Fasting for Heart Health: The Potential Benefits and Risks of Intermittent Fasting

Well, the world has embraced this new fad for shedding pounds and calories – intermittent fasting! People find it easier to stick to this fasting method than traditional fasting. One can follow this type of diet and still not feel deprived. However, the rising number of heart attack deaths shows that no matter how much you exercise or eat right, heart disease is still one of the leading causes of death among people. What if we told you that a healthy heart has a lot to do with your eating window in your calorie count? Intermittent fasting can help improve the way our body responds to a hormone called insulin. It is this insulin that balances the blood sugar levels in the body. Controlled cholesterol and blood sugar levels can prevent weight gain and the risk of diabetes—two major factors that cause heart disease.

What is Intermittent Fasting?
“Intermittent fasting is simply time-restricted eating. Eating hours can vary between 10 am to 7 pm, 11 am to 8 am and 8 am to 8 pm. It is mostly a 12-hour fast for beginners,” says Kaul.

Science-wise, intermittent fasting is often pursued as a diet trend, but this type of dietary practice has been shown to enhance cardiovascular well-being. In the current situation, there is still a lack of large, randomized studies that show a positive relationship between intermittent fasting and heart attack, stroke, or coronary artery disease. However, there are studies that suggest that the risk of heart attack and further cardiovascular disease decreases with intermittent fasting. This way of eating is known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and improve diabetes and inflammation.

* Start slowly with a 12-hour fast.
* Break up your day by getting protein, fat and fiber.
* Keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water.
* Those who are pregnant, lactating, underweight or diabetic and below 18 years of age should avoid this experiment.

Any method that is viable and allows a person to make healthy nutrient and food choices is useful. Studies have also suggested that compared to eating all day and restricting calories, intermittent fasting is more sustainable and may be beneficial in the long term.

Other Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Some other benefits of intermittent fasting include aid in weight loss, reduced risk of type-2 diabetes, improved heart and brain health, and reduced risk of cancer. It also helps improve physical performance and improves endurance while running. However, you should still start it under supervision after weighing all its pros and cons for your body.