Uh oh, epidemiological study alert!
I agree that fasting is probably healthy every now and again (just not during intense recovery periods!!!)
That said, I would have to say these healthy hearts are due to a healthier lifestyle practiced by Mormons. Let's face it, if someone can resist the temptation of food for an entire day once per month, they can also probably resist smoking, drinking, drugs and poor food in general.
I think Michael Eades has a very interesting collection of studies on the effects of fasting:
Cheers,
Joel
On Nov 15, 2007 6:43 AM, Keith Thomas <
keith@...> wrote:
Hi, Simon, Joel and others.
The following article from New Scientist is
directly relevant to NHE, although the scientists
whi reported their research seem to have missed
the point - they incorrectly assume that all "food'
is equal.
========================
Fasting is good for the heart
10 November 2007
From New Scientist Print Edition.
THEY say that fasting purifies the mind. Now it
seems it may help keep the heart healthy too.
About three-quarters of the people of Utah are
Mormons, and many of them fast for a day every
month. Benjamin Horne from the Intermountain
Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, asked
515 elderly people undergoing X-ray examinations
for suspected heart disease about their lifestyle.
Those who fasted were 39 per cent more likely
than non-fasters to have a healthy heart. The
results were presented at the American Heart
Association's Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday.
Horne thinks that fasting might slow the
development of diabetes, which narrows the
blood vessels and increases the risk of heart
disesase. Periodic withdrawal of food might
resensitise the insulin-producing beta cells,
a theory that is backed by animal studies.
From issue 2629 of New Scientist magazine,
10 November 2007, page 21
==============================
Keith
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