Follow
STATES CHRONICLE – Diets and food habits have been a long-time subject of controversy, and they will most likely keep their status for a long time to come. So of course, whenever a new study claiming the benefits of one eating habit or another comes out, plenty other experts rush to correct the perennially misinformed masses.
As was the case with this most recent study coming from the University of California San Diego, which had a group of researchers claim that breast cancer recurrence risk is increased by midnight snacks. Of course, many parties jumped either to defend or to critique the study.
Following some 2,400 early stage breast cancer survivors, the team of researchers found that the less the night-time fast lasted, the higher the chances of the cancer returning. According to the findings, no eating for less than 13 hours was tied to a 36 percent higher chance of breast cancer returning and to a 21 percent higher risk of dying from the condition.
Still, being an observational study, as well as a meta-analysis, the researchers couldn’t really find a cause and effect relationship between the two, only a link. So the breast cancer returning could actually be tied to any number of other factors that relate to not fasting at night. And even the team has an idea of what that cause might be.
HbA1C, a marker of average blood sugar levels, has been previously tied to an increased risk of breast cancer. So it could just be that not eating for longer amounts decreases the levels of HbA1C in the system, simultaneously reducing the chances of the disease returning.
And so far, so good. The study promotes something healthy, nothing out of the ordinary or particularly controversial. So where did the critiques begin? Well, they began as the researchers started praising the benefits of fasting outside of their test results.
Recent times have seen more and groups having contrary opinions on the subject, with many praising fasting as something very healthy and natural, and others saying how it is actually bad for the body to spend too much time without eating.
Of course, both sides have some pretty compelling arguments, as well as their fair share of scientific data to back them up. So how should you feel about fasting? Well, it all depends on you. How does your body take to it? If you’re feeling particularly weakened, maybe the practice isn’t for you. But if you’re feeling fine, go for it. But make sure to check some guidelines first, don’t just go ahead and stop eating all by yourself.
Image source: Wikimedia
