Benefits of Intermittent Fasting? ఉపవాసం :

What is intermittent fasting?

Complete fasting for one day per every week or every fortnight. But the is no restriction of overall intake of calories in a span of week.

What are the benefits?

• Intermittent fasting, without restricting overall calorie intake, has been found to reduce weight and improve metabolism. 
• Been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
• Increases insulin resistance and protects nerve cells from certain types of damage.
• It may also slow aging and reduces the risk of age-related diseases.
• It can be a preventative and therapeutic approach against obesity and metabolic disorders."
• Glucose metabolism was more stable and insulin sensitivity was increased, 
• Lower percentage of white fat, because it was being converted into brown fat. 

What is the underlying cellular mechanism?

A new investigation hunts down the molecular mechanisms behind these physiological benefits. Alterations in immune-related gene pathways within fat cells appeared to be at the root of the changes. In particular, during fasting periods, there was an increase in vascular growth factor, which helps to form blood vessels and trigger anti-inflammatory macrophages. Anti-inflammatory macrophages encourage fat cells to burn fat stores and create heat — and, as the name suggests, reduce inflammation.

"Strikingly, these fasting-stimulated changes in the growth of vascular cells and subsequent immune alterations occur even after a single cycle of 24-hour fasting, and are completely reversed when mice start eating again."

WHAT is the difference between WHITE FAT and BROWN FAT

White fat is essential for storing excess energy and releasing lipids when the need arises. However, it is also associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Brown fat, on the other hand, burns energy and has been suggested as a potential candidate for the treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases.

Recent studies have shown that, under certain circumstances, white fat can be converted into brown (and sometimes beige) fat. This process — referred to as browning — is coming under scrutiny as a potential avenue to reduce obesity. 

This may be the underlying truth,that we Indians have healthy custom that majority observe fasting every Saturday and some religious people observe fasting on every ekadasa.(11th.day of moon cycle). Indians structured their physical and mental activities in sync with movements of sun & moon.

Indian seers discovered that every Cell in our body should be in sync with surrounding nature here and spinning planets&stars up above the sky!

The seers had Identified certain time and periods in a day, in a week,in a month, in a year are suitable for such and such activities. 

we used to call those times  as festival or auspicious times!