Is intermittent fasting a good idea?

Blood type diet, baby food diet, raw foodism, zone diet, time-restricted feeding, paleo, no carb till 4, only carb till 4, stomach health, and blood sugar levels, oat milk is good or bad?, celery juice every morning. Every moment of our lives, every crumb we ingest, and now even the timing of when we do it is a subject of study, analysis, prohibitions, and advice from the online wellness community, made up of certified dieticians and nutritionists, sure, but also of charlatans and liars. The things to keep an eye on are increasing, foods and eating habits are subject to trends and go from being very trendy to being demonized in a very short time, mixing good things and less good things and confusing us. Intermittent fasting is just the latest of these trends, and some swear it's the secret to curing all our digestion and weight problems and so much more. Here's what you need to know.

What is intermittent fasting?

According to the rules of intermittent fasting, there are specific times of the day dedicated to nourishment. Most people concentrate them from morning to early afternoon, to avoid eating too close to the evening or bedtime, thus not eating for many consecutive hours. It's not so much about limiting the quantity or quality of what you ingest or the number of calories, but rather about concentrating everything in a few hours, and alternating periods of eating with periods of fasting. This is called time-restricted feeding. There are different schools of thought. Some experts argue that fasting can last even a whole day, regularly. The other days, the ones when you eat normally, will somewhat compensate. In theory.

What is fasting for?

Sometimes, fasting is for spiritual or religious reasons, but those practices are not the subject of this article. In the early stages of experimentation, fasting was used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes and for weight loss. Now, its benefits are shouted about for almost anything, from stomach health to brain function and heart health, with demonstrative videos and detailed guides on how to practice it. Even the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has claimed to profit greatly from fasting for a whopping 36 hours once a week. Chris Martin, on his part, has stated to have completely abandoned the habit of dining. Opinions differ: some experts advise against it, especially for women, highlighting its disadvantages. However, the truth is that the research is still preliminary, and while some studies support the positive and proactive online content regarding the practice, there are many more things to consider.

Not for everyone: the downsides

Food is not only pure nourishment but also comfort, habit, a moment of socialization, and as such, should be considered. Moreover, it does not exist in a vacuum but fits into the delicate relationship that a person has with their own body and image. Eating does not mean the same thing for everyone, and treating the act of consuming food as if it were a practice to be robotically executed to optimize its benefits is unrealistic and disadvantageous. For instance, how would it act on an already disordered eating behavior? And on a genuine disorder? Having to restrict food intake for even very long periods would push those who do not have a good relationship with food to worsen? These are just questions, hypotheses, doubts, but they are no less important, in fact. All these elements of intermittent fasting must be taken into account when deciding whether to try it or not.

Should we adopt intermittent fasting?

Making a decision that impacts our nutrition so much is not a choice we can make in complete solitude. It is important, before making any changes to your diet, to consult with a doctor and a nutritionist, to decide together what the best approach is, from both a physical and psychological standpoint. Trusting TikTok profiles is not a good idea, and not all trends in the nutrition world are suitable for everyone, indeed. Before getting involved in restrictive behaviors that promise unmeasured benefits, it is essential to know oneself, one's limits, and one's weaknesses.