Having to hunt and gather their food meant they ate what they could when they could.

Which sometimes resulted in long periods without much toeat.

Pizza bagels were much bigger back then, but also more vicious!

While I imagine they would be thrilled to live in today's world with tons of readily available food, for most people, there may be some health benefits to restricting the time you spend eating.

Let's dive into that more, shall we?

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I'm not talking about extended fasting, when you don't eat for multiple days at a time and then… I don't know, go spearfishing?

Maybe that's only if you're Chris Hemsworth.

This video is about fasting for short periods of time, also known as intermittent fasting, and it can be done in a few different ways.

In time-restricted eating (TRE), you eat during a set window of time.

A common example is when you eat for 8 hours during the day and fast for the remaining 16.

There's also alternate day fasting (ADF), where you have days of eating and days of fasting.  

For instance, in the 5:2 method, you have two nonconsecutive days of fasting each week.  

These could include a 500-600 calorie meal, or just drinks like water, tea, and coffee.

In both cases, you go many hours without eating.  

This causes a lot of changes within your body, like its energy source.

After 10-16 hours, the energy provided from your food will run out and your body will start to break down its fat stores.

Which is why most people think of intermittent fasting as a diet.

However, while researchers have found that it's just as effective for losing weight as restricting your calories, it can do much more.

In your liver, fat is turned into ketone bodies, which control the activity of many proteins and molecules that influence health and aging.

Researchers have also found that cells not only adapt but are improved by intermittent fasting, with increased antioxidant defenses, DNA repair, protein quality control, and autophagy - the process of breaking down and recycling old or damaged cells.

In addition to weight loss, studies in humans have found that intermittent fasting can improve insulin resistance, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and inflammation, all of which lead to better health.

And animal studies have shown that it can improve physical endurance and coordination, as well as cognitive abilities like memory and learning.

But it's really important to note that intermittent fasting isn't for everyone and can be super dangerous if you're under 18, have certain health conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a history of eating disorders.

So, before you try any of these methods, you should talk to your physician.

This really isn't something you try without consulting a professional.

If your doctor does give you the green light, they'll probably recommend you start with less restrictive methods before trying to go a full day or more without eating.

For the first month, you may feel hungry, nauseous, irritable, or have difficulty concentrating as your body adjusts.

But if you're interested in trying it out or want to learn more, check out the work by one of the pioneers of intermittent fasting, Valter Longo, a member of the Lifespan advisory board.

So, what is your favorite meal? Something you could eat every day and probably not get sick of! 

Let me know down below or tell me, what should I make a video on next!

We're taking suggestions for future episodes!

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Check out Lifespan, the team that powers life noggin, down in the description!

Click here to watch this video we did on why your relationship with food is very complicated or click here to watch this video!

As always, my name is Blocko, this has been Life Noggin, don't forget to keep on thinking.