Intermittent fasting is a popular choice of diet pattern to lose weight, lower blood pressure and improve heart health. However, a recent US study indicates the risk of cardiovascular disease in a long term.
It involves a time-restricted eating pattern, where people limit eating hours, that usually range from 4-12 hours, and indulge in fasting for the rest of the day.
People who ate all of their food in less than 8 hours per day had a 91% higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.
During fasting, the cortisol level increases, leading to a rise in blood pressure and heart rate which can lead to any cardiovascular disease in long term.
An unhealthy diet in the 8-hour eating window, increases the LDL (bad cholesterol), which gets deposited in the artery and causes cardiovascular disease. Following a balanced diet is a must.
Any fasting should be followed under a doctor’s guidance. One must screen beforehand for any morbidity conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and gallstone.
Always choose a diet that is low in calories, fat and high in antioxidants and proteins. This helps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Following intermittent fasting for 2-3 months in a year has shown a lot of benefits for heart health, but long-term effects need more research.