Fasting, of course, simply means going without food, or “food fasting.”
Likewise, a warm breakfast took time to prepare.
Healthy cells are thought to be much better at adapting to fewer nutrients in their environment.
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Cancer cells, in contrast, just keep growing and thus have a greater need for nutrients.
Studies looking at human cancer cells grown in the lab have also shown promise.
A 2018 study was done to explore the impact of short-term fasting on chemotherapy.
Those who fasted had an improved quality of life and less fatigue during chemotherapy without any adverse effects.
Once breast cancer becomes metastatic, the averagelife expectancyis only three years, though some people live much longer.
A 2016studylooked at the role prolonged nighttime fasting might play in breast cancer recurrence.
The authors concluded that prolonging the length of nighttime fasting might be a simple non-medication method of reducing recurrence.
Prolonged nighttime fasting may be a simple way to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
That said, research looking at the effect of time-restricted feeding on aging and cells suggests a possible benefit.
A 2019 found that intermittent fasting could reduce inflammation.
In the study, both the number of monocytes and inflammatory activity were decreased after a short term fast.
An indirect benefit of intermittent fasting might be the reduction of these processed and fast foods in the diet.
Medications
If you are on medications, it’s important to talk with your doctor and pharmacist.
Some foods are absorbed better with food whereas others are absorbed better on an empty stomach.
Intermittent fasting has been found to result in less loss of lean muscle than calorie restriction.
A different concern that has been raised is that intermittent fasting could create a fixation on food.
Contraindications
Time-restricted eating should not be adopted by those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Certainly children and teenagers who are actively growing should not restrict their eating times.
Intermittent fasting may not be recommended for people on certain medications.
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