WEIGHT LOSS
One of the best benefits of intermittent fasting is weight loss. I lost a total of 50 pounds and kept it off. I had gained some weight because of menopause, and it just wouldn’t budge.
I had tried everything. I went to the gym three times a week. I did a two-hour speed walk every other day. I cut down the amount of food I was eating, but nothing seemed to work. Then I stumbled on intermittent fasting.
I started doing the 5:2 fast where you eat normal for 5 days out of the week, and the other two days, Monday and Thursday, I fasted. I then graduated to the 16:8 where you skip breakfast every day, and now to OMAD. One meal a day. I love this way of eating. It gives me such control over food.
Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet, but a way of eating. It was the saving grace I needed to get back in shape, lose the stubborn weight that was hanging around my middle, and keep it off.
HEALS THE BODY
Intermittent fasting definitely heals the body. I used to struggle with Eczema all over my body, but as soon as I started intermittent fasting, that was the first thing to go away.
One year, I got eyelid Eczema on both eyelids that wouldn’t go away for three months. It was so raw and painful, and very ugly. I tried prescription medications the doctor gave me, but instead of getting better, it only got worse.
Now that I live an intermittent fasting lifestyle, I have not had a bout of eyelid Eczema. I can’t believe it.
I also struggled with circle rashes on my hands, arms, trunk, and legs. The doctor called it some rare kind of Eczema, but I always thought it could be Lyme disease. I don’t remember ever been bitten by a tick, but who knows. Regardless, the circle rashes were all over my body.
But not anymore.
It didn’t take long for the circles to disappear and stay gone. As soon as I started intermittent fasting, they disappeared. It was an unexpected benefit and one I am overjoyed with.
REDUCES INSULIN RESISTANCE
Insulin resistance is the main factor that causes type two diabetes. I don’t have much experience with this benefit because I was never diagnosed with pre-diabetes. However, with 50 pounds hanging around my middle from menopause, before I started my intermittent fasting lifestyle, I was well on my way to diabetes.
I’m just glad I was able to lose the weight because I lowered my risk for diabetes. Being that intermittent fasting is supposed to lower your insulin resistance, it’s great ammunition for the older person.
Many people have experienced a reverse in their diabetes from doing intermittent fasting. There have been many studies done to prove that intermittent fasting does, in fact, reduce insulin resistance.
Harvard studies have proven the benefits.
I will leave links at the end of the article if you want to read the Harvard studies.
REDUCES STRESS
I find that when I fast for a day, my stress level subsides. By that, I mean I am better able to handle the stress that comes my way when I am in a fasted state.
I work at a stressful job and I find that when I eat, I can’t cope with the stress as well as when I am fasting. This is incredible because I clearly see the difference when I fast.
This benefit is one of the main reasons I eat OMAD. When I only eat supper, I can fast throughout the day every day. That gives me a huge advantage because I can handle whatever stress comes my way much easier when I don’t eat.
REDUCES INFLAMMATION
I have a lot of inflammation in my body. My joints ache. I have Tennis elbow most of the time. I struggle with shoulder impingement and knee, back, and neck issues. I know, everything, right?
Well, when I do intermittent fasting, the swelling goes away. It really does! Intermittent fasting is such an incredible anti-inflammatory, it’s better than taking medications.
In fact, when I have a cold, I fast. The inflammatory response to the virus is a whole lot less when I fast, and my cold usually isn’t as bothersome as when I am constantly eating.
GOOD FOR YOUR HEART
I know intermittent fasting is good for your heart. However, there are plenty of studies done to prove this very fact. Personally, though, I struggled with a heart murmur all my life. After I had been living the intermittent fasting lifestyle for a few years, I got my heart murmur checked out.
They hooked me up to machines and tested everything.
When I got the results back from the doctor, and I asked how my heart murmur was doing, the doctor said, “What heart murmur? You don’t have one anymore!”
How’s that for a great benefit!
CANCER PREVENTATIVE
According to studies on intermittent fasting, it’s supposed to be a cancer preventative. I would assume it’s because of the powerful autophagy, and the fact that the human growth hormone is increased in the body when you fast.
Autophagy is when your good cells eat your bad ones. It’s cell regeneration.
They say that intermittent fasting combined with chemotherapy and radiation lessens the negative effects of the treatment. That is a great benefit and one that needs to be looked into more.
GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN
When I do intermittent fasting, I find that my mind is more clear. When I eat, I get brain fog. That right there, tells you intermittent fasting is good for your brain.
It’s amazing the clarity I get throughout the day when I fast. I am sharper and can think clearly while fasting. If you have a test, the best thing to do to get better results is fast.
