Intermittent Fasting Blood Pressure Drop
Written by Andrew Brewer. ⚕️Reviewed and fact checked by our medical team.
Intermittent fasting is more than just a way to lose weight. It has a lot of health benefits, including normalizing your blood pressure.
That’s why some people with high blood pressure choose intermittent fasting to lower their blood pressure. Combined with physical exercise and improved food choices, intermittent fasting can reduce your risk for heart disease.
However, if you’re taking medication for your high blood pressure, and your blood pressure suddenly drops while you’re fasting, it can be dangerous. If you’re on any kind of heart medication, you should talk to your doctor before you start an intermittent fasting plan.
Key Takeaways
- Intermittent fasting can help normalize blood pressure levels, making it a potentially useful tool for managing hypertension.
- Those taking heart medication should consult with their healthcare provider before starting an intermittent fasting plan to avoid potentially dangerous drops in blood pressure.
- Intermittent fasting can help with weight loss and insulin resistance, both of which are associated with high blood pressure.
- When choosing a diet plan, it’s essential to consider past experiences, personal preferences, budget, and health conditions.
- Intermittent fasting is flexible and easy to start, but it’s important to combine it with a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management, for maximum benefit.
Hypertension and Fasting
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects about 1.3 billion people worldwide, and it causes about 10 million deaths each year, according to the World Heart Federation.
Hypertension is the number one risk factor for death on a global basis, and it is also known as the silent killer.
Choosing a heart-healthy lifestyle by eating better, exercising more, and using intermittent fasting can save your life.
How Fasting Works to Lower Blood Pressure
People who are obese or overweight are more likely to experience high blood pressure. Because intermittent fasting can help you lose weight, that’s one of the main reasons it can lower your blood pressure.
Another factor is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance happens when your body is constantly triggered to produce insulin because of high glucose levels in your bloodstream.
When your blood has high insulin levels, it has a higher salt concentration. The salt in your blood then attracts excess fluids, which increases the amount of blood you have in your system. The increased volume raises your blood pressure.
People with high blood pressure should avoid eating salty, fried, and heavily processed foods. Processed and fried foods contain a lot of salt. Switching to intermittent fasting normalizes your insulin levels, thereby lowering blood pressure.
How to Choose The Best Diet
If you have high blood pressure, you’ve probably already talked with your doctor about what diets you should consider. If you’re still having trouble deciding how to choose the best diet, consider the following:
- Past diets: what you tried in the past, what worked, and what you liked or disliked about previous diets.
- Personal preferences: how much time you want to spend on a diet and whether or not you want to work alone or with a group.
- Budget: how much you can spend.
- Health conditions: diseases or health conditions, allergies, and other factors such as pregnancy and nursing can affect your choice of diet.
You’ll be pleasantly surprised if you’ve never tried intermittent fasting. It’s unlike other diets because you have many options and flexibility to make it work for your lifestyle. It doesn’t cost you money and can help reduce your risk of many diseases.
There are several different intermittent fasting techniques to choose from, and it’s easy to start right away.
Intermittent Fasting Takeaways
Intermittent fasting normalizes your blood pressure and has numerous other health benefits. Combined with physical exercise, eating the right foods, and staying hydrated, intermittent fasting is the best choice if you have hypertension.
Your fasting plan needs to be flexible enough to suit your lifestyle and allow for treats now and then. Use a fasting app to improve your chances of being successful with intermittent fasting. It will remind you when your fasting window is over and is an easy way to keep track of the foods you eat.
FAQ
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Can Intermittent Fasting lower blood pressure?
Yes, studies have shown that Intermittent Fasting can help lower blood pressure.
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How does Intermittent Fasting lower blood pressure?
Intermittent Fasting can lower blood pressure by reducing inflammation, improving insulin sensitivity, and decreasing oxidative stress.
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How long does it take for Intermittent Fasting to lower blood pressure?
The length of time it takes for Intermittent Fasting to lower blood pressure varies from person to person. Some people may see a drop in blood pressure within a few weeks, while others may take several months to see a significant change.
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What are the other health benefits of Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent Fasting has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and improved brain function.
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Is Intermittent Fasting safe for everyone?
Intermittent Fasting may not be safe for everyone, including pregnant women, people with a history of eating disorders, and that underweight.
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What are the different types of Intermittent Fasting?
There are several different types of Intermittent Fasting, including the 16/8 method, the 5:2 diet, alternate-day fasting, and the Warrior Diet.
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Should I consult my doctor before starting Intermittent Fasting?
Yes, it is always a good idea to consult with your doctor before starting any new dietary practice, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.