नवीनतम
Intermittent fasting can help people with diabetes and High BP
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Intermittent fasting has become popular among people. Several researches are being conducted on intermittent fasting and how it is beneficial for different chronic diseases. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. Research shows that intermittent fasting is a way to manage your weight and prevent — or even reverse — some forms of disease.”
Now, a recent study highlighted the health benefits of following intermittent fasting for adults with metabolic syndrome - a group of health conditions that include high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels and abdominal obesity. More than 1 billion people worldwide are suffering with this condition. It raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease and/or stroke.
As per the study from the Salk Institute and the University of California at San Diego, adults with metabolic syndrome can improve their health by limiting their daily eating to an 8-10 hour window.
As a part of the study, researchers divided 108 prediabetic adults with metabolic syndrome into two groups and only one of these followed intermittent fasting. For this study, the average eating window for the fasting group was from 9:14am to 6:59pm. After nutrition counselling, the researchers found that study participants who followed intermittent fasting lost more fat and had better blood sugar control than the other group.
Only one person in the fasting group reported negative side effects such as irritability, fatigue and difficulty concentrating, researchers say. Their findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
What should you eat while intermittent fasting?
While you’re fasting, you do not have to starve yourself. You can drink water and zero-calorie beverages such as black coffee and tea. During your eating window, you should eat normally. However, that doesn’t mean you go crazy over food and eat high-calorie foods. You will most likely not lose weight or get healthy if you are eating high-calorie junk food, super-sized fried items and treats during your eating window.
But you can try different types of foods when you’re intermittent fasting. “Most nutrition experts regard the Mediterranean diet as a good blueprint of what to eat, whether you’re trying intermittent fasting or not. You can hardly go wrong when you pick leafy greens, healthy fats, lean protein and complex, unrefined carbohydrates such as whole grains,” says Johns Hopkins Medicine.
