Fasting: Why Going Without Food Can Heal Your Body

Fasting isn’t just a trend — it’s a time-tested, research-backed practice that’s gaining momentum in the wellness world. From weight loss and better blood sugar to brain health and even longevity, fasting is proving to be one of the most powerful tools for optimising your health.

So what exactly is fasting — and why does not eating for a while do so much good?

Let’s explore the benefits, the science behind them, and what you need to know before trying fasting yourself.

What Is Fasting?

Fasting simply means abstaining from food (and sometimes drinks with calories) for a period of time. There are several popular forms:

• Intermittent Fasting (IF): Fasting for part of the day (e.g., 16:8)
• Time-Restricted Eating: Eating within a specific window (e.g., all meals within 8 hours)
• 24+ Hour Fasts: Going a full day or more without eating
• Alternate-Day Fasting: Eating normally every other day or reducing calories every second day

While each has different protocols, the health benefits largely stem from giving your body time to repair, burn fat, and reset its systems.

1. Fasting Improves Blood Sugar and Insulin Sensitivity

Fasting gives your body a break from constant glucose and insulin spikes. Over time, this can help lower blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and even help reverse type 2 diabetes.

Study highlight: A 2018 study found that early time-restricted eating significantly improved insulin levels and blood pressure — even without weight loss (Sutton et al., Cell Metabolism, 2018).

2. Fasting Boosts Fat Burning and Ketosis

When you’re not eating, your body starts burning stored fat for fuel. After 12–16 hours, you may enter ketosis, where your liver produces ketones — a clean, efficient fuel for your brain and body.

Research shows: Fasting flips the metabolic switch from sugar to fat burning (Anton et al., Obesity, 2018).

3. Fasting Triggers Autophagy (Your Body’s Cleaning Mode)

Autophagy is your body’s way of cleaning up old or damaged cells. It’s like spring cleaning at the cellular level — and fasting is one of the best ways to activate it.

Fact: Autophagy increases significantly during prolonged fasting (Mizushima & Komatsu, Cell, 2011).

4. Fasting Fights Inflammation

Many chronic diseases stem from inflammation. Fasting helps reduce inflammatory markers and oxidative stress, creating a calmer internal environment.

Study highlight: In overweight adults with asthma, alternate-day fasting reduced oxidative stress and inflammation (Johnson et al., Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 2007).

5. Fasting Sharpens Brain Function

Fasting stimulates BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein that supports memory, learning, and mental clarity. It may also protect against neurodegenerative diseases.

Research: Intermittent fasting enhances brain plasticity and may delay brain ageing (Mattson et al., Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2018).

6. Fasting Supports Longevity

In animal studies, fasting is consistently linked to longer lifespan and slower ageing. It activates genes related to stress resistance and repair.

Key finding: Fasting and circadian-aligned eating patterns support healthy ageing (Longo & Panda, Cell Metabolism, 2016).

7. Fasting Helps Balance Hormones

Fasting increases growth hormones, helps regulate hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, and may support hormonal health in both men and women.

Fun fact: Growth hormone can increase up to 5x during fasting (Ho et al., Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1988).

Who Should Be Cautious?

Fasting is powerful — but not for everyone. It’s best to avoid or modify fasting if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Have a history of eating disorders
• Are underweight or nutrient-deficient
• Take insulin or blood pressure medications (check with your doctor)

Always consult a healthcare provider before starting a fasting regimen, especially prolonged fasting.

Getting Started with Fasting: Simple Tips

• Start small: Try 12–14 hours of fasting and build up gradually
• Stay hydrated: Water, black coffee, and herbal teas are okay
• Prioritize whole foods during your eating window
• Listen to your body: Rest if needed, especially in the beginning

Final Thoughts

Fasting isn’t about starvation — it’s about giving your body a break from constant digestion so it can do deeper healing work. Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, lower blood sugar, or sharpen your mental focus, fasting offers powerful, research-backed benefits that go far beyond the scale.

When practised mindfully, fasting can be one of the most natural and effective ways to support long-term health.

Sources:

1. Sutton EF et al. (2018). Cell Metabolism, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.04.010
2. Anton SD et al. (2018). Obesity, https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22065
3. Mizushima N & Komatsu M. (2011). Cell, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2011.10.026
4. Johnson JB et al. (2007). Free Radical Biology & Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2006.12.005
5. Mattson MP et al. (2018). Nature Reviews Neuroscience, https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.156
6. Longo VD & Panda S. (2016). Cell Metabolism, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.001
7. Ho KY et al. (1988). Journal of Clinical Investigation, https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI113450