Slow the Ageing Fasting

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Fasting for Muslims is not eating and drinking and stop canceling everything from sunrise to sunset. In addition to withstanding thirst and hunger, in terms of medical science, fasting was able to give you some health benefits.


According to Dr. Siti Setiati, SpPD, specialist in diseases of the Division of Geriatric Medicine Department of Medicine Faculty of Universitas Indonesia is relatively (medicine), with fasting, the amount of calories of food will be reduced.

"Restrictions on the number of calories of food is one way that has been shown to slow aging and prevent diseases that commonly occur in the elderly and cancer," he said, Wednesday (27/07/2011) in Jakarta.

When fasting, will generally be a reduction in the number of calories diasup up to 10-40 percent of daily needs. The results of research on animals has shown, by reducing the amount of calories, it can extend life expectancy, reduce the risk of cancer, and prevent progression of the disease, such as diabetes and kidney.

"Studies in humans also exist. As a result, reduced body fat composition, blood pressure improved, decreased cholesterol, decreased risk of diabetes, and can slow the aging process," he said.

Siti said the various studies and the literature it has proven health benefits of fasting. However, one certainly will not feel its effect immediately if it is only a month of fasting. "It's certainly not the fast that only one month only, but must be constantly made in the following months," he said.

Benefit restrictions (restrictions) of calories, said Siti, also affect heart health. Calorie restriction is believed to be the heart pump stronger and make it impossible to be tired after doing activities or sports.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ari Fahrial DR, SpPD, digestive health experts from Cipto Mangungkusumo, say, run fast process that is ideally not a "revenge", which it wants to avenge or eating out at fast. Because, in the process of fasting, basically there should be weight loss.

According to Ari, fasting can be termed as the concept of alternate day fasting, where in one day and a half meal, half-fast. The purpose there is a reduction in calorie intake. "Usually the weight loss of about 5 percent," he said.

Ari asserted, if a person experience weight loss, will be followed by a decrease in calories, cholesterol, fats, free radicals, and improvement of antioxidants. When fasting, it is better to consume vegetables and fruits that contain lots of antioxidants.

Because, with lots of vegetables and fruits, in fact in the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and there has been a reduction of sugar by the fibers.

"In principle, if we fast, the body still produces sugar and fat destroyed. With fat is destroyed, the automatic piles that do not need to be reduced. The effect of weight loss," he said.
Kompas.com