The benefits of eating regularly
The goal is a long-term lifestyle with regular meals of proper food that help you snack less. This gives the body’s digestive system and built-in repair system the opportunity to work.
I often get asked what I think about the so-called 5:2 diet or another type of periodic fasting. This has clearly become a hot topic for those interested in health. I’m a little concerned, as so many of these diets can be more or less extreme and can negatively impact us in both the short and long terms. Far too often, I also hear people view these diets primarily as an alternative to various weight-loss diets and not as a means of improving their health. I have deliberately tried to avoid talking about methods that primarily focus on weight, as all the ones that have flourished over the years unfortunately didn’t work for the majority of people who tried them. Furthermore, they can sometimes be detrimental to our relationship with food, not only for those who tried them but also their family members. I usually focus on long-term actions that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. In fact, a lot of it is about getting “back to basics”, as humans ate natural food in the past and are genetically built to do so! We need a lifestyle that contributes to and works with a positive family and social life. In reality, there is an alternative to these various diets, which have received much attention in terms of research, that can easily be incorporated into a healthy and sustainable lifestyle without the risk of creating an unhealthy focus on food and health. This is something that has been part of many people’s lifestyle for many years, including my own, and now has a medical name!
People are not genetically built for constant snacking
As wealth has increased in various parts of the world, food has also become more accessible, particularly food that is processed and lacking in nutrients. An overabundance of this food has in turn contributed to a dramatic increase in so-called welfare diseases. Constant access to food combined with a more sedentary lifestyle has created a lifestyle that we’re not genetically built for. Since ancient times, humans have gone through periods of food shortages, and hunger has been a natural part of life. Today, people in some parts of the world have copious amounts of food, while people in other places are dying of starvation. The areas with unlimited access to food have seen a rise in obesity, and morbid obesity has become a significant health problem. In 1997, the WHO stated that we were experiencing a global obesity pandemic, and this unfortunately has not got better. Food isn’t just about survival, often it’s also about emotions, which is unique to humans as a species. For example, emotional eating can arise because we are stressed, sad or happy, and in some cases, it may develop into a third type of eating disorder, BED (binge eating disorder). When we eat, hormones are released, such as oxytocin, which makes us calm, dopamine, which gives us a kick, and serotonin, which makes us feel satisfied. This has contributed to eating taking on a large role in our lives. Genetically, humans have not had time to adapt to this more sedentary lifestyle with constant eating. Therefore, we’re seeing an increase in, for example, obesity, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia and various cancer diagnoses.
Professor McCay increased the lifespan of rats
There is strong scientific evidence to suggest that a diet based on fruit, berries and vegetables in combination with whole-grain products, lentils, beans, fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, such as olive and rapeseed oil, increase our chances of a healthier and longer life. However, current research no longer focuses exclusively on what and how much we eat but also on when we eat. This is because certain animal studies have observed that drastically reducing caloric intake can increase lifespan. In 1934, Professor Clive McCay at Cornell University published a study where rats that were given a really restricted diet with a low calorie intake had a lifespan that was nearly double that of rats that had a normal calorie intake. Since then, various studies have been conducted on everything from yeast fungi to fruit flies to see if calorie restriction can increase lifespan. Here, “calorie restriction” means reducing calories by approximately 20-30 percent of daily intake without losing vital nutrients. Shorter studies with the same method have been conducted on humans and have seen significant weight loss, improved blood fats, reduced blood pressure and improved blood sugar and insulin levels, and with inflammation markers (so-called CRP) showing reduced inflammation. Gut flora, the bacteria we have in our intestines, has also been positively affected. This finding has contributed to discussions on various diets in relation to their permanent and long-term health effects. However, it is important to recognise that these studies have often been a significant source of stress for the participants, as a significantly reduced calorie intake has led to difficulty concentrating, irritability and depression. In addition, many participants found this diet so difficult to maintain over time that they could not stick to it. Neither were they able to live a normal life. In other words, this is not a sustainable solution in the long term, as it is too difficult and doesn’t contribute positively to our well-being. Moreover, it should be noted that no studies conducted on humans have lasted for a longer period, and it therefore isn’t certain that there is a connection between reduced caloric intake and increased lifespan for humans. We’ve been unable to observe whether there are any negative side effects on various organs or, above all, on elderly people. There has also been speculation about whether people would adjust to their body’s metabolism after a while and therefore lose part of the effect of the reduced caloric intake, such as the weight loss. A negative breakdown of muscles is also possible. The muscles’ function is important, and loss of muscle mass is a part of ageing that can be counteracted by the strength training of muscle groups.
