Emailing: does-monthly-fasting-help-your-heart

[Guest guest]

thanks for that Joy,

Good article,

LUV

Michele

--- Joyce Hudson <bjoyful@...> wrote:

> Does Monthly Fasting Help Your Heart? - Articles

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> Something to think about.

> Blessings, Joy

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> POSTED BY

> Dr. Mercola

> December 27 2007

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> Does Monthly Fasting Help

> Your Heart?

>

>

> People who skip meals once a

> month are 40 percent less likely to have clogged

> arteries as those who do not fast regularly,

> according to Utah researchers.

>

> About 70 percent of Utah’s

> population are Mormons, who fast during the first

> Sunday of each month.

>

> Religion, however, was not

> behind the benefits of fasting. Even non-Mormons who

> skipped food occasionally were less likely to have

> clogged arteries.

>

> The study came about after

> researchers discovered that only 61 percent of

> Mormons had heart disease compared with 66 percent

> of non-Mormons. After surveying 515 people about

> Mormon’s typical religious practices, which

> included a weekly day of rest, not drinking alcohol

> or smoking, donating time and money to charity,

> avoiding tea and coffee, and monthly fasting, only

> fasting made a significant difference in heart risk.

>

> Only 59 percent of those who

> skipped meals regularly were diagnosed with heart

> disease, compared with 67 percent of non-fasters.

>

> The researchers suggested

> that periodic fasting forces your body to burn fat

> and also gives it a break from making insulin to

> metabolize sugar. Fasting may therefore help to

> resensitize insulin-producing cells and make them

> work better.

> Sources:

> a.. American Heart

> Associationâ„¢ Scientific Sessions November 2007

> Orlando, Florida

> a.. The Dallas Morning

> News November 27, 2007

>

>

>

> Dr. Mercola's Comments:

>

> Skipping meals or

> fasting for an entire day can, at times, be

> beneficial. It can also be highly counterproductive.

> How do you know which it is for you?

>

> The key to answering

> these questions are found in Nutritional Typing and

> understanding insulin physiology.

>

> If your diet consists

> of fast food, junk food and other processed items

> that are high in sugar and grains, then not eating

> those foods for a period will likely cause

> improvements to your health. This is because this

> type of diet is causing surges in your insulin and

> leptin levels, and even giving your body a break

> from this cycle temporarily will be beneficial.

>

> This is the premise by

> which calorie restriction has been found to slow

> down aging, reduce chronic diseases and even extend

> your lifespan. When you restrict your calories, as

> you do during fasting, it reduces your metabolic

> rate and oxidative stress, lowers your insulin

> levels and improves insulin sensitivity.

>

> On the other hand, if

> you are eating healthy foods designed for your

> nutritional type, then you will probably not

> experience benefits, and may even have some

> problems, such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

>

> Additionally it has

> been my experience that those who are carb

> nutritional types (who can eat a largely vegetarian

> diet) tend to do much better overall with fasting,

> while protein types (who require large amounts of

> protein and fat) don’t fare nearly as well.

>

> I am a very strong

> protein type and don’t feel that fasting is

> appropriate for me because of the way it makes me

> feel. My insulin levels are also in a very healthy

> range.

>

> There is also

> increasing evidence that you’re actually better

> off nibbling and grazing throughout the day rather

> than even “fasting†between meals. Eating small

> amounts of healthy foods frequently throughout the

> day has been found to lower cholesterol, reduce

> appetite, and cause the least amount of disturbance

> to your body’s natural balance.

>

> Of course, our

> ancestors did fast on occasion when food was scarce,

> so it may be possible that our bodies are designed

> to benefit from an occasional bout with little or no

> food.

>

> While most of us have

> access to food at all times, it is common that we

> may not have access to HIGH-QUALITY food. In this

> circumstance, if your option is to eat only highly

> processed junk food then it is probably far better

> for you to fast than to eat that type of garbage.

>

> So while I don’t

> recommend planned fasts, you can certainly fast like

> our ancestors did: when there are not viable options

> for food available.

>

> Again, “food†in

> this circumstance means real, whole, nutrient-rich

> foods. So if you are traveling and find yourself

> without a healthy food option, this is the perfect

> opportunity to fast. Simply skip the fast food and

> get back on track when you’re able to find

> something to eat that’s good for your body.

>

> If you have a hard

> time resisting the temptation to eat junk foods (a

> common challenge, especially if others are eating

> them around you), remember that you can always use

> the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to release

> your unhealthy food cravings.

>

>

> Related Articles:

>

>

> Does Skipping Meals Make

> You Healthy?

>

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>

> Family Meal Times Affect

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>

>

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> rfinger [ Joined on 07/07] [

> Posted on December 12, 2007 ] 10 Points

>

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