As humans, we currently have more access to food than ever. Unfortunately, the most efficient, inexpensive, and ‘tasty’ meals, snacks, and drinks are partly the reason why the obesity epidemic is so pervasive. Thankfully, the importance of improving and maintaining physical health through diet and nutrition is becoming well-known. In recent years, one such method that has garnered much attention is fasting.
Why is fasting so beneficial?
Fasting is so much more than simply starving your body. Fasting allows your body to change the fuel it uses from food to stored energy, such as fat and glycogen. Burning internal energy allows for fat reduction, weight loss, and overall metabolic benefits.
Types of fasting
- Intermittent Fasting (IF): Allowing the body to go through feeding and fasting cycles. There are several methods for IF:
- Time-Restricted Eating (TRE): Creating schedules such as 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of feeding (16:8), or 12 hours of fasting and 12 hours of feeding (12:12).
- Alternate-day fasting: following a fasting protocol every other day, and eating freely on the non-fasting days
- Prolonged Fasting- fasting for an extended period. Usually between 3-7 days. **
*Of all the fasting methods, research shows that prolonged fasting shows the greatest health benefits. Prolonged fasts result in benefits beyond fat loss and weight reduction such as autophagy. Autophagy is a restoration process in which the body clears its damaged or potentially toxic contents. Breakthrough research has shown that autophagy has several impressive protective benefits against:
- Cancer
- Necrosis
- Neurodegeneration
- Cardiomyopathy
- Diabetes
- Liver disease
- Autoimmune disease & infections
A plethora of research points to the benefits of fasting, however, most diet fads and advertised fasting plans are difficult to stick to. A solution to this problem is fasting-mimicking diet programs. Here at Kota Metabolic Institute, we offer fasting-mimicking diet programs to our patients. With Dr. Kota’s expertise in obesity, nutritional, and metabolic medicine, you can rest assured to receive evidence-based, individualized, and effective nutritional planning for your weight-loss goals.
What is a Fasting Mimicking Diet?
A fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) allows patients to gain essential nutrients while gaining the benefits of keeping the body in a fasting state. This differs from other popular methods of fasting, such as water fasts or intermittent fasting, in that they are periodic fasts-meaning they last longer than two days- allowing patients to truly benefit from cellular rejuvenation, metabolic reset, and healthy aging.
We provide a no-frills program that allows you to continue on with your day-to-day activities and responsibilities without having to worry about planning/cooking meals that fit the nutritional requirements of FMD.
What are the benefits of a FMD?
In addition to weight loss, there are many benefits to FMD that short-term fasts do not produce, such as:
- Stress resilience
- Activation of autophagy functions (systemic detoxification and cleansing)
- Antioxidant production
- Abdominal fat-driven weight loss
- Improves relationship with food
- Reduces cravings
- Mental clarity
- Improved energy levels
- Supports cardiovascular health
- Supports metabolic health
If you are interested in more information about the FMD program and want to see if you would be a good candidate, contact our office today. At Kota Metabolic Institute, we aspire to see you thrive.