Health
Intermittent Fasting for Radiant Skin: Benefits, Methods, and Best Practices
Your gut health is directly related to your skin.
In recent years, intermittent fasting has gained significant importance not only in weight loss and management strategies but also proved to have a significant impact on other health parameters, one of which is skin health, which is a major concern for people nowadays because of unhealthy eating habits and an unmodified lifestyle.
What is intermittent fasting:
Intermittent fasting is a structured eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating (eating windows) and fasting (abstaining from calorie intake) to optimize metabolic processes. It doesn’t specify which foods to eat; rather, it focuses on when to eat them.
The most commonly used methods of intermittent fasting are:
If you are starting an intermittent fasting method, make sure to consult with health care professionals specifically if you have any health issues, not just dig in without getting into the core of it because everybody reacts differently and its effectiveness depends on the body type, it’s metabolism, person's lifestyle, dietary habits and preferences.
16/8 method:
This method involves fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window.
For instance,
Skip breakfast and start eating at noon, then finish eating at 8 p.m. This means fasting from 8 pm until noon, the next day.
5/2 diet:
This method involves eating your regular diet for 5 days and reducing your calories to 500–600 for two consecutive days.
For instance:
Eat regularly for the first 5 days of the week, from Monday to Friday, and then reduce calorie intake to 500–600 for the next two non-consecutive days, Saturday and Sunday.
Alternate day fasting:
Alternate between days of regular eating and the following days with no or significantly reduced calorie intake (i.e. 500 calories).
For instance:
Eat your regular diet following fasting or reduced calorie intake, the next day.
How to choose intermittent fasting method:
Your choice of intermittent fasting method depends on your body type, metabolism, and personal dietary patterns and preferences.
Not any method beneficial for one person proves to be beneficial for another person. Note that every body reacts differently to different fasting methods, so make sure to identify your body type and pay attention to how your body responds to fasting methods.
How intermittent fasting improves skin health:
Skin is the largest organ in the body, it constitutes about 20% of body weight. Our skin is the best indicator of how well or poorly our body is doing. As is the case with intermittent fasting, the impact of intermittent fasting on our body depends on how well it is implemented.
Its benefits are:
Acne reduction:
Acne is a major concern for everyone because of unhealthy food obsessions like eating processed or refined foods and unhealthy lifestyles.
Intermittent fasting helps in acne reduction by reducing the insulin levels and insulin resistance in the body, which causes acne and inflammation in the skin. Low insulin levels decrease the production of sebum, which is the root cause of acne.
Reduces inflammation:
IF reduces inflammation by improving insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation for better glucose uptake. Chronic inflammation can cause acne.
Increase autophagy and cell repair:
Autophagy is a process in which the body repairs or recycles its damaged or dysfunctional components, like cells, tissues, and muscle, and makes new proteins in the body, reducing the metabolic stress in the body, resulting in cell renewal, healthy skin, and anti-aging process.
Improves antioxidant defense:
During fasting periods, metabolic processes shift, reducing the overall oxidative load on cells. It fights against oxidative stress by reducing reactive oxidative species, which cause acne and the anti-aging process. It upregulates the antioxidant defense by increasing enzymes like
superoxide glutathione, catalase, and antioxidants in the body that defend against oxidative stress.
Improves gut health:
Intermittent fasting improves gut health by increasing the (microbiota), ultimately resulting in improved gut health.
It helps detoxify toxins:
It helps clean out toxic substances from the body, reducing skin inflammation, acne, and skin issues related to toxins buildup.
Hormones regulation:
Intermittent fasting improves the hormonal imbalance, insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), glucagon,, and leptin, improving glucose metabolism, regulating androgens, and reducing acne from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Improves Glucose regulation:
Intermittent fasting improves insulin sensitivity by reducing insulin resistance in the tissues like liver and muscles (insulin resistance is the condition in which cells don’t respond well to insulin, causing elevated blood glucose levels), which means cells become more responsive to insulin,
allowing for better uptake of glucose from the bloodstream into cells, reducing blood glucose levels.
During fasting periods, the body switches to a fat-burning state, which helps deplete glycogen stores in the liver and muscles.
When you eat again, your body replenishes these stores.
Can I eat anything during the intermittent fasting eating window:
Most people think that during intermittent fasting, they can eat anything during their eating window but the question that arises here is “What is the meaning of fasting if you still want to eat unhealthy”
Our body is made up of the food we eat, if we eat healthy then our body will be healthy and if we eat unhealthy, the same goes for our body, no matter how many methods we use to keep our body healthy, it will not work if we neglect our diet.
Best choice of foods:
The selection of a healthy diet should be our main priority while starting intermittent fasting, the choice of foods depends on individual dietary habits and food preferences, but it should be a balanced diet with the selection of all healthy foods.
Focus on whole foods:
When practicing intermittent fasting, it’s important to focus on consuming whole foods during your eating window to maximize nutritional benefits and support overall health. Whole foods tend to be more filling and provide sustained energy, which can help manage hunger during
fasting periods. Additionally, they typically contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, and fiber compared to processed foods, promoting better digestion and overall well-being.
Foods beneficial for skin health:
Cod liver oil is often praised for its potential benefits for skin health due to its rich content of vitamins A and D, as well as omega-3 fatty acids:
Vitamin A: Essential for skin health, vitamin A supports skin cell regeneration and repair, helping to maintain smooth, healthy skin.
Vitamin D: Supports overall skin health and can help in managing conditions like psoriasis.
Omega 3 fatty acid: Have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce inflammation in the skin, potentially benefiting conditions like acne and eczema.
Protein-rich foods: foods rich in protein like tofu, meat, and eggs are useful for collagen production
and skin elasticity
Fatty fish: contains Omega 3 fatty acids and healthy fats, good choice for skin health.
Avocados: they are rich in healthy fats and vit E making it good choice for skin health
Turmeric: it has great anti-inflammatory effects that are good for skin health like inflammatory skin and acne.
Green tea: it has catechins that have antioxidant properties good for the skin.
Leafy greens: they contain vitamins C and E, good for skin elasticity and collagen production.
Nuts and seeds: contain a great amount of vitamin E, good for skin elasticity.
Sweat potatoes: contain vitamin A, good for skin health.
Berries: contain a good amount of vitamin C, having great antioxidant properties.
Stay hydrated: Hydration is the key source of healthy skin, make sure to drink 2.5 liters or at least 8 glasses of water daily water daily to stay hydrated. Hydration best nourishes the skin and makes it young and glowing.
Foods worst for skin health:
Our skin reflects, what is going on inside our body and healthy foods make our skin healthy and glowing.
Processed and refined foods have high glycemic index, which means they cause spikes in blood sugar levels and increase insulin levels ultimately leading to many health issues including our skin, inflammatory skin, and acne.
Lifestyle modification:
Make your environment healthy, and adopt healthy ways of living by:
Exercise: Engaging in exercise during intermittent fasting enhances fat burning and improves overall fitness.
However, the timing of exercise matters. Some people find it effective to exercise in a fasted state (such as in the morning before breaking their fast), as it may further promote fat utilization.
Others prefer exercising after breaking their fast to have more energy and maximize performance. Listen to your body and choose what works best for you.
Meditation: Intermittent fasting can sometimes lead to fluctuations in mood and energy levels due to changes in blood sugar levels. Meditation can help manage stress, improve mental clarity, and maintain emotional balance during fasting periods. It can be especially beneficial during
times of hunger or when adjusting to a new eating schedule.
