Exercise and intermittent fasting both increase the production of proteins in the brain called neurotrophic factors.  Neurotrophic factors promote the growth and connection of specialized brain cells called neurons, and strengthening of the synapses. Synapses are at the end of each neuron in your body, they are junctions- a gap between each neuron. The speed at which your brain translates messages and reacts to each chemical messenger is determined by the synapses in your nerve endings- the faster they can signal the better.  

Intermittent fasting promotes faster connection between synapses.

Many of the great intellectuals of mankind have used fasting as a way to increase brain function.  Plato- a Greek philosopher and mathematician, said “I fast for greater physical and mental efficiency“.  Pythagoras- another Greek mathematician and philosopher also studied the health benefits of intermittent fasting and it was Philippus Paracelsus – one of the 3 fathers of western medicine who said “ Fasting is the greatest remedy- the physician within”

Fasting reduces inflammation and oxidative stress within the body.  Every time you eat a meal, the energy from that meal is stored in your liver in the form of glycogen- it is this glycogen which is always tapped into first for energy.   It takes about 10-12 hrs before you deplete the glycogen stores in your liver, so if you are eating the recommended 3 meals a day- let alone snacks, you never deplete the glycogen stores in your liver, you won’t ever get to burn stored fat- although if you exercise you can.   In fact, recent studies have shown that exercise is far more important for good health than what you eat.  

If you deplete the glycogen (energy) stores in your liver, your body will produce ketones bodies.

Changes to your brain by way of fasting, exercise and literally using your brain intellectually- in a challenging way, increases the production of new nerve cells from stem cells.  Essentially, it is what is known as Ketones that are the key here.  Ketones come from burning fat- it was the Romans that first discovered Ketones- way before chemistry classes has been developed.  The Romans believed that those who had Epileptic seizures were possessed by demons, so they locked the Epileptic patients in a room and didnt feed them- starving the demons from the body.  Ketones bodies would elevate in the brain and the seizures stopped.   Ketogenic diets are used today to treat epilepsy.

It has been recently discovered that fasting- increasing the BDNF factor in the brain (brain derived neurotrophic factor) can increase the number of mitochondria in your nerve cells.  This mechanism is very similar to exercising your muscles- when you exercise, the mitochondria in your muscles increases.  (Mitochondria are the energy producing parts that are within each and every cell of your body).   Fasting is a mild energetic stress- your neurons response adaptively by increasing the number of mitochondria neurons in your brain.  This has been shown to increase learning and memory ability.

Neurotrophic factors produced when fasting will enhance the ability of your nerve cells to repair DNA- exercising and intellectual challenges also do this.

When there is a mild oxidative stress- such as that caused by exercise, whilst this is occurring, cells are enhancing their ability to repair oxidative damage to DNA.  So if you think that running long distances and the oxidative stress caused by running is bad for you- it may be time to start rethinking your reasoning.   There are studies to show the exceptional benefits of exercise induced oxidative stress.

So why is it that the normal diet is 3 meals a day + snacks?  It’s ridiculous.  It always comes back to money involved.  The food industries & pharmaceutical industry namely.   The food industry isn’t going to make any money if we are all aware of the massive health benefits involved when we don’t eat breakfast cereals, and the pharmaceutical industries are not going to make any money if we are all fit and healthy, eating less and exercising more- living longer.
 
So how can you start to live a life of intermittent fasting?  There are plenty of books out there that you would have heard of- The Warrior Diet, The 5:2 diet,  The 2 day diet,  The 8hr diet, and of course the HCG diet.  However, starting your own intermittent fasting doesn’t have to take the purchase of a book.   Simply skip breakfast- Skipping breakfast can be one of the most profound powerful strategies to optimise your health.  Be sure there are 14hrs in between dinner and your first meal of the day the next day- so eat nothing past 7pm and eat no earlier than 11am the next day.  If those times don’t suit you- just be sure you are only eating for a window of 6-8hrs per day.  So if you find that you were eating at 8pm last night- the first time you eat should be no sooner than midday the next day.   But remember, there are many ways to fast.  

To further enhance the powers of Intermittent fasting, following a Ketogenic diet is highly recommended.  In fact, there is a specific “protein bread” you can purchase that has only 1.5grams of carbs in 2 slices!  1.5grams in 2 slices!  Your typical grain bread has around 20grams of carbohydrates in two slices.