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Functional Medicine in India is an exceedingly upcoming branch of medicine, this scientific, research-based approach is helping millions to achieve good health without the side effects.

Let’s talk about sugar cravings as we all seem to be having some!

Functional Medicine in India is an exceedingly upcoming branch of medicine, this scientific, research-based approach is helping millions to achieve good health without the side effects.

Let’s talk about sugar cravings as we all seem to be having some!

One of the most effective strategies with which we can try to curb our constant sugar cravings is intermittent fasting, along with diet modifications ( low carb, keto diet)  that effectively help reset body’s metabolism, such as replacing sugars and non-vegetable carbs with vegetables and healthy fats.

Most common and easy to follow protocol while doing intermittent fasting is 16/8 or 18/6.

meaning one will fast ( water fast ) for 16 to 18 hours, this leaves with a smaller window for eating and has multifold benefits in improving the body’s overall health.

In a very simplified way, Intermittent fasting helps regulate the insulin hormone. Insulin spikes when we eat, as it helps to distribute the glucose from food into our bloodstream. ( therefore fewer spikes of Insulin with intermittent fasting).

insulin is required for:

a) Glucose to be used immediately as energy

b) To convert excess glucose to be deposited in fat stores for later energy expenditure.

We are living in a world where we are taught to eat at least  5 to 6 meals a day, with this approach our bodies do not get enough time to expend the energy in our bloodstream and use the existing fat stores.

During intermittent fasting, we allow our bodies to get enough time and break from constant processing of glucose and this period helps us to use existing fat as energy. This results in weight loss as one of the multiple benefits of intermittent fasting.

1. Chronic disease prevention: Intermittent fasting helps keep the gut healthy and we all know, very well by now that healthy gut harbors a completely healthy body. cancer, heart problems, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, autoimmunity and many more chronic diseases can be healed with this simple at home protocol.
2. Weight loss: This is an unexpected and great benefit one gets out of IF.
3. Regeneration of the intestinal lining: When our digestive system gets this break from constant hard work arising due to constant food intake, it starts the process of natural detoxification by initiating autophagy.
4. Reduces gas and bloating
5. one feels more energetic
6. Improves brain health, it improves focus, attention, clearer thinking and memory
7. Due to a shorter eating window, one prefers to eat healthful food only, this over a period of time works on reducing sugar cravings.
8. Improves sleep, excessively full digestive system disrupts sleep, calm system before sleep makes one sleep better.
9. Improves happiness since serotonin and GABA secretion and their receptors are 90 percent in the gut and healthy gut improves levels of these neurotransmitters.
10. Resets Immune system: provides enhanced immunity against diseases and prevents autoimmunity.

Therefore having been exercising this simple at-home tool to improve mine and my patients’ health I have seen a great difference in the health of all with this strategy.

I urge all who are interested to improve their health and prevent various chronic lifestyle diseases to follow this,  at home simple tool for prevention of diseases and good health.

Dr. Kalpana Shekhawat M.D.

Functional Medicine Specialist