In fact, a lot of it is about getting “back to basics”, as humans ate natural food in the past and are genetically built to do so!
The body needs periods of rest from food
The knowledge that limiting daily calorie intake can positively affect, for example, invisible inflammation, blood fats, blood pressure, blood sugar and weight has led to a large amount of research. Through the results, it has become clearer that snacking has a negative impact on the body beyond weight gain. The importance of the periods when the body’s digestive system is allowed to rest has also become apparent. Genetically, we are built to feel a certain hunger at times. We believe that it is during these times that the body’s repair function kicks in. Overeating not only has a negative impact on weight, but it’s also proven to be harmful for both the heart and the brain, for example, contributing to their premature ageing. Research has shown that our liver, which works as an energy reserve, needs to fast for approximately 12 hours in order to use up stored energy when we are resting. If we continue to fast, the body will eventually begin to break down fat to use as energy and form ketones. The effect of this on the brain has received significant attention, as the brain will use ketones as an energy source if glucose (sugar in the blood) isn’t available. This is called a metabolic switch. Genetically, we believe that we have a brain that does well from occasionally using ketones as energy. Among others, we believe that this contributes to reducing inflammation and harmful free radicals in our brain, as well as to increasing our brain’s own “fertiliser”, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and stimulating new brain cells. Animal studies have shown that the hormone ghrelin, which is formed by hunger, increases when fasting and that it can cross the blood-brain barrier, which regulates the substances that are allowed to pass into the brain. Once inside the brain, ghrelin increases the formation of brain cells in the area known as the hippocampus, which is involved in our memory processes. Fasting has also shown itself to affect the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which is connected to our risk of type 2 diabetes.
What is meant by fasting?
Fasting actually just refers to the period of time when our body rests from food for any duration. For example, the majority of people fast without thinking about it over night when they are not awake and eating but letting their digestion rest. Fasting can also happen in daytime, as drinks are often consumed that don’t contain many calories. Fasting can also be done for a longer period of time. This type of fasting isn’t something I will discuss here, but I will briefly mention that while positive effects of this have been discussed, it’s also important to be aware of the negative effects. For example, we have seen in animal studies that prolonged fasting can expose the body to negative stress-related effects that can be harmful for the body. The body’s neurochemistry can also be negatively affected and give rise to long-term depressive symptoms, among other things. In later years, talk of periodic fasting has become trendy, and 5:2 fasting is a type of this. Another type of fasting is “time-restricted eating”, which is when you eat between certain times in the day.
5:2 intermittent fasting
This is a type of fasting when someone eats a normal diet for five days of the week and significantly reduces their calorie intake to 500 calories for woman and 700 calories for men two separate non consecutive days. The thought here is to eat a healthy and balanced diet for the five “normal” days. This method has been recommended by various doctors as a means of losing weight and for other positive health effects, for example, on the nervous system. This type of diet requires discipline and commitment. Personally, I think that all diets that require such a large commitment and personal focus perhaps increase the risk of an unhealthy relationship with food and self-fixation. I have also heard many stories where the person risked becoming very focused on their weight. In addition, the fasting days usually involve large amounts of coffee and “light” products, the latter potentially adding large amounts of unnecessary chemicals that do not contribute to our health or well-being. Furthermore, this “all or nothing” thinking can trigger different types of eating disorders. As a whole, this diet can be difficult to achieve in a normal social life and can be limiting. My general attitude is that people should avoid diets and, unless there are medical reasons, not go on one if there are children or young people in the house.
