2014modetrends

Fasting may protect against diabetes


(Photo:red prom dresses)Research shows that modest weight loss and regular physical activity can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by up to 58 percent in patients with prediabetes, according to the CDC. However, researchers from Intermountain Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah, turned their attention to periodic fasting, a biological process in the body that converts bad cholesterolin fat cells to energy, thus combating diabetes risk factors.Dr. Benjamin Horne, director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, led this new research. In 2011, Horne and his team looked at healthy participants during one day of fasting. Their results revealed that water only fasting was linked to lower glucose levels and weight loss.“When we studied the effects of fasting in apparently healthy people, cholesterol levels increased during the one-time 24-hour fast,” he said. “The changes that were most interesting or unexpected were all related to metabolic health and diabetes risk. Together with our prior studies that showed decades of routine fasting were associated with a lower risk of diabetes and coronary artery disease, this led us to think that fasting is most impactful for reducing the risk of diabetes and related metabolic problems.”As a result of these findings Horne initiated this new study in which the team investigated the effects of fasting in prediabetics over an extended period of time. The study included participants who were prediabetic, men and women between the ages of 30 and 69 and had at least three metabolic risk factors including These risk factors included:Abdominal obesity – having an apple shape rather than a pear shape.A high triglyceride level – a type of fat found in the blood.A low HDL cholesterol level – low HDL cholesterol levels increases the risk for heart disease.High blood pressure – the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the heart and lead to plaque buildup.High fasting blood sugar; mildly high blood sugar may be an early sign of diabetes.Participants in this study had different weights with some were obese.Past research from other studies looked only at obese participants and focused on weight loss due to fasting. Weight loss did occur in this study – three pounds over a six-week period but the main purpose of this study was diabetes intervention.According to Dr. Horne, in regards to this new study, “During actual fasting days, cholesterol went up slightly in this study, as it did in our prior study of healthy people, but we did notice that over a six-week period cholesterol levels decreased by about 12 percent in addition to the weight loss. Because we expect that the cholesterol was used for energy during the fasting episodes and likely came from fat cells, this leads us to believe fasting may be an effective diabetes intervention.”The method of removing LDL cholesterol from the fat cells for energy should help negateinsulin resistance. In insulin resistance the body produces insulin but does not use it effectively. In those who have insulin resistance, glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells, leading to type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.“The fat cells themselves are a major contributor to insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes,” said Dr. Horne. “Because fasting may help to eliminate and break down fat cells, insulin resistance may be frustrated by fasting.” In closing, Dr. Horne remarks, “Although fasting may protect against diabetes.” “It’s important to keep in mind that these results were not instantaneous in the studies that we performed. It takes time. How long and how often people should fast for health benefits are additional questions we’re just beginning to examine.”Also read here:mermaid prom dresses