Monday, April 11, 2011

Fasting for a day ‘may cut risk of heart disease, diabetes’ – the pioneer – 6.4.11


PTI | London

It seems your grandmother was right — fasting for a day is good for your health. And, now a new study says that going without food for 24 hours may cut your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Researchers have based their findings on an analysis of the health and habits of over 200 residents in the US state of Utah, where fasting for at least one day a month is a way of life for many Mormons, the Daily Mail reported.

X-ray scans revealed narrowing of the arteries in around 75 per cent of those who didn’t fast. In contrast, clogged arteries affected 63 per cent of those who said they often skipped meals. Fasting also appeared to more than halve the odds of diabetes, the study indicated. To ensure the results were not only due to those who fast having healthier lifestyles, the researchers carried out a second study on people who were not regular fasters.

They did not eat or drink anything other than water for 24 hours and underwent a series of health checks. They were also monitored while eating normally. The tests revealed fasting triggers a significant surge in human growth hormone which speeds up metabolism and burns off fat.

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