The body has different biological rhythms that control a number of different functions. Therefore, it likes regularity. Some rhythms are more sensitive than others, and the older we get, the more levelled out they become.
Therefore, it is good to have regularity as a foundation while remembering that there is always room for exceptions and spontaneity.
Time-limited food intake can be a natural part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
I’ve always enjoyed regularity, and as a new mother of twins, the need for regularity and predictability became almost a part of a survival strategy. The body’s preference for regularity when it comes to food and sleep is connected to our biological rhythms, or circadian rhythms. These are various rhythms where the body secretes different hormones in different amounts throughout the day, which all have different tasks in the body. The more research that is conducted, the clearer it becomes that it is important to maintain these rhythms. It has been shown on several occasions that the body has small clocks at the cellular level that regulate different activities. An example of one of these rhythms is the secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin, which increases in the evening when it gets darker and enables us to sleep well. Melatonin falls during the day when it is light so that we stay energised and alert. By eating at fixed times, we help the body maintain these different rhythms and increase the chances of both mental and physical well-being. Interestingly, in studies on mice, it has been observed that even if they had the exact same diet, the mice that were limited to eating within 8 hours per day were less likely to gain weight than those that ate for 24 hours. There are fasting variants that recommend a food intake for a very short time during the day, as well as those that have a longer food intake period but still allow the body’s digestive system to rest and therefore contribute to activating the body’s repair system. It’s thought that the positive effects observed in different organs and nervous systems may be due to the body’s repair system getting time to work when we stop eating. Studies on humans are in full swing and have contributed to an increased focus on the type of food intake that occurs in a limited time period, usually between 8 and 12 hours.
In order to allow our body and digestive system to rest and activate our body’s repair system, you can:
Eat three proper main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) over a 10-to-12-hour period, so your body gets a whole 12 to 14 hours to rest or fast. Adults, even those in a family, can easily incorporate this into their normal daily routine while simultaneously cultivating a healthy food culture. Eating three main meals with proper food means that the body also has time to become naturally hungry between meals. In my family, the children usually eat another meal after sports in the evening, for example. If this is part of a long-term lifestyle that doesn’t include constant snacking, there’s room for some exceptions, such as a lovely dinner with friends, a party or just a late supper one day. This helps to maintain the social life that is so important to mental well-being and health. On the weekends, you can also move the times slightly forward, which usually happens very naturally. When this becomes a habit or part of a lifestyle, no greater commitment is needed.
For example, you can eat breakfast around 07:30 and then have dinner between 17:30 and 18:30. If you live in a family, you can eat three main meals as normal. For those who need it, you can also add in a between-meal snack. As a rule, I don’t think you should skip meals, such as breakfast, and then eat dinner later as a result. If you skip meals, you increase the risk of overeating at the next meal. Eating a late dinner also increases the risk of the digestive system interfering with sleep and reduces the secretion of important hormones that are secreted early in the night. A good rule is that adults should stop eating three hours before they go to bed, but there’s always room for exceptions.
If you make a large change to your food intake, you should always be responsive to your body’s signals. If you are pregnant, underweight or ill, have an eating disorder, take medicine or are being monitored by a doctor, you should always consult your doctor first.
Children who grow and develop quickly should never go on any type of diet or restrictive eating as it can be harmful to their development. Older people are also more sensitive to changes in dietary habits.
Long-term changes that contribute to a sustainable lifestyle are made through small steps and preferably one at a time!
My advice:
Bet on the winning horse: a long-term healthy diet that works with a good social life and helps create a good food culture at home. Choose to eat regular and proper meals with the right food and avoid snacking in order to strengthen the body’s own biological rhythms and counteract premature aging. Let late meals be an additional luxury that you enjoy from time to time. Skip restrictive diets that reduce your time and focus and are not sustainable in the long term. Constantly following trends or diets only risks contributing to an unhealthy fixation on food for you and those around you.
