By now, you've probably heard about the healing (and incredible!) power of intermittent fasting.

In this week's #BrainFactMonday, I'll show you its positive impact on your brain and cognitive abilities. However, I urge you to consult with your GP before giving it a go. Rely on trustworthy sources, and never, ever improvise.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern (not a diet) that alternates between periods of eating and fasting. It doesn't suggest specific foods but emphasizes 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝘁. Why?

Because when you don't eat for a certain amount of hours, your body switches from a glucose-burning metabolic system (meaning that you gain energy from the food you eat) to a 𝗳𝗮𝘁-𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲 (you gain energy from other sources, including fat, stored in your body), providing immense benefits for the brain and the body (and yes, it helps you lose weight if you want to).

Here are some of the major brain benefits:

😱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗴𝘆 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻-𝗨𝗽
Fasting triggers a process called autophagy, your brain's very own Marie Kondo moment: cells remove damaged components, making way for fresh, efficient ones. It's like a spring cleaning for your neurons, optimizing their performance and longevity.

😱 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻-𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 (𝗕𝗗𝗡𝗙)
BDNF is like a brain fertilizer. Fasting boosts the production of this growth factor, promoting the survival of existing neurons and encouraging the formation of new ones. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲: it's the ultimate brain booster for learning and memory!

😱 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
When you fast, your brain shifts gears to use ketones (an alternative energy source for the body)  instead of glucose (which comes from the food you eat). This metabolic switch improves cognitive function, mental clarity, and increases focus – like giving your brain a turbocharge.

😱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Chronic inflammation is never a good thing, especially for the brain. IF helps significantly reduce inflammation and the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Bye bye bloating!

The last one is the biggest and quickest benefit I've noticed since I started IF 😍, which I'm loving because it perfectly suits my body's needs and lifestyle. I seriously wished I looked into IF much sooner, but hey.... things happen when you're ready, right?

Given that IF directly impacts our hormones, 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗘 𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗟 when embracing such a lifestyle. The best thing to do here is to hire a 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 who can guide us through the correct way of fasting (which is different from men).

I'll write more on that soon, so stay tuned 😎

So tell me, did you know about all this?

#intermittentfasting #BrainWellness #MindfulLiving