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- Issue no. 107:🔥 How simple habits backed by science can improve your metabolic health
Issue no. 107:🔥 How simple habits backed by science can improve your metabolic health
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Welcome to Nutrition Made Easy!
🍵Grab a cuppa and settle in, let's debunk diet myths and simplify nutrition science so you are empowered to make smarter health choices.
This week’s articles:
🚴‍♂️ Is it true that…you burn more fat by working out on an empty stomach?
❤️ Fasting can cut heart-problems by 50%!
đź’ˇBrighter light at night could increase your risk of type 2 diabetes
🚴‍♂️ Is it true that…you burn more fat by working out on an empty stomach?

A recent study sheds light on this question, and the findings are fascinating—especially if you care about metabolism, weight management, and long-term health.
Researchers ran two studies in men with overweight or obesity:
Acute study – What happens during a single workout before vs. after breakfast?
Training study – What changes after six weeks of regular exercise before vs. after eating?
Key Findings
Training before eating:
Increased fat burning When participants exercised before breakfast, their muscles used more stored fat for fuel. Muscle fibres reported a significant increase in fat us
Insulin Sensitivity Improved After six weeks, those who trained before eating had lower insulin levels after meals, better oral glucose insulin sensitivity (a marker of metabolic health) and more GLUT4 protein in muscles (helps move glucose into cells).
No difference in blood sugar
Why does this matter?
Insulin sensitivity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
Any improvement is a big win for metabolic health. Plus, using more fat during exercise may help with weight management.
🥊 Summary
If your goal is better metabolic health and fat loss, exercising before eating could give you an edge. It’s not magic, but timing of eating might be a simple tweak with powerful benefits.
❤️ Fasting can cut heart-problems by 50%!

According to a recent study, time-restricted eating—better known as intermittent fasting—might do just that.
Researchers followed over 2,000 adults and found that those who fasted for 14–16 hours a day had a 40% lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to those who didn’t.
That’s a huge difference—and it didn’t require extreme dieting or complicated plans. Just consistent eating within a set window.
Why Does Fasting Work?
Most people think fasting is about weight loss. But the real magic happens inside your bloodstream.
When you fast, your body switches from “storage mode” to “repair mode.” This isn’t starvation—it’s regeneration.
Here’s what changes:
Inflammation drops – calming the chronic irritation that damages arteries.
Triglycerides fall – reducing fat particles in your blood.
Platelets become less sticky – lowering the risk of dangerous clots.
Autophagy kicks in – your cells clean up damaged parts and recycle them.
In short, fasting gives your cardiovascular system a chance to breathe and heal.
Intermittent fasting has been shown to:
Improve insulin sensitivity by up to 31%.
Balance LDL and HDL cholesterol.
Stabilise blood pressure.
Reduce oxidative stress on blood vessels.
Think of it as a deep clean for your metabolism.
Fasting isn’t for everyone. If you have certain medical needs, check with a healthcare professional first.
🥊 Summary
Fasting could be the most accessible, zero-cost, evidence-backed way to protect your heart for decades to come.
đź’ˇBrighter light at night could increase your risk of type 2 diabetes

We all know that good sleep matters.
But did you know that the amount of light in your bedroom at night could influence your risk of developing type 2 diabetes?
A major study tracked 84,790 adults who wore light sensors for a week, recording how much light they were exposed to during the day and at night.
Then they followed these participants for nearly 8 years to see who developed type 2 diabetes.
The findings
People who slept in brighter environments (think streetlights through the window, glowing screens, or bedside lamps) had a significantly higher risk of diabetes compared to those who slept in darkness.
Those in the brightest night-light group had over 50% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those in the darkest group.
Even moderate night light exposure raised risk by 29–39%.
Disrupted circadian rhythms (your body’s internal clock) also mattered: people with irregular sleep-wake patterns or weaker circadian signals had higher risk.
The difference in risk between bright and dark nights was similar to the difference between low and moderate genetic risk. In other words, your bedroom lighting could matter as much as your genes.
Why does light at night matter?
Light at night interferes with circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles that regulate hormones, metabolism, and sleep.
When these rhythms are disrupted:
Insulin sensitivity drops, making it harder for your body to manage blood sugar.
Inflammation rises, increasing chronic disease risk.
Hormonal signals that control appetite and energy balance get thrown off.
Over time, these changes can push you towards insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
🥊 Summary
Avoiding light at night isn’t just about better sleep; it could be a powerful, cost-free way to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, even if you have a genetic predisposition.
And finally!
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To your health!
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