26/01/2022
Full-time fasting doesn’t suit everyone, however – there are medical reasons why some groups should avoid it entirely – which may explain why intermittent fasting has garnered such a following in recent years. Made popular by Dr Moseley with the 5:2 diet, where dieters ate 500 calories two days a week and normally for five, he’s since increased the fasting-day calorie count to 800 (and renamed the diet the New 5:2). And despite only fasting on two days, the benefits are still impressive. Research based on humans shows intermittent fasting lowers your risk of diabetes, reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, increases cellular repair and levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and may help prevent cancer. Animal studies, meanwhile, show promise in protecting against Parkinson’s disease and increasing your lifespan.
