Is Intermittent Fasting Good For High Blood Pressure

Help Identify Underlying Causes

Certain fasting programmes, when done together with strict medical supervision, also allow doctors to get a new base level for your body and organ function, without the interference of food or toxins. When you strip away all of those underlying factors, it allows for more precise blood testing levels and the doctors will be able to see what happens in your body when unhealthy aspects are taken out of the health equation.

This will also help them evaluate how much of your condition is attributed to food or lifestyle choices, allowing them to also see which medication is actually necessary to control your condition.

Gut Dysbiosis Plays Role In Hypertension

Emerging evidence suggest that disruption of the gut microbiota, known as gut dysbiosis, can have adverse effects on blood pressure. Dr. David J. Durgan, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine and his colleagues began a study to better understand this hypothesis. In previous studies, the team had also shown that the composition of the gut microbiota in animal models of hypertension, such as the SHRSP model, is different from that in animals with normal blood pressure. In addition, they had found that transplanting dysbiotic gut microbiota from a hypertensive animal into a normotensive one led to the recipient developing high blood pressure. Based on these findings, they concluded that “dysbiosis is not just a consequence of hypertension, but is actually involved in causing it.”

Posts By Monique Tello Md Mph

Thanks for visiting. Don’t miss your FREE gift.

The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health, plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise, pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss…from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

BONUS! Sign up now and get a FREE copy of theBest Diets for Cognitive Fitness

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness.

Recommended Reading: Psa Blood Test Fasting Necessary

Tips That Can Help You Do Intermittent Fasting

Stay hydrated: Drink lots of water and non-caloric drinks such as herbal teas throughout the day during the fast periods. *Avoid obsessing over food. Plan plenty of distractions on fasting days to avoid thinking about food such as catching up on paperwork or going to see a movie.

Resting and relaxing: Avoid strenuous activities on fasting days although light exercise like yoga can be beneficial.

Its important to check with your doctor before starting intermittent fasting to get his/her go-ahead as Intermittent fasting is not for everyone.

The body takes time about 2-4 weeks to become adjusted to Intermittent fasting. You might feel hungry or cranky while getting used to the new routine. Longer periods without food, such as 12, 24,36,48 hour fasting periods are not necessarily better and can be dangerous as going too long without eating might actually encourage your body to start storing more fat in response to starvation.

Some people try Intermittent fasting for weight management and others use the method to address chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, or arthritis.

But intermittent fasting isnt for everyone such as children or teens under 18, people with an eating disorder history, and pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Consistency and ensuring that it is aligning with your mind, body, and soul, you can expect a good weight loss of anywhere between 2-6 kg a month with excellent inch loss and increase in energy levels and brain function.

What Is Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting became a popular diet trend following the BBC Horizon documentary Eat, Fast, Live Longer in which Dr Michael Mosley lost almost a stone in weight and 25% of his body fat over just five weeks.

Essentially, intermittent fasting means following alternating periods of eating and not eating, so you only consume food during certain feeding windows. The length of each fasting and feasting period depends on which type of diet you follow.In fact, most of us fast for at least 8 hours a day, during our sleeping period, so intermittent fasting is just an extension of this natural food break. The downfall of intermittent fasting is that its easy to binge on your free eating days and to make unhealthy choices.Although intermittent fasting may sound easy, there are lots of decisions to make: How often should you fast? For how long? Should you eat zero calories on fasting days, or enjoy at least some food? Should you eat the same amount of food on non-fasting days as normal, or eat less or even more?Typically, on a fasting day you restrict your calorie intake to about one-quarter of your recommended daily intake so you still obtain some nutrition and, most importantly, fluids. However, some people prefer to have fluids only on a fast day, with no solids, while others have nothing but water.

Read Also: What Is 14 10 Intermittent Fasting

Most People Equate Fasting With Weight Management But Research Is Beginning To Show Other Health Benefitslike Lower Blood Pressure

How long do you usually go from your last bite of food at night to your first bite the next day? Probably between eight and 10 hours, right?

If you push that no food window closer to 16 hours, you enter the realm of intermittent fasting: a diet regimen that cycles between regular periods of limited or no eating followed by periods of unrestricted eating.

The interest surrounding intermittent fasting is increasing as research into its benefits accumulatesincluding how it could help bring down high blood pressure.

/5read On To Know More

Whether you fast due to religious reasons or as a lifestyle choice, its impact on your health remains the same. Fasting helps to remove toxins from the body, helps lose weight and cut down the risk of developing metabolic and chronic diseases. Besides, it is also good for your heart health and lowering the blood pressure, which is a common concern of most of the people.

