Autumn is here, with its winds of change, splendid colors and… bugs & viruses galore :( It is a great time to ensure you get your recommended dose of exercise and movement to keep your body strong and help your gut and lymph systems flush out waste and toxins from the body. It is also a good time to consider lifestyle changes (temporary or permanent) that can help you stay healthy and fight off illness. To make your life just a little easier, we have gathered some useful info about changes you can make that can truly be life changing!
Try Intermittent fasting*
Intermittent fasting is the process of cycling in and out of periods of eating and not eating. Although people do experience weight loss with intermittent fasting, it is less of a diet plan and more of a lifestyle choice to reap some incredible health benefits.
Some of the evidence-based health benefits of Intermittent Fasting are:
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It can help you lose weight and belly fat.
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It can reduce Insulin Resistance, Lowering Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes as well as reduce inflammation in the body.
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Fasting triggers a metabolic pathway which removes waste material from cells, inducing various cellular repair processes.
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Changes the function of cells, genes and hormones.
Two of the more familiar methods of intermittent fasting methods are:
5:2: This method allows you to eat normally, five days a week and keep your intake to between 500 and 600 calories for the other two days.
16/8: You eat all of your daily calories within a shortened period — typically 6 to 8 hours, and fast for the remaining 14 to 16 hours. You can do this every day, or a few times a week.
Look after your Microbiome**
The microbiome is a massive ecosystem made of trillions of organisms such as bacteria, yeasts, fungi & viruses that live in our digestive tract. All these bacteria mean our gut is almost as diverse and dense as the Amazon rainforest! Which is why scientists are increasingly treating the gut as its own organ, recognising how vital these bacteria are as they break down food and toxins, make vitamins and interact with our immune system.
Although the microbiome is influenced by many factors, our actions today can have a big impact on this ecosystem. We need to look after our biome to maintain a balance, ensuring a rich biodiversity of organisms, which can positively impact our health and wellbeing.
Diet, the environment, stress and drugs such as antibiotics can all disrupt this balance, undermining the diversity of the gut microbiome. Good diet, sleep patterns and exercise are thought to have a positive effect on the microbiome and leave us feeling happier and healthier. Other activities such as playing outside and exposure to animals and dirt (yes, dirt… this is not a typo…) can help balance the good and bad bacteria within our microbiome too.
To complement your nutritional changes we selected 6 classes that will help keep your systems active this autumn. Check them out here
Have a great month and a healthy autumn
The yoopod team
* https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting
** https://www.symprove.com/