John Myers
Intermittent fasting doesn’t just help with weight loss. Studies show that regularly stopping food intake also promotes self-cleaning of the cells (autophagy). The more autophagy that occurs in an organism, the older it gets and the healthier it stays. Fasting can stimulate autophagy: the temporary abstinence gives the body and its cells a break from energy metabolism.
Autophagy: self-cleaning of cells
Autophagy means self-digestion and is a kind of recycling program: the cells enclose the garbage that has accumulated in them over time with a thin membrane and breaks it down into individual parts with the help of digestive enzymes and acids. These fragments are recycled or discarded for energy production. As a result, the cell is freed from waste and healthier again.
Intermittent fasting works against fatty liver
Intermittent fasting can help against the so-called fatty liver. In experiments, researchers have shown that in mice that had to fast at intervals for a long time, fewer toxic fats are stored in the liver and they are better protected against diabetes. They explain this connection with messenger substances that are formed in liver fat and reduce the insulin sensitivity of the body’s cells. The reduction of liver fat thus also reduces the risk of diabetes.
Intermittent fasting against inflammation
Intermittent fasting ensures that the body produces fewer inflammatory messengers. This is often reflected in an improvement in the appearance of the skin and can slow down autoimmune diseases in which the misguided immune system attacks the body’s own structures.
