HEALTHY LIVING


Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting


Doctors say it can help with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and neurological disorders. ::


BY JUDY KOUTSKY A


s more new research uncovers the benefits of intermittent fasting, doctors are beginning to


recommend this eating plan to boost the health of their patients. According to a new study in the


New England Journal of Medicine, intermittent fasting reduces inflammation, improves weight management and cardiovascular


80 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | FEBRUARY 2024


function, and reduces the risk for chronic disease. “Anyone wanting to lose weight


can do so using intermittent fasting,” says Leigh Daigle, M.D., a physician specializing in weight loss and bariatrics at Methodist Medical Group Weight Management and Wellness Center in Memphis, Tennessee. “During the fasting period,


there are several changes to hunger


hormones like insulin. The fasting helps to regulate insulin resistance. “Additionally, intermittent


fasting improves mental focus, energy, and efficiency of our stored energy.”


HOW DOES IT WORK? To understand the benefits of fasting, we must understand what happens in our body when we eat. “When we consume food, our


blood sugar levels fluctuate and our body and its systems are signaled to ‘work’ or ‘build’ by creating insulin, removing toxins, and metabolizing food,” says Mahmud Kara, M.D., a physician and founder and CEO of KaraMD, a line of digestive support and heart health supplements. This is demanding on the body — especially when we’re constantly


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