Does Fasting Reduce the Risk of Heart Disease?
Is it true that occasionally following a fasting diet can reduce my risk of heart disease? Maybe. Researchers aren’t sure why, but it seems that regularly fasting — severely restricting food and drink for a 24-hour period on one to two days a week — can potentially improve your risk factors related to heart health.
It’s difficult to tell what effect fasting has on your heart health because many people who routinely fast often do so for health or religious reasons. These people generally tend to not smoke, which also can reduce heart disease risk.
However, at least one study has indicated that people who follow a fasting diet may have better heart health than people who don’t. This may be because people who routinely fast show self-control over how many calories they eat and drink, and this behavior may translate into weight control and better eating choices when they aren’t fasting.
Excerpted from the Hutchinson Leader
