Anger causes untimely death

Researchers have discovered that angry men aged 20 to 40 were one-and-a-half times more likely to be dead 35 years later than those who were calmer. They believe this is due to a number of factors linking stress to physiological damage. The frequent release of adrenaline during periods of stress damages DNA, which could lead to life-threatening illnesses such as multiple sclerosis.

Feelings of anger produce a heightened response in the amygdala, the part of the brain associated with survival instincts. Angry emotions prompt the amygdala to signal a heightened state of anxiety to the rest of the brain and the body, increasing blood flow to the limbs and heart, which makes relaxation impossible.

Those exposed to anger-inducing stimuli without discussing how it made them feel are more likely to experience insomnia than those who engage in an emotional ‘debrief’, according to neuroscientists. Writing the cause of anger frees up the space in the head, dampening the fear response and encouraging relaxation.

 Emotions such as excitement or anger result in the release of stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and testosterone, which put the body into flight-or-flight mode. The chemical surge increases blood flow to the brain and triggers the swelling of both blood vessels and nerves surrounding the brain. The pressure can result in tension and headaches.

Highly hostile individuals performed significantly worse on a simple inhalation task than those who were rated less hostile. When you are angry, neurotransmitters and hormones are sent through the bloodstream which, in turn, increase both the heart rate and muscle tension. Frequent occurrence of this reaction puts a strain on neurons in the hypothalamus, the brain’s ‘stress control centre’, meaning that it becomes harder for the neurons to switch off. And the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin is significantly depleted in some aggressive individuals.

Too much cortisol in the body – released by adrenal glands during angry outbursts can cause an imbalance in blood sugar, repress the thyroid and even decrease bone density. When released initially, cortisol triggers an anti-inflammatory response by the immune system, but prolonged increase of the hormone makes the body more susceptible to viruses. As blood pressure rises thanks to a surge in adrenaline, the heart beats faster, increasing the risk of potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms. Adrenaline also signals for the release of platelets, which can trigger blood clots or block arteries – particularly dangerous if arteries are restricted by a build-up of cholesterol.

Studies have shown that men in particular who score highly on trait anger scales are three times more likely to suffer from general heart disease. Once the ‘fight or flight’ signal has been issued by the brain, blood supply is directed to areas needed for action such as the limbs. That means blood supply to the digestive system is reduced, with a reduced amount of oxygen provided to keep vital ‘good’ bacteria in the gut alive. A dampened immune system can lead to a weakened gut lining, increasing vulnerability to harmful bacteria entering the area.

Heightened stress reduces the amount of available glucocorticoids -the hormone involved in the synthesis of the skin-plumping compound collagen. Lack of collagen contributes towards saggy, wrinkled skin. The weakened immune system caused by stress responses increases inflammatory reactions to pathogens underneath the skin.

Enhanced periods of anger disrupt the skin-barrier function, making it easier for allergens to penetrate and resulting in skin conditions such as dermatitis and psoriasis. Repressing, rather than expressing anger puts you at an higher risk of developing health problems. This increased risk of hypertension for angry individuals who tended to keep their anger below a level of consciousness. By repressing emotion, excess stress hormones remain in the emotion-processing areas of the brain for longer period making physical reactions chronic.
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Eating at the wrong time increase the risk of heart disease

Eating late at night increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes by raising levels of harmful blood fats. Shift work, is triggering the killer illnesses by leading to people eating their meals at the wrong time of the day. Experiments on rats found when they ate at the start of their rest period there was a dramatic spike in triglycerides, compared to being fed just before they became active.

Triglycerides are blood fats produced in the liver and derived from foods such as meat, dairy products and cooking oils. They are different from cholesterol but can also clog arteries, leading to cardiovascular disease, or inflame the pancreas, triggering diabetes. People with high levels of triglycerides in their blood are more likely to have heart problems when the part of the rat's brain that controls the circadian rhythm was no longer in change of the fat levels.

Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are linked to a lifestyle where humans ignore the signals of the biological clock and eat in the evening and late at night. The researchers said the study demonstrates why such a routine is out of sync with 24-hour cycle and may result in high blood fat levels and a higher risk for illnesses.

Eating late frequently during with shift work, jet lag, or staying up late at night will harm human health in the long term especially when we eat at times when we should sleep. People put on more weight when they ate three meals a day between noon and 11pm than when they consumed the same amount of calories from 8am to 7pm. The late night meals caused them to pile on by reducing the breaking down of fats.

