Dieting: The Principles Of Fasting And Natural Diet

ESSENTIAL WORKING PRINCIPLES AND MECHANISMS

“Fasting and natural diet, though essentially unknown as a therapy, should be the first treatment when someone discovers that he or she has a medical problem. The job of intermittent fasting is to supply the body with the ideal environment to accomplish its work of healing.”

—Joel Fuhrman, American celebrity doctor, and advocate of the micronutrient-rich diet

The principle of intermittent fasting is simple. When you stop temporarily your food intake, you are actually giving a respite to a number of systems in your body from working hard during the digestion process. The extra or unused energy then provides your body the chance to revitalize and heal itself, as it compels to burn your stored calories

Your digestive system begins to function all the way along your body’s food pathway or the gastrointestinal tract— interchangeably termed as digestive tract or GI tract. It is the part of your body most exposed and susceptible to environmental health risks, apparently, due to the introduction of an external element— food.

These health threats include food-borne diseases, toxins, parasites, viruses, and bacteria. Thus, your digestive tract urgently requires the most active support from your body’s immune system.

Upon eating, each organ in your digestive system helps in its own little way to transport foods and liquids along your digestive tract, break them down into minute particles; or, both ways (refer to

Several physiological changes occur in your body when you fast.

Generally, food is stored as glycogen primarily in your liver and muscles. Glycogen is a starchy and sugary substance, which your body can access to break down into glucose, and burn immediately as fuel for energy, whenever necessary. Glycogen storage is a natural physiological process to augment your body’s recovery or revitalization processes.

While you are sleeping, which is technically, fasting, glycogen becomes depleted. Glycogen further depletes during any intensive physical activities/exercises or training workouts, which normally cause a heightened insulin sensitivity.

In other words, a meal taken immediately after a workout will be stored most efficiently, with minimal amounts stored as fat. In contrast to a regular day of eating without intermittent fasting, insulin sensitivity will be at normal levels. The carbohydrates you consumed will be stored completely as glycogen or glucose in your bloodstream or, stored as