In my career as a doctor, I have encountered a wide variety of patients and a wide variety of diseases. Every day, the clinic is like a book full of stories, and every patient is a chapter. One thing that always strikes me in these stories is the huge impact that lifestyle changes, especially eating habits, have on health.

Let me share a story about a patient named Mr. Lee. He is a middle-aged man who has suffered from severe high blood pressure and diabetes due to a long period of irregular eating and overwork. When he first came to my office, he was extremely depressed about his health. He told me that he had tried various medications, but the condition always came and went. After some in-depth conversations, we decided to try a different approach: adjust his eating habits and introduce intermittent fasting.

Over the next few months, Mr. Lee gradually changed his lifestyle under our guidance. He began to control his diet, doing intermittent fasting on a regular basis. Amazingly, his blood sugar and blood pressure levels dropped significantly, and his overall health improved significantly. This experience not only changed Mr. Lee's perception of health, but also profoundly influenced me, reinforcing my belief that lifestyle modifications are essential for the treatment and prevention of diseases.

This story is just one of many examples, but it profoundly demonstrates a simple but powerful truth: in our pursuit of health, proper "hunger," or proper control of our diet, can sometimes lead to unexpected positive changes. This article aims to share stories and experiences like this to help those who aspire to improve their health through lifestyle changes find a clear path.

Metabolic Diseases:

1. Increased insulin sensitivity

A central problem in metabolic diseases is insulin resistance, especially in patients with type 2 diabetes. Intermittent fasting improves insulin sensitivity by reducing the frequent intake of food and prompting the body to improve its response to insulin in the absence of an immediate energy source. This improvement helps lower blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of diabetes complications.

2. Regulation of blood pressure and cholesterol levels

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are important factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease. Intermittent fasting helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels by optimizing weight management and reducing the body's dependence on fats in food. This diet can also increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the "good" cholesterol) and reduce the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the "bad" cholesterol), further reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

3. Practical recommendations

Although intermittent fasting has potential benefits for metabolic disease in theory, individual differences should be noted in practice. The most important thing before trying any new dietary pattern, especially for people with chronic medical conditions, is to consult with a doctor or nutrition expert first. The ideal intermittent fasting plan should take into account the individual's health, lifestyle, and dietary preferences.

Corpulent:

Fat, why do you always come uninvited?

First of all, we have to get to know our "uninvited guest" - obesity. To put it simply, obesity is the accumulation of too much fat in the body to the point where it affects health. But the reasons behind it are varied: eating too much, moving less, sleeping late, stress...... At the end of the day, obesity is a mirror of poor lifestyle habits that may need some adjustments to our lifestyles.

Can "Hunger" Cure Obesity?

When you hear "starvation cures all diseases," you may think, "Isn't this starving me to death?" Actually, by "starvation" we mean intermittent fasting – that is, not eating for a controlled period of time. It's not about you going hungry, it's about having a "negotiation" with your stomach and those fat cells.

The mystery of intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is actually quite simple, and its principle is based on the fact that when we don't eat, the body needs energy to function, and then it turns to using stored fat to produce energy. In short, it is to allow the body to start "eating its own fat". And this is undoubtedly good news for us who want to reduce body fat.

How do I get started?

Choose a fasting pattern: the most common are 16/8 (fasting for 16 hours a day with an 8-hour meal window) and 5:2 (eating a normal diet 5 days a week with a very small calorie intake for 2 days).

Adapt: If you're a newbie, don't rush it, start by shortening your meal window and get used to it gradually.

Eat a balanced diet: During fasting, remember to consume adequate and balanced nutrients during non-fasting periods.

Precautions

Individual differences: Everyone's physique is different, and the effect will be different. The important thing is to find what works for you.

Health first: It's a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any diet plan to make sure it's safe for you.

Inflammatory diseases:

Intermittent fasting and inflammatory diseases

Intermittent fasting is not only a weight loss strategy, it has also been studied for managing and alleviating symptoms of inflammatory diseases. This fasting pattern involves restricting food intake for specific periods of time, which can be a few hours a day, or one or two days a week. The purpose of this is to encourage the body to use its own fat reserves to produce energy when there is no food intake, while also triggering a series of biological responses that help reduce inflammation.

Scientific support

Some scientific studies have pointed out that intermittent fasting can reduce inflammatory markers in the body, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, which are measures of the level of inflammation in the body. By reducing these inflammatory markers, intermittent fasting may help alleviate symptoms of inflammatory diseases.

Application in practice

In my practice, I have instructed patients who are willing to try this method to begin their journey with a proper intermittent fasting schedule. I usually recommend that they start with a daily 16-hour fast, including sleep hours, and eat for the remaining 8 hours. It is important to note that this process needs to be carried out under the guidance of a medical professional to ensure that the patient's diet meets their nutritional needs and to monitor the effects of fasting on their health.

Patient case sharing

For example, I once met a middle-aged female patient with mild rheumatoid arthritis. After trying multiple treatments, she started intermittent fasting at my suggestion. After a few weeks, she reported a reduction in her joint pain and an improvement in her range of motion. While this is not a common experience for all, it highlights the potential that intermittent fasting may provide additional benefits in certain circumstances.