Health Update: Intermittent Fasting Lowers Inflammation & Boosts Health
Hello again everyone:
There continues to be ongoing and robust investigation into the health building effects of intermittent fasting. As the research mounts, the conclusions are similar to those in this study that looked into the inflammatory chemicals that abdominal fat secretes. The article states that our abdominal or visceral fat is considered an endocrine organ that has far reaching health effects related to insulin resistance, weight gain, appetite control, the health of our arteries, immune regulation, fatigue, atherosclerosis, heart health, brain health, and energy metabolism. These effects are mediated or caused by a group of chemicals secreted by our abdominal fat cells and are called adipokines. These adipokines can be anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory and their secretion can become dysregulated. This means that in overfed states, insulin resistant, overweight and obese situation, our adipokines are largely inflammatory and destroy our health.
Consuming food in patterns in harmony with our natural circadian rhythms is called early Time Restricted Feeding (eTRF), and it is that pattern of intermittent feeding that so far holds the greatest promise for improving long term health. The authors state the following:
“Adipose tissue is now recognized as an endocrine organ that secretes bioactive molecules called adipokines. These biomolecules regulate key physiological functions, including insulin sensitivity, energy metabolism, appetite regulation, endothelial function, and immunity. Dysregulated secretion of adipokines is intimately associated with obesity, and translates into increased risk of obesity-related cardiovascular-metabolic diseases.
In particular, emerging evidence suggests that adipokine imbalance contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. One of the promising diet regimens that is beneficial in the fight against obesity and cardiometabolic disorders is intermittent fasting (IF). Indeed, IF robustly suppresses inflammation, meditates weight loss and mitigates many aspects of the cardiometabolic syndrome…... By exploring a plethora of the beneficial effects of IF, particularly on inflammatory markers, we present IF as a possible intervention to help prevent atherosclerosis.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295223004677
Bottom Line:
If you have abdominal fat, it is important to recognize that carrying around that type of fat is highly inflammatory and health destroying…and in most cases you cannot even feel the inflammation as it is silently marinating all of your tissues in a destructive stew of inflammatory chemicals. This background inflammation is not the same as what you see when you sprain an ankle, or the redness of a sunburn or the swelling and redness around a cut or scrape…it is the type of inflammation that damages your arteries over years and leads to that fatal or disabling heart attack, or dementia, or brain fog, or fatigue, or headaches, etc.
Where can you start??? Once again, I will recommend the following book and companion cookbook to get you started on the right way to do eTRF: “What to Eat When” by Michael Roizen, MD. Start this year by creating a new you by simply adopting easy to do intermittent fasting. This is a super healthy and positive lifestyle upgrade that will give you many possible benefits. Remember, inflammation causes, perpetuates, and aggravates EVERY KNOWN HUMAN AILMENT…a key and essential part of the way to lower your total burden of inflammation is to consume unprocessed, organic, whole foods in an intermittent fasting pattern called early Time Restricted Feeding: Always have some type of breakfast (dinner for breakfast often works very well), get 80% of your total daily calories by 2 PM, and have an early light dinner that comprises only 20% of your total daily caloric load. You can do this and save your own life.