Delayed eating also led them to store carbohydrates which can lead to weight gain and raised blood sugar and insulin levels, increasing the risk of diabetes. Their cholesterol and triglyceride levels rose too, raising the likelihood of heart disease. Disruption of circadian regulation has been linked to metabolic abnormalities. Epidemiological evidence shows night work is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

As rats are nocturnal, they rest during the day and are active at night. When they ate two hours after the onset of daylight, rather than dark, their triglyceride levels soared. The suprachiasmatic nucleus SCN has a major role in day-night variations in plasma triglycerides by promoting their uptake into skeletal muscle and brown adipose tissue.

Disturbance of the biological clock might be an important risk factor contributing to the development of hyperlipidemia (high blood fats). In the last decade studies have documented triglycerides can cause strokes and heart attacks. In humans they rise during the resting phase, suggesting the involvement of the SCN on behavioral activity.

Since triglyceride levels are an important factor in the progress of blood clots, these results may have potential implications for the cause of cardiovascular diseases in the context of inadequate feeding times, shifted towards the rest phase. According to a 2013 study early eaters lost twelve percent of their body weight, while late eaters lost only 8 percent, even though they all followed the same diet and exercise regime.

According to a 2007 study people who eat most of their food at night have higher body mass indexes than those who eat earlier in the day. Another study showed participants who ate between 11 pm and 5am gained more weight than those who did not eat during those hours.
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High BMI and blood pressure cause heavy heart

Being overweight or obese creates damaging changes to the structure of the heart, the direct damage that carrying extra weight has on the heart's weight and size, and implicates a range of other modifiable risk factors including high blood pressure.

Researchers measured the effects of a range of lifestyle risk factors, including blood pressure, smoking status, body mass index BMI, exercise, cholesterol, alcohol intake and diabetes, on the four chambers of the heart. They discovered that risk factors could all have varying effects on the heart, but an overall increased heart weight was linked to overweight and obesity.

There is a link between high BMI and heart disease, this increases blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of developing diabetes, which are all independent risk factors for heart disease. BMI and blood pressure led to heavier and bigger hearts, which increases the risk of heart problems, including heart attacks.

Being overweight, sedentary lifestyle, eating junk foods and having high blood pressure on the structure and function of the heart for a long period of time may lead to heart disease and heart failure which may leads to irreversible heart damage.
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Skipping breakfast hardens the arteries

According to latest research, skipping breakfast is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, or the hardening and narrowing of arteries due to a build-up of plaque. Eating a healthy breakfast makes heart healthy, improves healthier weight and cholesterol while skipping breakfast can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

 Researchers examined male and female volunteers who were free from cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease. A computerized questionnaire was used to estimate the usual diet of the participants, and breakfast patterns were based on the percentage of total daily energy intake consumed at breakfast.

Some participants consumed less than five percent of their total energy intake in the morning- skipped breakfast and only had coffee, juice or other non-alcoholic beverages); some consumed more than 20 percent of their total energy intake in the morning (breakfast consumers); and those consuming between five and 20 percent (low-energy breakfast consumers).

Atherosclerosis was observed more frequently among participants who skipped breakfast and was also higher in participants who consumed low-energy breakfasts compared to breakfast consumers.

Cardiometabolic risk markers were more prevalent in those who skipped breakfast and low-energy breakfast consumers compared to breakfast consumers. Participants who skipped breakfast had the greatest waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, blood lipids and fasting glucose levels.

Participants who skipped breakfast were more likely to have an overall unhealthy lifestyle, including poor overall diet, frequent alcohol consumption and smoking. They may be hypertensive and obese. Breakfast skippers are generally attempting to lose weight, they often eat more unhealthy foods. Skipping breakfast can cause hormonal imbalances and alter circadian rhythms.
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Links between poor diet and untimely death

Inadequate nutrition and unhealthy eating habits are associated with untimely death. Many people are eating a diet which consists of too much salt and saturated fat, and less fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

Western diet comprises of processed foods that have little or no nutrients, it is linked to hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, colorectal cancer and hepatitis. Low intake of healthy foods is the major cause of mortality, poor nutrition habits can be a behavioral health issue, because nutrition and diet affect feeling, thinking and behavior. Poor diet results in lower strength.

According to National Institutes of Health, hypertension is one of the results of poor nutrition. Eating too much junk food, fried food, salt, sugar, dairy products, caffeine and refined food can cause hypertension.

Poor nutrition can lead to high cholesterol, which is the major cause of heart disease. High cholesterol foods contain large amount of saturated fat. Ice cream, Eggs, Cheese, Butter and Beef can cause high cholesterol. Diabetes also can be linked to poor diet.

A stroke is caused by plaque that builds up in a blood vessel, then breaks free as a clot that moves to the brain and creates a blockage can be linked to poor nutrition. Strokes damage the brain and impair functioning, sometimes leading to death. Foods high in salt, fat and cholesterol increase the risk for stroke.

