Our bodies, being the wonderfully efficient machines that they are, have a kind of self-cleaning function called autophagy. The research is still very new, but there are some promising results that point to intermittent fasting and autophagy being a sort of health and wellness dream team. Intermittent fasting may trigger the process of autophagy. And the intermittent fasting benefits we know and love (listed below) may actually be due to their connection with autophagy. Some of these fasting benefits are: weight loss, specifically from fat loss, improved cognitive function, reduced inflammation, lower risk of metabolic syndrome, improved heart health, reduced risk of diabetes.

You made it through your fasting window — congratulations! Whether time flew or you had to grit your teeth through a few hunger pains, you crossed the finish line. … Now what? Is any food fair game, or do you need to ease your body back into eating?

Menopause can be both an empowering and challenging time. While new opportunities and life paths open up at midlife, hormonal changes can also bring a range of uncomfortable symptoms. Thanks to these hormonal changes, women's health risks go up sharply after menopause.

For an effective method of losing weight and improving your health, intermittent fasting is refreshingly light on rules (ironic, given the title of this article). And, because we know that change happens more easily when people control their own path, we're not here to start laying down the intermittent fasting law.

Intermittent fasting is a pretty common weight loss strategy, but sometimes, it seems to have the opposite effect. Can intermittent fasting actually cause weight gain? It's certainly possible to follow an intermittent fasting schedule and find yourself gaining weight … which can be distressing, to say the least!

As a savvy intermittent faster, you're always on the lookout for new ways to help yourself handle hunger. The other day, you spotted a Juicy Fruit advertisement, and a lightbulb went off in your head. Could chewing gum be an option?!? So now you're wondering: can you chew gum while intermittent fasting?

No matter how long or for whatever reasons you're trying intermittent fasting, there's one golden rule to follow during your fasting windows: don't eat anything. But that one rule can be confusing when it comes to what you drink. You want to keep your body in a fasted state — which means no carbs, protein, or fat — but you also need to stay hydrated.

Picture this. It's Sunday evening, and you're already a couple hours into your fasting window. A friend comes round so you can binge-watch your favorite show together. They bring with them a funky new kind of herbal tea. Suddenly, the fasting alarm goes off in your head. Can you drink this?!?

If you've been in the diet world long enough, you might have heard about the concept of a cheat day. This is typically considered a day off from your diet. On the so-called cheat day, you can eat whatever and whenever you want, then you'll return to your regular menu the following day.

Whether it's the best part of waking up, a cozy afternoon refresher, or an after-dinner digestif, coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages around the world — and its potent brew of caffeine, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds makes a pretty compelling case for a range of health benefits, too.