I picked up this book after a high-risk pregnancy and having to understand and navigate gestational diabetes.

The hardest part of my experience was understanding intermittent fasting and its benefits especially when you are pregnant. This book was a great introduction and in-depth look into the benefits and science behind intermittent fasting.

Having now come out of that experience, because of this book, I am still fasting at night and in the morning but do 12 hours and this book was really helpful in achieving that. I can't recommend it enough. For some of us, it's not a fad. It's a tool to combat future type 2 diagnoses.

I read this book for my husband, he has been on and off again fasting and wants the whole family to try it.

I found this to be a very in-depth look at fasting and the studies behind it. I highlight a bunch of different areas to talk with my husband about and how much fasting are we going to do. I found the history of fasting very interesting and will be doing more reading to see if this is right for me, thought I know my husband loves it.

Having spent my childhood being forced to fast for religious reasons, the nausea, headaches, and generalized weakness automatically leaves me skeptical of its medical benefits.

But a couple of friends and family have recommended this current intermittent fasting trend. So I’m grateful to the author, MIT Press, and NetGalley for a preview of this book.

I read this book specifically with an eye towards discovering if fasting is better than just a low calorie diet, the types of food taken on a fasting stomach, how to prepare for beginning and ending a fast, fasting for beginners, and how are results measured, and so forth. I didn’t find the information I was looking for.

Its arguments assume we know what and how early man ate and that it was better than our diet. It also quotes religious practices and to me, this diet seems based on wishful speculation rather than convincing science. While I’m not convinced, it doesn’t seem inescapably dogmatic or controlling, so I don’t think it’s actually dangerous.

If you’re already doing intermittent fasting and love it, you’ll enjoy this book full of positive information.

Go deep, really deep, into the science of The Intermittent Fasting Revolution.

Can time-restricted eating or alternate fasting days really cure diabetes, obesity, and possibly other diseases? The author says yes. Then he proceeds to prove his case with vast research looking at early humans, studies he has run since the 1990s, and other historical research.

The book reads like a peer-reviewed journal article expanded into book form. Do you need this information to begin intermittent fasting yourself? No, but some of the rabbit holes he goes down provide interesting information.

For example, human brains are 10% smaller now than when we were hunter-gatherers. The author attributes that to both the need to remember how to find food and the intermittent fasting when food was not found. However, I don’t think he adequately proved his case that food scarcity and fasting were the causes of the bigger brains and not just a coincidence.

People who want to know about the history and science behind fasting will enjoy the rambling intellectualism of The Intermittent Fasting Revolution. However, for someone just looking to begin intermittent fasting, there are better, more concise options. 3 stars.

Thanks to The MIT Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Been reading a lot lately about the health benefits from intermittent fasting so this book was a welcome read

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.

It is a very important book that outlines the benefits of intermittent fasting. It also details the benefits of intermittent fasting beyond weight loss which is important for dieticians, physicians, and other healthcare professionals who guide patients on their health. While it's a good book but a bit too technical for me and my students. Well researched!

This book takes an empathetic approach and gives bite size approaches and allows you to have kindness and patience with yourself when dealing with life. This is so necessary for everyone to read in life. Highly recommend. Especially loved the reflection to true life to humanize my feelings and relate. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Great resource on so many things that go in the body with intermittent fasting. So many studies have been referred. I sometimes winced at what was being done in the experimental studies. It is not for the fainted of heart like that. Chronology of relevant research.