Fasting before starting DASH diet can give you better results

DASH diet may help people with metabolic syndrome improve their high blood pressure. But the results are even better, if the diet is preceded by a fast, according to a study.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: April 1, 2021 8:01 am

DASH diet includes eating lots of fruit and vegetables, wholemeal products, nuts and pulses, fish and lean white meat.

Always remember this – You’re what you eat. Adopting healthy eating habits can help achieve a healthy body weight, improve mood and memory, boost your energy levels, minimise risk of illnesses and increase longevity. Mediterranean diet, DASH Diet, Keto diet, Intermittent fasting – Which is the best one? This question may spark a debate among the proponents of these diets. Whatever be the diet plan you choose, fasting before starting the diet may give you better results. A study recently published in the journal Nature Communications concluded that switching to a DASH diet can improve blood pressure and this effect is intensified, if the diet is preceded by a fast. Also Read - A cup of green or black tea a day can help you keep high blood pressure at bay

The study was conducted by researchers from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC) and the Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC). They recruited 71 volunteers with metabolic syndrome and raised systolic blood pressure to examine the effect a change of diet has on their health. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, extra abdominal fat, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. These are risk factors for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. People with metabolic syndrome are often recommended to follow a low-calorie and healthy diet along with exercise to lose weight and normalise their blood pressure. Also Read - In conversation with Dr. Alok Chopra, a pioneer of Intermittent Fasting

This happens when you fast before starting the DASH diet

In the study, the volunteers with metabolic syndrome followed the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet for three months. This Mediterranean-style diet includes eating lots of fruit and vegetables, wholemeal products, nuts and pulses, fish and lean white meat, while eliminating high salt, fat, and sugary foods and drinks. The participants were divided into two groups, with one group not consuming any solid food at all for five days before starting the DASH diet. Also Read - Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Can nirjal vrat really help boost your immunity?

During fasting, the composition of the gut bacteria ecosystem changes drastically and the bacteria that help to reduce blood pressure multiplied. Some of these changes remain even when they resumed of food intake, the researchers said.

Compared to the other group, volunteers who started the healthy diet with a five-day fast also had lower body mass index, blood pressure as well as their need for antihypertensive medication remained lower in the long term.

“Fasting acts as a catalyst for protective microorganisms in the gut. Health clearly improves very quickly, and patients can cut back on their medication or even often stop taking tablets altogether,” said Dr Sofia Forslund, who led the research group, adding that it’s a good idea to combine a diet with a fast.

To confirm the benefits of fasting, Forslund’s team conducted a statistical evaluation of these results using artificial intelligence in collaboration with scientists from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Following this, they were more sure that the positive effects observed in volunteers who started the healthy diet with a five-day fast was due to the fast and not to the medication that they were taking.

Published : April 1, 2021 8:00 am | Updated:April 1, 2021 8:01 am

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