Abstaining from food for 16 to 18 hours a day could be key to treating a variety of health conditions -- even if we've got to train ourself to push past the hunger. A review of past animal and human studies in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that intermittent fasting can reduce blood pressure, aid in weight loss and improve longevity. The report functions as a road map of sorts for physicians to prescribe fasting as a method of prevention or treatment for obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Eating in a 6-hour window might help you live longer in on two types: Daily time-restricted feeding (eating 6-8 hours a day and fasting for 16-18 hours) and 5:2 intermittent fasting (fasting two days a week, usually capping a fasting day at 500 calories). Most people don't intermittently fast (the norm is three meals a day plus snacks) and thus physicians are less inclined to…