Different types of cancer like bladder, colon and breast cancers, may be caused by poor dietary habits. Avoid foods that contains refined sugars, nitrates and hydrogenated oils. Eat fruits and vegetables everyday to remain healthy and avoid untimely death.
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Diabetes and heart disease are related

Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, CHD Researchers examined the
genome sequence information of some people and discovered 16 new diabetes genetic risk factors, and one new CHD genetic risk factor; showing that the two diseases are related.

They discovered that sites on the genome associated with higher diabetes risk are also associated with higher CHD risk. For eight of these sites, the researchers were able to identify a specific gene variant that influences risk for both diseases.

The shared genetic risk factors affect biological pathways including immunity, cell proliferation, and heart development. Identifying these gene variants linked to both type 2 diabetes and CHD risk in principle opens up opportunities to reduce the risk of both diseases.

The genetic link between the diseases appears to work in one direction, so that risk genes for type 2 diabetes are much more likely to be associated with higher CHD risk than the other way around. Additionally, there could be some pathways where pharmacological lowering of one disease increases the risk of the other.

The researchers also found that diabetes-linked gene variants tend to differ in their apparent effects on CHD risk, depending on their mechanisms. Variants that increase the chance of obesity or high blood pressure, for example, appear to boost CHD risk more strongly than variants that alter insulin or glucose levels.

They discovered that the genomic regions implicated as dual diabetes-CHD risk loci encompass targets of some existing drugs. One such drug is icosapent, an omega-3 fatty acid component of some fish oils, which lowers cholesterol and is sold in concentrated form as a prescription pharmaceutical.
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Statins reduce the risk of breast cancer

Lowering cholesterol activity reduces the risk of breast cancer, oestrogen hormone helps cancer to spread, that is why women are given anti-hormone treatments after chemotherapy and surgery.

Women whose genes encourage the production of  cholesterol are prone to breast cancer, statins can reduce the levels of cholesterol, taking statins to lower cholesterol could prevent breast cancer.

Statins interrupt the enzymatic reduction of HMG-CoA to mevalonate. This prevents synthesis of cholesterol.
Taking statins can reduce the risk of breast cancer. Statin is a form of medicine that is used to decrease the amount of low-density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Researchers followed up women both with and without a high cholesterol aged and compared it to mortality rates and breast cancer developments, they discovered that women taking statins have lower risk of developing cancer.
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Poor sleep pattern linked with overweight

Poor sleep patterns are linked with overweight, obesity and poor metabolic health. Sleeping less than seven hours recommended for an adults increases the risk of overweight.

Insufficient sleep could contribute to the development of metabolic diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar and thyroid function.

Obesity contributes to the development of many diseases like type 2 diabetes. Shorter sleep was also linked to reduced levels of high density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol.

 HDL cholesterol is 'good' cholesterol that helps remove 'bad' fat from the circulation. High HDL cholesterol levels protect the heart from diseases.
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How to break sugar addiction

Insomnia, regular breakouts, craving for sweet and exhausted taste buds may be an indicator that you are suffering from a sugar addiction.

 Sugar addiction can leads to overweight and obesity. Excessive sugar consumption in different forms destroys body systems generally.

Acne is an indication that there is too much sugar in the diet, damage to the skin proteins, collagen and elastin, leading to premature wrinkles and aging.

Change in taste bud; taste buds are addicted to sweet foods and may not want any food that is not sweet.

Diet high in sugar can increase cancer growth; tumors used sugar as energy to mutate and spread across the body.

Bacteria in the mouth feeds on sugars which creates harmful acids causing tooth decay, destroy tooth enamel and form hole in the tooth.

The pancreas releases insulin to transfer glucose to the cell's after consuming sugar, the higher the sugar peak, the more extreme the sugar dip that will follow.

Sugar interrupts the supply of important neurotransmitter precursors through the blood-brain barrier - and particularly ones that help produce serotonin and dopamine, which influence mood.

Excess sugar consumption decrease the amount of good cholesterol in the bloodstream and increase the amount of bad cholesterol in the body, leading to heart disease.

The liver struggles to process excessive amounts of sugar. The unprocessed sugars are converted to fat calls, which are distributed throughout the body. It can leads to obesity.

Too much sugar in the body can cause bacteria to move from the colon to the small intestine, proliferate on the foods digesting in the small intestine and cause bloating, acid reflux, gas and abdominal cramping.

