Study finds routine periodic fasting is good for your health, and your heart

[Celebration]

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-04-routine-periodic-fasting-good-health.html

Fasting has long been associated with religious rituals, diets, and political protests. Now new evidence from cardiac researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute demonstrates that routine periodic fasting is also good for your health, and your heart.

Today, research cardiologists at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute are reporting that fasting not only lowers one's risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes, but also causes significant changes in a person's blood cholesterol levels. Both diabetes and elevated cholesterol are known risk factors for coronary heart disease.

The discovery expands upon a 2007 Intermountain Healthcare study that revealed an association between fasting and reduced risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death among men and women in America. In the new research, fasting was also found to reduce other cardiac risk factors, such as triglycerides, weight, and blood sugar levels.

The findings were presented Sunday, April 3, at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans.

[Wilms]

1. In this economy, many Americans will find that easy to do.

Just sayin'.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Verrry interesting.

[Faygo Kid]

3. I have done it involuntarily at times (sickness), and find I recover with more energy than ever.

I am thinking about it once a week, with plenty of water, of course.

It really does have a profound effect, although don't get carried away. I think one day a week might make a difference.

Since I'm fat, it couldn't hurt on weight loss, either.

[louis-t]

4. I see repugs using this report to proclaim....

"starving is GOOD for you, just like radiation!"

[BadgerKid]

5. Old news, no?

Fasting is one way to get your body to draw more upon its stored fat.

IMO, it sounds like one way to get people to experience something other than a blood sugar rollercoaster.

[trotsky]

8. It also almost certainly mimics the conditions under which we evolved.

No way did we have a steady supply of calorie-rich food back before the agricultural era. We undoubtedly as a species underwent many periods of involuntary fasting - our bodies evolved to accommodate this by being efficient fat-storers.

[Warpy]

6. I did that until my mid 40s

and had to stop then because it was lowering my resistance and making me vulnerable to getting sick.

One thing fasting does with collagen vascular diseases is make most of the symptoms vanish after about the fourth day and for the duration of the fast. That meant a 10 day fast would leave me feeling wonderful and the symptoms would be reduced when I started to eat again. That was a great deal for someone who spent more time without health care than with it.

Unfortunately, age caught up with me sooner rather than later and my bod rebelled against it.

[reorg]

7. doing it right now, I'm on day 17

and still got a few pounds to waste.

Feels good!