02/24/2023
There are numerous health benefits associated with water fasting. One of its primary effects is an immediate decrease in blood pressure. When a person fasts, the body removes excess salt, fat, and excess leptin, a hormone related to weight gain, from the bloodstream. This helps to lower blood pressure and make the body more efficient in its use of oxygen and glucose for bodily functions. Research has shown that even moderate water fasting significantly lowers systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels (Al-Kassas et al., 2018).
Fasting can enable the body to work more effectively in lowering cholesterol levels. When a person fasts, their body's digestive system shuts down for a period of time, causing it to burn fat rather than carbohydrates for energy. This helps to reduce bad cholesterol and encourages the body to use more beneficial, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (McMillan, 2017). Fasting also helps the body to increase the absorption of nutrients and flush out toxins, reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood and helping to prevent heart disease (Haque, 2016).
Fasting is also beneficial in reducing hypertension, or high blood pressure. This can occur when the stress hormone cortisol is elevated and the body’s vessels start to constrict, preventing the blood from traveling efficiently throughout the body (Embry, 2016). When a person fasts, they are able to reduce the amount of stress hormones in their body and maintain optimal levels. This will help to reduce hypertension, improve overall cardiovascular health, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack (Scheer et al., 2017).
In conclusion, the health benefits of water fasting are numerous and include a decrease in blood pressure, cholesterol and hypertension. Fasting helps to flush out toxins and improve digestion, strength, and overall wellbeing. Studies have shown that it is a safe and effective means of improving overall health and reducing the risk of many chronic illnesses.