Sugar can be remove from the body by replacing process foods with whole foods and by replacing all processed drinks with water.
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Dementia risk factors

Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or a series of strokes. Healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Older people suffering from Alzheimer's disease are prone to dementia disease because of irregular blood supply to the brain.

Drinking of alcohol regularly increases the risk of dementia. Alcohol can damage the brain directly as a neurotoxin and by reducing nutrients that get to the brain.

The accumulation of fats and cholesterol in the lining of arteries can prevents blood flow to the brain.

Poor management of diabetes can leads to too much sugar in the blood which can damage brain and different organs in the body.

Genetics- Having more than one family member that have the disease increases the risk of developing it.

High blood pressure affects the white matter regions of the brain, and this can leads to dementia.

Depression has been associated with mild mental impairment and cognitive function decline.

Smoking exposes brain to toxins and hinders blood flow, smokers are prone to diseases that reduce blood flow to the brain.
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Links between diabetes and erectile dysfunction

According to latest research, erectile dysfunction affects more than half of diabetes patients, some of the affected men could not maintain an erection.

Diabetes increases a man's risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction.
It can damage the nerves and blood vessels needed to become aroused leading to erectile dysfunction.

Diabetes patients can struggle to maintain an erection even if they produce the necessary hormones or are sufficiently sexually stimulated.

Regular medical examination can reduce the risk of diabetes complications like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and kidney disease.

Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney problems, it increases the risk of untimely death.
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Healthy heart leads to healthy brain

Healthy lifestyle at 20 protects the brain at 40 and prevents brain shrinkage.
Neuroscientists monitored some participants for more than two decades and discovered that those that follow healthy lifestyle had less brain shrinkage.

Healthy lifestyle of a low-cholesterol diet, regular exercise, no smoking and eating less sugar at 20 prevents brain shrinkage at 40.

The American Heart Association created seven simple steps to improve heart health, these are- maintaining a healthy blood pressure, controlling cholesterol, reducing blood sugar, being active, eating healthy foods, losing weight and no smoking.

There is a link between smoking and smaller brain volume. Smoking can leads to thinning of the brain cortex, the outer part of the brain that is crucial for cognition.

Smoking increases the blood pressure and put the brain at the risk of stroke. A stroke occurs when high blood pressure causes the tiny vessels of the brain to break, causing bleeding.
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Vegetable oils and their health benefits

Extra virgin olive oil
It protects memory, prevents dementia, reduces inflammation in the body and could help with conditions such as psoriasis, arthritis and eczema.

Coconut oil
Caprylic and lauric fatty acids in coconut oil reduce inflammation. It is used for treating viral and bacterial infections and skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Flaxseed oil
For treating acne, eczema, psoriasis, sunburn and rosacea.
The hormone-balancing lignans and plant estrogens in flaxseed stabilise a woman's estrogen-progesterone ratio, they can have beneficial effects on the menstrual cycle, and relieve the hot flashes of perimenopause and menopause.

Sunflower oil
It is rich in oleic-acid. It contains Vitamin E, which prevents dangerous free radicals from oxidizing the body’s cholesterol. It protects against hazardous effects of UV radiation, offers photoprotection and effectively works on wrinkles, blemishes & patchy skin.

Walnut oil
Walnut oil contains high levels of monounsaturated oils such as omega 9 which help to keep arteries supple. The flexibility of the arteries promotes the flow of blood free of any hardening leading to hypertension and heart disease. It reduces inflammation and prevent diseases like arthritis. Walnuts are rich in phytonutrients and are an excellent source of selenium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, iron, and calcium that stabilize body hormones.

Peanut oil
Peanut oil massage is helpful for relieving arthritic pain in joints. It helps in arthritis because it is anti-inflammatory and analgesic.
Peanut oil boosts blood circulation, massage with peanut oil improves the level of prostaglandins in blood. Peanut oil is also a good cooking oil.

Avocado oil
Avocado oil consists of oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. This type of fat has been proven to help lower high blood pressure and lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. It reduces arthritis symptoms, boosts nutrients absorption and fights breast and prostate cancer.
Vitamin E and the carotenoid lutein in avocado oil reduces risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.

Rapeseed oil
Is a good source of vitamin E, high in monounsaturated fats, it has plant sterols, which are very good at lowering cholesterol.

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Treatment and prevention of cancer

Treatment of cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer. Age and health status of the patients will also dictate the treatment.

Common cancer treatment are: surgery,
radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy or gene therapy.

Cancer can be prevented by eating healthy diet. Eating foods that are low in fat, rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains can reduce risk of having cancer.

Some vaccines have been associated with prevention of some cancers. For example, vaccination for the human papillomavirus prevents cervical cancer. Hepatitis B vaccines prevents
hepatitis B virus, which can cause cancer of the liver.

