Fasting for as little as three days can regenerate the entire immune system, even in the elderly, University of Southern California scientists have found in a breakthrough described as remarkable. Although fasting diets have been criticised by nutritionists for being unhealthy, new research suggests starving the body kick-starts stem cells into producing new white blood cells, which fight off infection. Scientists say the discovery could be particularly beneficial for people suffering from damaged immune systems, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy. The Food Doctor says this latest study suggests that intermittent fasting may be beneficial for some individuals, but we would suggest that it is approached with a large degree of caution. Reported health benefits include weight loss, improvements in blood pressure and inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity may be helpful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. However it is important to mention that intermittent fasting is not for everyone and could in fact prove problematic anyone who has a history of eating disorders, type 1 diabetes or for anyone who is highly stressed individuals or suffers from chronic fatigue.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 06:20:00 +0000
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