WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FAST?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FAST?
In modern society, the abundance of food and changes in eating habits have led to an increase in overweight problems, an incredible percentage of people suffering from diabetes, heart disease, brain, tumors, liver and other health problems. One of the key factors that play a role in these problems is insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels and energy use from food. Fasting, as a millennial practice, is opposed to the modern eating pattern, and research into the impact of fasting on our body and health reveals surprising information!

Association of insulin with food intake
With food intake, we bring in energy that the body can use for normal functioning. Insulin plays a key role in enabling the body to harness this energy. After eating foods, especially those rich in carbohydrates, blood sugar levels rise rapidly, resulting in an increase in insulin levels in the blood. Insulin has two main functions – it allows the body to instantly use energy from food, and stores excess energy for future use.

Effects of insulin on energy intake
When insulin is present in larger amounts in the body, it encourages it to use glucose as its main source of energy. Carbohydrates, which are quickly converted into glucose, have the greatest impact on increasing insulin levels. On the other hand, proteins and fats have a much smaller impact on insulin secretion, and fats are even absorbed into fat without affecting insulin. In the presence of insulin, the body will use glucose as the primary source of energy. If you eat foods high in calories or carbohydrates, excess glucose and calories will be stored in the liver and as fat deposits. In other words, this means that the huge amounts of calories you consume in your daily diet cause weight gain and, over time, the development of various diseases.
The liver can store about 400–500 calories of glucose, while fat deposits can accommodate thousands of calories. Thus, glucose can be stored in the liver, but in limited quantities. After the liver fills its storage capacity, glucose begins to settle in fat deposits. The energy in our fat deposits allows us to live and have energies weeks in advance. This type of energy is much better for the functioning of our body. However, as long as insulin levels are increased, our body will not look for fat as a source for daily functioning. Insulin has two main functions. The first is that it instantly allows the body to use energy from food. Insulin in the blood is mostly stimulated by carbohydrates. They are rapidly converted into glucose in the body, thus raising blood sugar levels. Insulin helps glucose to enter the cells of our body directly. Proteins, on the other hand, are first broken down into smaller pieces called amino acids.
Excess amino acids can be converted into glucose. Protein does not raise blood glucose, but it can raise insulin levels. Fats are directly absorbed into fats and have a minimal effect on insulin. The process that takes place in the body while we eat (storage and use of glucose) is completely opposite to that of fasting. When we fast, insulin levels drop. The body then receives signals to start using the fats that are stored in our body as an energy source. In about the first sixteen to twenty-four hours, the body uses the stored energy from the liver, after which it begins to consume the fat deposits.

The post reverses the whole process
When fasting, insulin levels in the body decrease. The body receives signals to start using stored fat as a source of energy. In the first 16 to 24 hours of fasting, the body uses stored glucose from the liver for its energy needs. After this period, it moves on to the use of fat deposits to maintain normal functions. This means that fasting changes the course of the energy use process – when we eat, we use carbohydrates as the main source of energy, while in fasting we switch to the use of fat. Excessive food intake and frequent consumption of high-carbohydrate meals can lead to constantly elevated insulin in the blood. Unfortunately, the modern lifestyle encourages us to consume meals frequently throughout the day, which does not leave enough time for the body to use fat deposits for energy.
Fasting is a way to break this vicious circle of excessive intake of bad and processed foods and constantly elevated insulin levels. When we fast, the body has time to use stored fat for energy, which contributes to weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity and many other health benefits …