Fasting for the elderly should be done intermittently, a Public Health Consultant, Dr Claribel Abam, has said.
The doctor advised that the elderly should not embark on prolonged fasting, which may impact negatively on their body organs.
Abam gave the warning while speaking on “Maintaining A Healthy Lifestyle“ at the ongoing 2020 Port Harcourt National Convention.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, which held both physically and virtually in about 67 mini convention centres across the nation, was organised by the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International (FGBMFI) Nigeria.
The theme of the event is “Come Forth As Gold’’.
Abam said maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the most important way of enjoying aging.
According to her, the ageing process may cause health challenges such as reduced body temperature regulation, depletion of body and brain cells, inflammation and hormonal changes.
She cautioned the elderly against doing things as usual while ageing, as the body cannot carry out all its usual functions as it did when the individual was younger.
“If you don’t maintain your lifestyle, you will age with pain and sorrow but if you maintain a certain lifestyle, your ageing will be interesting.
“The ageing process does a lot to the body and when you’re older you no longer need to do things you did when you were 30 years or 40 years,” Abam said.
She, however, recommended that the aged adopt a lifestyle of intermittent fasting, as there are numerous benefits associated with it.
Abam said the benefits included protection from diabetes, control and discipline of eating pattern, improving metabolism and immune system, burning of body fat and improvement of skin.
“If you take out a fast, say until 6:00 p.m. for one month. Make sure in between the 12 hours there’s 12 hours you’re satiated so that the organs of your body can function properly,” she said.
She advised that intermittent fasting be carried out for a few days, after a long feast or holidays to help the body system rearrange itself.
“Anytime you do a comprehensive check and the results show that some things are too high, take out a fast, they’ll come down,” she said. (NAN)
