Is a little understood background as to why IF works. And it is Autophagy. Autophagy  is  a naturally occurring process in our bodies where cells remove toxins, recycle parts and repair their own damage.

When you activate autophagy, you reduce the chance of developing age-related problems and thus extend your life span. 

The most fascinating part of autophagy is that the process is given a boost if there is cellular stress. If cells lack nutrients, are deprived of energy, or are damaged in some way, a “stress response” mechanism is activated, which initiates autophagy. As a result, cell function actually improves when we’re under stress. In the absence of added stress, autophagy remains functioning at a moderate level, maintaining cell function 

Our cells are always working. Most of the time, they do great work, especially when they’re young. Everything is brand-new, all systems are working in harmony, and things keep plugging along without a hitch. The cells do their jobs well and efficiently, and the end result is a young, energized, healthy body.

Autophagy is like a cellular garbage disposal, taking the dysfunctional parts and obliterating them so they don’t cause a mess anywhere else.

When it’s working well, it’s a form of self-renewal, breaking down older structures so that new ones can be built in their place. The result is that the newer, more youthful structures. You can imagine how that plays out in your everyday life. More youthful cells mean softer and healthier skin, less fatigue, a faster metabolism—it means your universe of cells radiates youthfulness everywhere, from your organs to your brain to your muscles to your mental well-being.

As you can imagine, when the cells can effectively clean up the damage that they produce, all of your body’s cells will work better. 

What Can Autophagy Do?

Autophagy enhances metabolic efficiency. It also prevents neurodegenerative disorders. And it helps fight against infectious diseases. Many neurodegenerative disorders are the result of damaged proteins that form in and around neurons. Autophagy protects us by getting rid of these proteins. It also removes toxins that create infection, as well as by helping to improve how your body’s immune system responds to infections.   Lastly, Autophagy improves muscle performance. When exercising, we place a stress on our cells, energy goes up, and parts get worn out faster. Because of this, autophagy helps remove some of the damage and keep our energy needs in check.

How to Activate Autophagy

Autophagy is turned on when your body is in stress response mode. Stressing your cells is the natural way to turn on autophagy. You can do this through intermittent fasting and protein cycling to create nutrient deprivation in your cells. You can also do this through exercise.

How to get Started with Intermittent Fasting…

If you’re ready to try your hand at intermittent fasting, here are a few ways to make it a success:

Start out slowly. As you ease into intermittent fasting, try adding it to your routine just once or twice a week, and on non-consecutive days. It takes time to get out of the habit of constantly eating. You also don’t want fasting to cause you added stress or anxiety. This can have their own negative effects on your health.

Plan Smartly.You can technically schedule your fasting window for any 12 to 16-hour block during the day. I recommend starting it two to three hours before bed, and then extending it for another two to three hours after you wake up each morning.

The potential problem with eating as soon as you wake up (especially if you’re an early riser) is that you will need to stop eating pretty early in the day. That’s often well before it’s time to go to bed. Going to bed hungry will make it more difficult to fall asleep and get the rest you need. Try fasting from 7 or 8 p.m. until 9 or 10 a.m.; scheduling meals during the remaining 8 to 10 hours.

A lot of people eat well, exercise, but after adding in IF they realize it’s a key component to their overall health. Not only will you have more energy, feel lighter and leaner, but it can impact longevity too.

Intermittent fasting is a simple way to get the benefits of a fast without feeling like you’re deprived of food. 

Why experiment with intermittent fasting?

Support focus, mental calm, and overall health Intermittent fasting combined with a nutritious diet and regular exercise will improve your overall health, and increase your energy levels, and mental focus.

Improved digestive system By eating fewer meals per day you will feel lighter and more flexible. It will assist the body’s detoxification processes by cleansing your gut and eliminating accumulated toxins.

Weight loss Intermittent fasting enhances hormone function and increases your metabolic rate to speed up the fat-burning process, helping you to lose weight without additional effort.

Slow the aging process According to research intermittent fasting can improve our resistance to oxidative stress; keeping our mitochondria in a youthful state.

How I fast: I eat my last meal no later than 7 p.m. in the evening, and start my day with a delicious cup of ‘bulletproof coffee‘ in the AM. The coffee, grass-fed butter and MCT oil leaves you satiated while your body continues to fast. It is in this fasting state that your body is much better able to burn fat as fuel. Once lunchtime rolls around, you’ll have fasted for over 16 hours, giving your digestive system a total reset. Ta-da, you’re intermittent fasting! Use code BPGLOW to save at Bulletproof. If I’m super hungry I will also add this Artisana coconut butter, it’s raw, delicious and nutritious.

Your personal assistant.

There’s an app to help you with IF whether you are an expert or novice. DoFasting is a personal intermittent fasting assistant. It’s a solution for anyone who wants to lose weight, boost immune responses, and improve overall health. It can be hard to sort through all of the information out there, so DoFasting includes daily tips, articles, and guidance.

While your body craves consistency, it needs inconsistency to make it stronger. IF forces your body to adapt and grow stronger. DoFasting gives you the support you need to track your journey, offer motivation and provide guidance. 

Master Fasting

In summary, this key factor in anti-aging and longevity may help you shed a few pounds too.  If you want to improve your health, there’s one very simple thing you can do that will for sure produce results.

If you’re ready to work with your own personal fasting assistant take advantage of this special offer – use code THEGLOWWELLNESS at checkout to save 20%.

Start your journey today

Find out what works for you with this 60-sec quiz and get your personal revolutionary fasting assistant

Important: It is important to note IF isn’t for everyone. Women’s bodies are built for childbearing, and therefore are much more sensitive to shortfalls in energy than men.  Women can experiment with less aggressive fasting schedules like a 12-hour fast, or 14-hour fast, or one weekly 24-hour fast. The app can help with this. Drinking a bulletproof coffee is a way to make this more approachable too, as it won’t signal a famine response to your body.  If you are low on energy when fasting, get your adrenals and iron levels tested. If you are planning to get pregnant, have fertility problems or irregular periods, please consult a doctor before starting a fasting protocol. And NEVER fast when you are pregnant. Overall, women need to exercise more caution with intermittent fasting than men. Start slow and figure out what type of routine works for you, and be sure not to undernourish yourself. Listen to your body.