Breast self-examination, mammograms, testicular self-examination, and Pap smears are common screening methods for different cancers prevention.

You can prevent cancer by, being physically active, eating a healthy diet, controlling cholesterol, managing blood pressure, reducing blood sugar and not smoking.

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Coconut oil contains high levels of saturated fats

According to American Heart Association, coconut oil is packed with saturated fat which can raise bad cholesterol.

Saturated fats are not healthy because they can raise bad cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

Coconut oil contains 82 per cent of saturated fat which can accumulate in the body, causing blockages within the arteries.

Coconut oil can cause sudden and severe body allergic reaction which can be life threatening.

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Fried potatoes can cause cancer

Trans fat raised bad cholesterol, which can lead to cardiovascular disease. Fried potatoes are exposed to cooking oil at high temperature, this exposed the food to bad cholesterol.

The researchers were already looking at 4,440 people aged 45 to 79 over a period of eight years to study osteoarthritis when they decided to momentarily look at the effect of potatoes consumption.

Researchers have discovered a link between eating fried potatoes and early death, the way in which potatoes are fried is due to a chemical called acrylamide that can lead to cancer. The chemical is produced when starchy foods like potatoes are cooked at a high temperature.

Boiled, mashed or baked potatoes are healthy for consumption, potatoes  have no fat, sodium and cholesterol, they contain vitamin C and potassium.

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Heart disease and diabetes can be prevented by traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicines could prevent heart disease and the progression of pre-diabetes.

Some herbal treatments proved as effective in lowering blood pressure as Western drugs and improved heart health by lowering cholesterol.

Chinese medicines could be used alongside conventional treatments,  or
they can be use as an alternative for patients intolerant of Western drugs.

The Chinese have used herbs for treating diseases for many years.
The blood pressure-lowering effect of herb zhongfujiangya was found to be similar to that of oral anti-hypertension medication benazeprilm, which goes by the brand name Lotensin.

 Patients treated for eight weeks with herbal tiankuijiangya had a lower reading than those given a placebo.
Herbal Jiangya tablets were found to significantly lower systolic blood pressure.

The herb Jiangyabao also had a significant effect compared to a placebo, but overall, compared to the drug Nimodipine, a calcium channel blocker, Qiqilian  capsules also proved more effective compared to a placebo.

Some remedies – such as tangzhiping and tianqi – might prevent the progression of pre-diabetes to diabetes.

The researchers looked at research on dyslipidemia, the term for unbalanced or unhealthy cholesterol levels. They
discovered that jiangzhitongluo, salviamiltiorrhiza and pueraria lobata, and zhibitai capsule all have a potent lipid-lowing effect.

Some traditional Chinese medicines such as qiliqiangxin, nuanxin, shencaotongmai, and yangxinkang, might be effective in improving function in patients with chronic heart failure.


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Natural ways of reducing high cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance called lipid,  that is essential vital for normal body function.

High level of cholesterol can lead to circulatory problems, peripheral arterial disease and heart disease.

High cholesterol is caused by diet full of
saturated fats from animal products, and trans fat found in processed foods.

Eating foods rich in fibre like beans, oat, and flaxseed can lower cholesterol levels. Add garlic to your food and engage regular physical activities.

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Marriage could make you live longer

Researchers based at Aston Medical School, Birmingham, monitored the survival of over a million people who had risk factors for heart disease - high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes.

They discovered that people with high cholesterol were 16 per cent more likely to be alive at the end of the study if they were married.

The same was true for diabetes and high blood pressure, with married people having 14 per cent and 10 per cent higher survival respectively compared to those who were single. The
support offered by a spouse may be the reason for survival.

Researchers suspect that people are better at managing these risk factors when they are supported by their loved one. The research suggests that marriage controls risk factors for heart disease.


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Dangers of eating late

Eating late increases the risk of weight gain, diabetes and heart disease.  Researchers discovered that eating late raises glucose and insulin levels.
Late-night meals also raise cholesterol and triglycerides, increase risk of heart disease.

Researchers instructed nine adults of healthy weights to spend eight weeks to eat during the daytime, which involved consuming three meals and two snacks between 8am and 7pm.

Then the group followed a delayed eating routine, having three meals and two snacks eating from noon to 11 pm for eight weeks.

 The researchers measured changes in weight, metabolism and energy used, they discovered that when participants ate later, compared to when they ate during the daytime, their weight increased.

They found late-night meals caused people to gain weight by reducing their body's fat metabolism. Test showed
that eating later led the participants to metabolize fewer fats and store carbohydrates which can raise blood sugar levels.

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