QU Book Local community directory /Health | Page 5

did not live any longer than the control monkeys but they did have lower
cholesterol levels."
She says more studies are definitely needed in this area to understand if
and how fasting may be good for our health.
Current medical advice
As it stands medical opinion at the moment is that the benefits of fasting
are unproven and until there are more human studies it's better to eat at
around 2000 calories a day.
If you really want to fast then you should do it in a proper clinic or under
medical supervision, because there are many people, such as pregnant
women or diabetics on medication, for whom it could be dangerous.
The British Dietetic Association says that rapid weight loss occurs when
fasting or severely restricting dietary intake, but this weight loss is
mainly water, glycogen (the body's carbohydrate stores) and muscle,
rather than body fat.
"Routine fasting is practiced successfully by many cultures for religious
purposes and may have some health benefits, says BDA spokesperson
Rick Miller, "However, the clinical evidence for fasting as a treatment in
healthcare is not clear.
"Fasting could potentially be unsafe in some individuals without medical
supervision or lead to the development of poor eating patterns. Dieticians
would always recommend a well-planned, healthy diet in the first instance for health and longevity."
Dietician Sian Porter says: "A lot of people have a five days and two days
eating pattern.
"Make sure you eat foods that make you feel full and keep your fluid
intake up."