30 Minutes with My SDI - Intermittent Fasting 101

“Mens Sana In Corpore Sano”. Maintaining health can be done in various ways, such as regulating diet, exercise, and many others. One that has been widely practiced lately is intermittent fasting. This topic is discussed in this edition of My SDI-Seninku Dengan Inspirasi, presented by Sirly and Destiana.

Intermittent Fasting is a diet pattern that regulates eating and fasting times in a certain period, aiming to give the digestive system a rest and stimulate the metabolic process. In Indonesian it can literally be called “puasa berselang”. (source: Halodoc). In Intermittent Fasting, the diet is regulated based on the cycle between eating and fasting periods, without emphasizing certain types of food but more on the time of food consumption. This pattern is popular for its benefits which are believed to help reduce weight, improve metabolic health, and support the cell repair process. Several studies have shown that this method can also prevent, even overcome certain diseases.

Intermittent fasting is not a method created by one person or organization, but rather a diet that has long existed naturally in human history. For centuries, our ancestors often experienced natural “fasting” periods when food was scarce, and many cultures and religions have adopted fasting as part of their spiritual practices or traditions, such as in Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and others. In modern health world, renowned scientists and researchers such as Dr. Michael Mosley, Dr. Jason Fung, and Dr. Valter Longo have studied and popularized Intermittent Fasting in their books.

There are several patterns of implementation, namely

1. 16:8 method (16 hours of fasting: 8 hours of eating)
2. 5:2 method (5 days of eating normal portions, 2 days of fasting or eating a maximum of only 500 calories)
3. Eat Stop Eat (fasting for 24 hours in 1 day, but allowed to drink and on the next day can consume food/drinks as usual in 24 hours
4. Alternate-Day Fasting (fasting for 36 hours or almost two days, and after that can consume normal food as usual).

It should be remembered that consuming nutritious food and regular exercise is a healthy lifestyle that must be maintained. In addition, it is good to consult a doctor first, in order to get the benefits of intermittent fasting that are in accordance with health conditions. During fasting on Intermittent Fasting, it does not mean not eating and drinking at all like fasting in general, but it is still allowed to drink water or other calorie-free drinks.

Some of the benefits that can be felt by Intermittent Fasting practitioners (based on research conducted by Johns Hopkins University neurologist, Mark Mattson who published in the New England Journal of Medicine) include:

• Changes in hormone, cell, and gene function
• Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in the body
• Beneficial for heart health
• Beneficial for brain health and prevents Alzheimer's disease

However, it should be noted that the Intermittent Fasting method may not be suitable for everyone. Generally, this method is suitable for healthy adults who want to lose weight, healthy lifestyle lovers with a busy routine, athletes or individuals who prioritize body composition, individuals with prediabetes or insulin resistance, people with mild digestive problems and want to improve metabolic health.

Well, that's a little review of Intermittent Fasting. Interested in trying it? Let's maintain a healthy lifestyle together for a happier life.