Those who belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints know all about fasting. The first Sunday of every month we are asked to skip two meals and donate the money we would have spent on those meals to help the needy. (I personally find fasting to be really difficult and was quite excited to realize that now that I am pregnant I won't have to do it for awhile! Don't judge.) But now there is new evidence that fasting is helping more than those who benefit from the donated money. New research suggests that fasting may be good for our hearts.The Associates Press is reporting that a study conducted in Salt Lake "found that people who skipped meals once a month were about 40 percent less likely to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than those who did not regularly fast."
Benjamin Horne, a heart disease researcher from Intermountain Medical Center and the University of Utah led the study.
"It might suggest these are people who just control eating habits better," and that this discipline extends to other areas of their lives that improves their health, Horne told the AP.
The research was partly funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Horne says that this study is not proof that fasting is a great idea for everyone, but that it should be studied more.Interesting, don't you think?
So the fact that I've only eaten one thing a day for the last 3 days (and nothing today) is actually good for me?
ReplyDelete....I don't blame you for being happy that you don't have to fast! These hunger pains are pretty uncomfortable!
Definitely interesting. (And I think every pregnant person is secretly happy for the break from fasting, it can be hard!) I have heard that it is good for our bodies to have a break from eating, that it cleanses us. Also, if you're breastfeeding, you shouldn't fast either!
ReplyDeleteI have actually heard this too for awhile now. In fact there are entire books and health clubs dedicated to fasting. I think it has something to do with the fact that dealing with food uses a ton of energy, and when our body has a break from that, it can deal with other things. Loosely.
ReplyDeleteps I was hoping for more pregnancy updates...but I guess not much has changed since yesterday.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's good news. I know fasting is necessary and good and all, but it helps to know that it's good for your body also. I'll try to think of this when I'm feeling so uncomfy.
ReplyDeleteHmm...interesting! And don't you love how it seems that every dietary recommendation we get from the church later becomes the world-wide maxim a few years later? Gotta love that whole revelation thing.
ReplyDeleteAnd I too am grateful for the pregnancy/nursing fasting break, since i get really dizzy and nauseated if i don't eat often, although I do try to still sort of keep the spirit of it by not eating my favorite foods, persay (i.e. no yummy snacks or cookies, plain boring cereal rather than waffles, etc.)
Pregnant is a good trade-off. Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!! The Lord knows what he is doing:)
ReplyDelete