Fasting For Heart Health

Cultures worldwide engage in periodic fasting for religious reasons and health benefits. In a recent analysis published in Circulation, the American Heart Association (AHA) found evidence to suggest that intermittent fasting may help adults lose weight and lower triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, at least in the short term.

In addition to short-term weight loss and lower triglyceride levels, the report's authors found that intermittent fasting might also help lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. Still, they cautioned that those studies were small and that reductions were associated with the participants' weight. The American Journal of Medicine reports the same findings and adds that caloric restriction improves insulin sensitivity.

Of course, fasting diets can be a bit extreme. They usually follow one of these patterns:

• Cutting calories by 75 percent on alternating days
• Eating only certain hours of the day
• Fasting a few days a week
• Skipping one meal each day

Before starting any diet plan, talk with your doctor. Fasting isn't for everyone and is discouraged if you:

• Have a history of eating disorders
• Are underweight
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Are diabetic
• Have liver disease
• Have a pre-existing heart issue

While fasting diets are becoming increasingly popular, you may not think you're disciplined enough to give up a meal or cut calories so significantly. That's okay— you might get similar benefits just from being more mindful. So, no matter what diet you choose, don't forget to exercise. According to the American Heart Association, people with heart disease who exercise can reduce medical costs by more than $2,500 a year.

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