Dr. Yekaterina Nesvet, an expert in the scientific department of the International Institute for Integrative Nutrition, announced that the goal of intermittent fasting is to shift the body to consuming its own resources.

In an interview with Gazeta.Ru, she points out that from a physiological point of view, the feeling of hunger is the feeling of the body’s need for nutrients. The human body contains two special hormones responsible for regulating hunger: ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and causes hunger, and leptin in adipose tissue and suppresses appetite.

She says: “Thanks to the presence of two phases of hunger - sensory (it occurs due to irritation of the mechanoreceptors of the empty stomach and duodenum) and metabolic (starts from the moment the level of nutrients in the blood decreases, the liver, striated muscles and fatty fibers “close” to prevent the consumption of nutrients) - it is possible It is easy for a person to determine whether he is hungry or not, as the impulses are transmitted from the stomach to the hunger center in the brain, and we feel sensations in the form of heartburn, nausea, a feeling of general weakness, and dizziness.

According to her, as a general rule, in order for the symptoms to disappear, food must be eaten, to restore health and good performance naturally. But some people cannot tolerate hunger and may suffer from “trembling hands” or “sweating.” This may be a symptom of hypoglycemia, a manifestation of insulin resistance. In this case, it is necessary to consult a specialist doctor.

According to her, the alternation between fasting and eating should be according to a regular schedule.

She says: “When a person eats carbohydrates regularly, his body depends on them, and therefore, he constantly lives with a feeling of lack of energy. During intermittent fasting, the body gets the opportunity to “cleanse” the internal environment - burning excess fat, activating the immune response. Cell sensitivity increases. For insulin, the body, after recovering from hunger, produces energy better from available nutrients. Intermittent fasting also helps renew the mitochondria - the energy stations inside the cells in the body. But when you eat a lot of food, they collapse and genetic mutations accumulate in them.< /p>

The expert points out that there are two methods for intermittent fasting. The first method involves eating only during eight hours a day. As for the remaining 16 hours, there are 7-9 hours of sleep, and the remaining hours include not eating anything.

The second method involves eating as usual for five days a week, and on the remaining two days the person must eat one meal a day containing 500-600 calories.

According to her, both methods are safe for healthy adults.

It indicates that pregnant women, breastfeeding women, those suffering from digestive problems, diabetics, those suffering from low blood sugar levels, and those suffering from being underweight are not advised to follow intermittent fasting. In general, a person should consult a doctor before choosing a method of intermittent fasting.

Source: Gazeta.Ru