way of life – it’s only for a brief period, but you’ll still need the mental and emotional stamina to get through those few weeks. It’s important to consider that before you go on a diet it may sound like an easy task. However, many people forget that food affects more than just how you feel physically, but it affects you socially as well. Picking the right time to go on this diet may mean checking your calendar to see if you have any weddings, graduations, or other celebrations coming up where you would want to be able to participate fully in the festivities – after all, food is a big part of the fun of celebrations! Planning and Supervision Although you could do an elimination diet on your own, it’s most effective when you involve a registered dietitian, doctor, or specialist who has a working knowledge of food sensitivities and allergies and how to manage them through diet. In addition to that, you’ll want to have some sort of game plan to optimize your chances of success. Your healthcare provider will be a great resource for this. The right one will have both the knowledge and experience to guide you in your preparation. Why is this a downside? Not everyone wants to follow a diet that requires multiple visits with their healthcare provider. If you were previously under the impression that this diet was just like low-carb or Paleo, you may be surprised that when used for its intended purpose, it’s very involved. The Bottom Line Elimination diets are short-term, restrictive diets designed to help you identify foods that may be triggering different physical problems, from bloating to headaches to skin conditions. Research supports this diet for helping to manage these problems. However, these types of diets are highly restrictive and should only be pursued while under the care of a trained healthcare provider. It’s best not to blindly restrict foods indefinitely or follow a protocol that worked for someone else. These issues are highly individualized and the point of the diet is to find out which foods specifically bother you. The goal of an elimination diet should be to maximize the foods you can eat and only eliminate the foods that cause you issues. Overall, elimination diets are highly effective when followed properly and can help you heal your body from the inside out by changing your diet. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
Learn more
Snacks That Help You Lose Weight When You're Hungry
Have you ever noticed slim people who eat frequently, but manage to avoid packing on pounds? Well, there’s a reason for that. It turns out that healthy snacks can be a key factor in supporting your ability to stick to a healthy food plan. Yes, eating the right kind of snack between balanced meals can actually help you achieve your weight loss goals! That’s because healthy snacks: Keep your blood sugar stable Curb the urge to overeat Rev up your metabolism Provide the fuel you need to feel alert and focused throughout the day Keeping your blood sugar stable is also very important to healthy brain function. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Well, there’s more. Sensible snacks also fight mid-morning fatigue, mid-afternoon carb craving, and mindless evening grazing – one of the chief culprits in weight gain. Think of it like the turtle and the hare. Slow and steady like the turtle, healthy snacks help you sustain balanced energy to go the long distance. Whereas crash diets, like the hare, start out fast and furious with loads of promise, but burn out long before the goal is reached. It’s no wonder a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association¹ found that both people whose weight was already normal and dieters who had successfully slimmed down ate more snacks, compared to overweight participants! The key is to know how often you need to snack to maintain or achieve a healthy weight, and what snacks are best. The researchers reported that the best eating plan for weight loss or maintenance was three meals and two snacks daily. Our own Tana Amen, BSN, RN, the NY Times bestselling author of “The OMNI Diet,” recommends that your healthy snack include the following: Protein: 7 to 10 grams (equal to about 2 tablespoons of hummus or guacamole or a slice of turkey or 2 tablespoons of whole, raw nuts or seeds.) Healthy fats: 3 to 15 grams. Complex carbohydrates: 2 or 3 cups of raw or lightly steamed veggies—or a serving of low-sugar fruit such as berries or tart apples. Tana also offers the following helpful tips: Do not confuse planned healthy snacks with a continual graze. Giving your digestive system a rest between snacks and meals is important so that you aren’t releasing insulin all day! Be sure to plan and prepare your meals in advance. You will be less likely to be drawn into "zombie mode" and mindlessly munch when hungry, traveling or tired. Plan delicious and healthy snacks. Let them work for you and help you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Enjoy! References 1. Bachman, JL, et al. Eating frequency is higher in weight loss maintainers and normal weight individuals as compared to overweight individuals. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Nov: 111(11):1730-4.
Learn more