The Intermittent Fasting Revolution - The Science of Optimizing Health and Enhancing Performance

How intermittent fasting can enhance resilience, improve mental and physical performance, and protect against aging and disease.

Most of us eat three meals a day with a smattering of snacks because we think that s the normal, healthy way to eat. This book shows why that s not the case. The human body and brain evolved to function well in environments where food could be obtained only intermittently. When we look at the eating patterns of our distant ancestors, we can see that an intermittent fasting eating pattern is normal and eating three meals a day is not. In The Intermittent Fasting Revolution, prominent neuroscientist Mark Mattson shows that intermittent fasting is not only normal but also good for us; it can enhance our ability to cope with stress by making cells more resilient. It also improves mental and physical performance and protects against aging and disease.
 
Intermittent fasting is not the latest fad diet; it doesn t dictate food choice or quantity. It doesn t make money for the pharmaceutical, processed food, or health care industries. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that includes frequent periods of time with little or negligible amounts of food. It is often accompanied by weight loss, but, Mattson says, studies show that its remarkable beneficial effects cannot be accounted for by weight loss alone.
Mattson whose pioneering research uncovered the ways that the brain responds to fasting and exercise explains how thriving while fasting became an evolutionary adaptation. He describes the specific ways that intermittent fasting slows aging; reduces the risk of diseases, including obesity, Alzheimer s, and diabetes; and improves both brain and body performance. He also offers practical advice on adopting an intermittent fasting eating pattern as well as information for parents and physicians.
 

List of contents

Preface xi
Introduction 1
1 Food Scarcity "Sculpted" the Human Brain and Body 7
2 Intermittent Fasting Slows Aging 33
3 Intermittent Fasting for Disease Prevention and Treatment 65
4 Intermittent Fasting Bolsters Brain and Body Performance 101
5 Tales of a Ketone Ester 131
6 Diet Composition and Brain Health 143
7 Listen Up, Moms and Dads 161
8 Beware of the "Dark Forces" and Don't Expect Miracle Drugs 179
9 Bon Voyage 197
Further Reading 213
Index 231

About the author

Mark P. Mattson

Summary

How intermittent fasting can enhance resilience, improve mental and physical performance, and protect against aging and disease.

Most of us eat three meals a day with a smattering of snacks because we think that’s the normal, healthy way to eat. This book shows why that’s not the case. The human body and brain evolved to function well in environments where food could be obtained only intermittently. When we look at the eating patterns of our distant ancestors, we can see that an intermittent fasting eating pattern is normal—and eating three meals a day is not. In The Intermittent Fasting Revolution, prominent neuroscientist Mark Mattson shows that intermittent fasting is not only normal but also good for us; it can enhance our ability to cope with stress by making cells more resilient. It also improves mental and physical performance and protects against aging and disease.
 
Intermittent fasting is not the latest fad diet; it doesn’t dictate food choice or quantity. It doesn’t make money for the pharmaceutical, processed food, or health care industries. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that includes frequent periods of time with little or negligible amounts of food. It is often accompanied by weight loss, but, Mattson says, studies show that its remarkable beneficial effects cannot be accounted for by weight loss alone.
Mattson—whose pioneering research uncovered the ways that the brain responds to fasting and exercise—explains how thriving while fasting became an evolutionary adaptation. He describes the specific ways that intermittent fasting slows aging; reduces the risk of diseases, including obesity, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes; and improves both brain and body performance. He also offers practical advice on adopting an intermittent fasting eating pattern as well as information for parents and physicians.
 

Product details

• Authors: Mark P Mattson, Mark P. Mattson, Mattson Mark P.
• Publisher: The MIT Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.02.2022
• EAN: 9780262046404
• ISBN: 978-0-262-04640-4
• No. of pages: 248
• Dimensions: 143 mm x 210 mm x 23 mm
• Subjects: Guides > Health > Diet; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology; SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Biology, Biology, life sciences