That’s incredible.
ALZHEIMER PREVENTATIVE
I have no first-hand experience on this, but intermittent fasting may prevent Alzheimer’s because of autophagy and cell regeneration. I’d love it if they would do a study to see if Alzheimer’s could be reversed with a good intermittent fasting regime.
We don’t just want to prevent it, we want to cure it for those who already suffer. But if we can prevent this horrible disease, that would truly be amazing. Yay for intermittent fasting.
SLOWS DOWN THE AGING PROCESS
When I first started intermittent fasting, I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing. After a few months of doing it, my friends started noticing there was something different about me. They started asking me if I was doing something different.
I didn’t tell them right away, but I eventually let the cat out of the bag. Intermittent fasting reversed my aging wrinkled skin. I noticed it on myself but was amazed that other people started noticing too.
I really think intermittent fasting is the fountain of youth.
DIABETES PREVENTION
As mentioned above, because intermittent fasting reverses insulin resistance in the body, it prevents diabetes. So, if you are on the verge of getting this disease, try intermittent fasting. You might be surprised after a few months of doing it, that your blood work comes back good.
BENEFITS THE SKIN
If you struggle with acne, try intermittent fasting. It’s better than over the counter medications. It’s even better than prescription medications.
Because of cell regeneration and it’s anti-inflammatory qualities, intermittent fasting can heal your entire face. It even heals skin issues all over your body. As mentioned above, it healed my Eczema.
SIMPLIFIES YOUR LIFE
I can’t tell you enough how simple my life is now without having to worry about meal prep all day long. I don’t have to pack lunches or fill containers full of snacks or salads for work every day.
I can focus on getting more work done and I have so much more free time. Instead of fussing with food, I can be way more productive. That is a plus in my book. I love the simplistic lifestyle intermittent fasting has brought to me.
TEACHES SELF-DISCIPLINE
If you can do intermittent fasting, you’ve just taught yourself the best life skill ever: Self-discipline. Not only do you learn to control food, where before, food controlled you, but you can control every aspect of your health.
If you struggle with addictions like smoking or drinking, you can overcome it if you practice intermittent fasting. You will see how easy it is to tell yourself no, and practice this good life skill to gain control over your body in every way.
SAVES YOU MONEY
With the rise of grocery costs, who doesn’t want to find a way to save money. You can literally save thousands of dollars a year on your grocery bill by cutting it in half. You eat less, you buy less. Simple as that.
Intermittent fasting not only simplifies, but it keeps money in your pocket.
LOWERS CHOLESTEROL
I used to have high cholesterol. My doctor said it was hereditary. He said no matter what I eat or how much exercise I do, it won’t change my cholesterol levels. But that is false.
According to studies, intermittent fasting lowers cholesterol and corrects it.
I’m sticking with that!
BOOSTS ENERGY
When I fast for the day or longer, I have a sudden burst of energy. It’s incredible. They call it the ‘fasting high’ for good reason. When I do a long fast, like 3 or 4 days, I really experience this benefit. Usually, on day 3 of a fast, I feel supercharged.
I don’t know what it is exactly, but I experience it every time I do a long fast. I could literally run a marathon on day 3 and I’m not even a jogger. I love to speed walk, but one day while on a long fast, I actually ran for quite a distance. I shocked myself.
Having a sudden boost of energy is really beneficial when you want to paint the deck. Try it!
HELPS WITH MENTAL HEALTH
Whenever I fast, I don’t struggle with self-esteem issues or depression as much as I do when I eat. It’s true and very fascinating. I seem to be able to handle my emotions better and that is a plus to me. I’m usually all over the place when it comes to emotions, but not when I fast. When I fast I seem to be brighter and better able to handle the tough things in my life.
HELPS WITH DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS
As you age and your hormone levels decrease, your digestive system doesn’t work as well as it used to. But not with intermittent fasting. When you fast, your gut heals.
I used to go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea. It was awful. But after a few months of intermittent fasting, my digestive problems went away. Now, I’m regular as ever.
It’s truly amazing and a wonderful relief!
HELPS WITH BLOOD ISSUES
Because of autophagy and an increase in the human growth hormone, cells regenerate. When they regenerate, your blood literally heals itself. If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol issues, then try intermittent fasting.
Try intermittent fasting to heal the body from the inside out. That all starts in the blood.
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For further information, go to the Hungry Old Lady Youtube channel by clicking on the video at the end. I hope you enjoyed this article and consider living an intermittent fasting lifestyle.
