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Is Fasting the Best Strategy Against Cancer?
Fasting is best known as a religious practice. It is a practice in which one abstains from eating for a long time. Although it is originally a spiritual diet practice, some people apply it for specific health benefits.
For example, several pieces of research suggest that intermittent fasting can reduce the risk of health conditions such as cancer.
Overview of intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting means scheduled fasting, alternated with eating times. For instance, you may follow your regular eating pattern for most of the week, but you only eat for 7 hours while fasting for the remaining 17 hours on Wednesdays and Fridays. Intermittent fasting is also known as a fasting-mimicking diet.
Intermittent fasting may seem very unusual in a society where there’s plenty of food. Still, it is worth noting that the human body is designed to accommodate times of food scarcity. Historically, fasting has often been necessary during famine or other natural disasters that limit food supply.
How does fasting work?
The human body is designed to protect you against starvation. It does this by storing a reserve of the nutrients required for survival when you eat.
