Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet but rather a lifestyle that can transform how you eat and revolutionize your life. It is almost endlessly customizable in that you can restrict your eating to a specific period or on certain days, and you can use it with a variety of eating styles, including paleo, low carb or keto. The science behind intermittent fasting is solid: IF helps people lose weight, trim body fat, lower blood pressure, reduce resting heart rate, and combat inflammation.
If those aren’t enough reasons for you to change your eating habits, then let me offer two more big ones. Intermittent fasting can also change the way your brain works and send your energy levels soaring. Your brain’s performance will be enhanced, your mood will be improved, and you might even feel mentally healthier.
Intermittent Fasting for Brain Health and Mental Clarity
IF’s effects on the brain come from a complex interchange between metabolic and biological mechanisms. When you go without food for a period, your body’s functions become more efficient. Old, damaged cells are broken down and replaced by healthy new cells. This is pretty much the same thing that happens during weight training. When you lift heavy weights, muscle fibers are slightly damaged, and as they heal, they become stronger and able to handle heavier loads.
We eat food for energy, but if you have ever eaten a large, heavy meal, you already know how much energy digestion can take. Simply cutting back on the number of meals you eat and times you eat during a day can send your energy levels soaring by reducing the load on your digestive system. However, by limiting your meals, you are also avoiding wild swings in blood sugars, which can also help you feel more energetic, and your body produces ketones, a more robust energy source for your brain, for better mental clarity.
If you’re just starting on your IF journey, you might struggle at first. Some people have headaches, irritability, hunger, and brain fog. These symptoms are temporary and can last for a few days to a week or two. Time your meals to coincide with your biggest spike in hunger to minimize the effects, and drink plenty of water unless you’re practicing intermittent dry fasting. In that case, quench your thirst when you break your fast.
Once you adapt to your new lifestyle, you will enjoy unparalleled mental clarity, renewed energy, reduced inflammation, and better overall health. Your body and your mind will thank you.