By Let’s face it — we all want results fast, and here’s how
Sometimes a habit is so ingrained in our psyche that we aren’t even aware as it starts occurring.
For instance, I used to be a HUGE snacker and would snack mindlessly because I was experiencing something stressful.
It was an emotion or a reaction to something. Of course, I wasn’t always like this, but I felt compelled for some strange reason to do it.
Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar — or have your reasons as to why a bad habit manifested out of nowhere to ruin your health and weight loss goals.
Why it’s important to tackle bad eating habits
Over time, weight gain can put us at risk of metabolic syndrome.
Several diseases can occur consecutively, such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and lipid metabolism disorder.
Sometimes, no matter what you do, nothing works. You feel cheated and lost, doing all the right things and getting little or no results. I hear you because I, too, was in your shoes.
What the researchers discovered
Researchers wanted to test the best diet, so they collated 71 volunteers with metabolic syndrome and raised blood pressure on the path toward better health and weight loss success.
These volunteers were divided into two groups.
One followed the DASH diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension). The second group went on a Mediterranean-style diet, with many vegetables, fruit, wholemeal products, nuts, pulses, fish and white meat.
One of the two groups didn’t consume solid food for five days before starting the DASH diet.
To assess the results of both diets, researchers took stool samples to uncover the gut microbiome.
As observed, the gut microbiome changed dramatically during fasting.
Health-promoting bacteria that reduce blood pressure seemed to multiply.
Some of these changes still occurred even after participants were reintroduced to food.
We should read the following results. First, body mass index, blood pressure and the need for blood pressure medication remained lower for those volunteers who started the healthy diet with a five-day fast.
One magnificent effect fasting has on blood pressure
After three months, the fasting group still had lower blood pressure.
Researchers wanted to ensure that the lower blood pressure of these fasted individuals was actually from the fast and not a result of the medication.
Researchers were able to isolate the influence of the medication and observe whether someone responds well to a change of diet depending on the individual’s immune response and microbiome.
Suppose a high-fibre, low-fat diet fails to deliver results. In that case, bad gut bacteria in the gut microbiome may metabolise fibre into protective fatty acids.
Fasting for future weight loss and health success
Combining fasting with good quality, whole-food diet is a more successful option. That combination yields the best long-term results for your weight loss goals and health.
Fasting seems to act as a catalyst for protective microorganisms in the gut. As a result, your health improves quickly, leading to a cut in medication or stopping it altogether.
This could motivate one to stick to a healthy lifestyle over the long term.
What does all this mean for you? First, it’s suggested that regular fasting helps our gut microbiome and aids in weight loss (combined with a whole-food diet).
It’s best to seek the guidance of your doctor before you decide to fast.
For those who want to lose weight, why not try this method, since it builds the good bacteria in your gut and assists in combating disease while encouraging a healthier lifestyle?
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