Fasting and plant diet lowers high blood pressure safely
Prolonged Water-Only Fasting Followed by a Whole-Plant-Food Diet Is a Potential Long-Term Management Strategy for Hypertension and Obesity
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Imagine your blood pressure is too high. This study tried a plan: no food for a while, then only plants. It worked! Most people's blood pressure went back to normal, they lost weight, and didn't need meds anymore. And it was safe.
Surprising Findings
Hypertension is primarily caused by processed foods disrupting regulatory mechanisms rather than solely salt or sugar.
Common public health messaging emphasizes salt reduction as the primary solution, but this study shifts blame to overall processed food consumption.
Practical Takeaways
Consult a doctor before attempting water-only fasting; this study was conducted in a controlled residential setting with medical supervision.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Imagine your blood pressure is too high. This study tried a plan: no food for a while, then only plants. It worked! Most people's blood pressure went back to normal, they lost weight, and didn't need meds anymore. And it was safe.
Surprising Findings
Hypertension is primarily caused by processed foods disrupting regulatory mechanisms rather than solely salt or sugar.
Common public health messaging emphasizes salt reduction as the primary solution, but this study shifts blame to overall processed food consumption.
Practical Takeaways
Consult a doctor before attempting water-only fasting; this study was conducted in a controlled residential setting with medical supervision.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2024
Authors
E. Zeiler, S. Gabriel, M. Ncube, Natasha Thompson, Daniel E. Newmire, Eugene L Scharf, A. Goldhamer, T. R. Myers
Related Content
Claims (10)
Hypertension is primarily caused by processed foods that disrupt multiple regulatory mechanisms of blood pressure, rather than being solely a salt or sugar issue.
People with high blood pressure who did a water-only fast followed by a plant-based diet saw their blood pressure drop to normal levels and stay that way for at least six weeks.
Overweight or obese people with high blood pressure lost about 5.2 kg (6% of their starting weight) after a water-only fast and plant-based diet, and kept the weight off for six weeks.
Most people with high blood pressure who were on medication stopped taking it after the diet and fast, and stayed off it for six weeks.
When people with high blood pressure did a supervised water-only fast and plant-based diet, most side effects were minor and nothing serious happened.