You May Like: Can You Drink Alcohol While Intermittent Fasting

Can Eating Less Strengthen Your Heart

Research shows that fasting can help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, control diabetes and reduce weight.

Four of the major risks for heart disease are high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes and weight, so theres a secondary impact, Dr. Bruemmer says. If we reduce those, we can reduce the risk of heart disease.

One word of caution, though: Fasting can lead to an electrolyte imbalance. This can make the heart unstable and prone to arrhythmias.

So whenever we prescribe certain diets, including a very low calorie diet and protein-sparing modified fast diet, these require medical supervision. We check blood tests monthly and prescribe potassium supplementation to prevent electrolyte imbalance from occurring, Dr. Bruemmer says.

Some studies also show that fasting may help prevent cancer or increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment.

However, much of the research on fasting is in preliminary stages. We have a lot more to learn about fasting, he says.

Can Reduce Insulin Resistance Lowering Your Risk For Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has become a very common diagnosis in recent decades.

Its main feature is high blood sugar levels in the context of insulin resistance.

Anything that reduces insulin resistance should help lower blood sugar levels and protect against type 2 diabetes.

Interestingly, intermittent fasting has been shown to have major benefits for insulin resistance and to lead to an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels .

In human studies on intermittent fasting, fasting blood sugar has been reduced by 36% over the course of 812 weeks in people with prediabetes. Fasting insulin has been reduced by 2031% .

One study in mice with diabetes also showed that intermittent fasting improved survival rates and protected against diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that can lead to blindness .

What this implies is that intermittent fasting may be highly protective for people who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

However, there may be some differences between the sexes. One 2005 study in women showed that blood sugar management actually worsened after a 22-day long intermittent fasting protocol (

Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance and lower blood sugar levels, at least in men.

Recommended Reading: Is 119 High For Fasting Blood Sugar

Effects Of Fastingon Blood Pressure

Intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating has been shown to be prettyeffective in treating hypertension and cardiovascular disorders.Its been shown to reduce fat mass and improve other health markers.

In a recent interview, Will Smith said he fasted for 10 days and got offhis blood pressure medication which he had been taking for 10 years.He did it to lose weight and fix his overeating. By day four, he was able tostop taking his meds.

Heres how intermittent fasting affects blood pressure:

The mechanism of lower blood pressure may be associated with increasedparasympathetic activity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor .BDNF increases the synthesis of acetylcholine through the vagus nerve where itreduces heart rate,expands blood vessels, and drops blood pressure.

Who Shouldnt Try Intermittent Fasting

Before attempting any new diet like intermittent fasting, it is critical to first consult with your doctor. Even though there is proof of the effectiveness of these diet plans, the doctor should always give you the go-ahead. After your doctor accesses your metabolic health to be normal, you can proceed with your intermittent fasting. However, there are scenarios when your doctor does not allow you to try intermittent fasting, including

• If you are already suffering from blood sugar diseases like diabetes.
• If you are a minor with eighteen years and below.
• If your medical history points out that you have previously experienced eating disorders.
• If you are expectant or you are breastfeeding.

Recommended Reading: What Is 14 10 Intermittent Fasting

How Intermittent Fasting Works

Intermittent fasting usually means you eat fewer calories overall. After the initial period in which you feel hungry, your metabolism adapts and most people report feeling less hungry overall and, when they do eat, they feel full more quickly.

When food intake is restricted, your body is forced to find energy elsewhere by mobilising glycogen and fat . Intermittent fasting is also believed to promote cellular repair, as cells also breakdown their own damaged proteins for energy and then replaces what it has consumed when you next eat. This recycling process is said to both slow the ageing process and prevent disease.

With prolonged fasting, however, the body would also break down healthy muscle protein for energy, but this is largely prevented by having regular feeding windows.

Intermittent fasting also improves insulin sensitivity, has beneficial effects on growth hormone secretion , suppresses inflammation and boosts immune responses.

Intermittent fasting requires commitment and motivation, however. It isnt for everyone, but you may find it helps you to lose weight if nothing else has worked, as well as improving your blood pressure control.

If you decide to cut back on food intake to lose weight, I strongly recommend that you take a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement to avoid micronutrient deficiencies.

NB If you plan to fast for more than one or two days, always seek medical advice first.

Image credit: pixabay

How To Integrate Koso Into 16/8 Procedure

R’s KOSO is a japanese fermented juice made with over 100 different fruits, vegetables and herbs which have been fermented through a traditional Japanese fermentation process. It is a 100% natural, nutritious product, containing probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, and phytochemicals. Rs KOSO can be consumed on a regular basis, each serving size is around 2 tablespoons . You can dilute 30 ml of R’s KOSO in 1/2 cup of flat or sparkling water around 1~ 5 times a day. You can gradually integrate R’s KOSO into your time restricted feeding protocol for enhanced health benefits. It is recommended to use Rs KOSO onto your 16:8 intermediate fasting during the breakfast cleanse phase. 1-2 serving per day.

R’s KOSO is rich in probiotics and contains prebiotics, enzymes and nutrients which help to support the gut and digestive processes, improve skin health, strengthen the immune system and to promote an overall good health.

More detail about them below in the blog. How to intermittent fasting with Rs Koso.

Resource

info rskoso

Recommended Reading: Can You Drink Alcohol While Intermittent Fasting

Beware The Studys Limitations

This study linking a vegetarian diet with a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke has a number of important limitations that should temper the concerns of vegetarians.

• The study was observational. That means it simply observed what happened among different people who followed different diets over time, without being able to account for every other relevant factor. For example, if vegetarians chose plant-based diets because of a family history of stroke, it could be their genes driving the higher rates of stroke, not the diet.
• The findings might have been different if the study had included a different study population, such as one with different genetic backgrounds or higher rates of obesity.
• The data regarding diet was self-reported. While the use of dietary surveys is common and necessary in research that requires a large number of study subjects, it isnt always reliable.
• The study was not large enough to reliably sort out differences in the rates of disease between vegans and vegetarians. As a result, its not clear whether the increased stroke risk applies to all vegetarians, or whether vegans might have a different risk.
• We dont know whether the health outcomes reported in this study might be due to what is included in the diet or what is eliminated. For example, is the lower risk of heart disease among vegetarians due to the plant-based diet, or is it just due to the restriction of animal-based products?

Ways To Use This Information For Better Health

You May Like: What Is 14 10 Intermittent Fasting

Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting At 50

According to a recent study, a significant 30% to 40% reduction in typical calorie consumption helps reduce diabetic status, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels . Regarding womens health, intermittent fasting by age group does more than stipulating the eating and fasting periods and intervals. Therefore, intermittent fasting at 50 also defines the kind of food to eat and the ones to avoid.

If you are a female over 50, here is what you may benefit from intermittent fasting according to age

• Intermittent fasting at 50 may help with weight loss, thus achieving good metabolic health.
• Intermittent fasting at 50 may be beneficial in reducing the risk of developing normal age-related diseases.
• Intermittent fasting at 50 can significantly lower your blood pressure because it reestablishes the gut microbiota.
• Intermittent fasting at 50 may help reduce or eliminate your belly fat. With belly fat loss, you may be less vulnerable to serious health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and stroke.
• Intermittent fasting at 50 may also improve your mental health.

What Are The Benefits Of 16/8 Intermittent Fasting

The health benefits of the 16/8 fasting can largely be contributed to prolonged periods of fasting and overall reduction in caloric intake. By going through extended period of fasting phase, dieters will limit the number of meals and behaviours such as regular snacking, this will create an overall calorie deficit. The prolonged period of fasting will also send the body into fat burning mode, the body will turn into internal storage of energy such as fat and glycogen in order to sustain regular bodily functions, in turn blood sugar spikes are limited, and weight loss is observed.

You May Like: How To Get Electrolytes While Fasting

The Importance Of Maintaining Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure is a reading of how much pressure your blood puts on the blood vessel walls as that blood circulates. In other words, its a key measure of your health, especially that of your bodys most important organ, the heart.

A good blood pressure reading should be about 120/80 mmHG, or millimeter of mercury. The 120 is your systolic blood pressure and the 80 is your diastolic blood pressure. Systolic pressure is a gauge of how much pressure is applied to the arteries each time your heart muscles contract. Diastolic pressure is the level of blood pressure that occurs in the space between every heartbeat.

If your blood pressure increases to 129/89, its already considered elevated. Should your blood pressure reach 130/80 or 139/89, you have high blood pressure or hypertension, but only stage 1.

A reading of 140/90 or higher indicates hypertension stage 2. If your blood pressure gets too much higher than that, such as 180/120, youre in a hypertensive crisis, which could most definitely be life-threatening. You should get immediate medical attention.

Lets rewind a moment and discuss hypertension or high blood pressure. Hypertension often has a slow onset. What can make it even trickier to detect is lots of people with high blood pressure are asymptomatic. For those who do experience symptoms, these are not exactly significant. Hypertension patients may have more nosebleeds than average, experience difficulty breathing from time to time, and get headaches.