Snacking During Midnight Ups Risk Of These Diseases

Do you feel hungry in the middle of the night? If yes, what do you do at that point of time? Quickly munching in some snacks that is available at home is something that most of us do.

But, this is one of the worst habit that one can have as this can increase the risk of several health issues.

According to a new study, eating during the night may increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes by disrupting the body's biological clock.

Researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico looked at levels of fat, called triglycerides, in the blood of rats.

During the study they found that after feeding the rats fat at the beginning of their rest period, their blood fat levels spiked more drastically than when fed during the beginning of their active phase. When they removed the part of the rat's brain that controls the 24-hour cycle, there was no longer a change in fat levels.

"The fact that we can ignore our biological clock is important for survival; we can decide to sleep during the day when we are extremely tired or we run away from danger at night," said Ruud Buijs, author of the study published in the journal Experimental Physiology.

"However, doing this frequently - with shift work, jet lag, or staying up late at night - will harm our health in the long-term especially when we eat at times when we should sleep," said Buijs.

High blood fat levels are associated with heart disease and diabetes, researchers said. These diseases are associated with a lifestyle where humans ignore the signals of the biological clock, and eat in the evening and night.

The study demonstrates why such a lifestyle out of sync with our 24-hour cycle may result in high blo

od fat levels and thus in a higher risk for heart problems.

Meanwhile, also learn about a few of the simple ways to prevent heart disease. Take a look.

1. Quit Smoking:
Smoking can affect the regular blood flow in the body and can increase the risk of several heart problems. Quitting smoking and also consumption of excess alcohol helps in preventing the risk of heart problem.

2. Maintain Blood Pressure:

Having a regular and normal blood flow is important for a healthy living. This helps in keeping the heart disease and even diabetes at bay.

3. Regular Exercise:
Exercise does not mean you need to hit the gym. Even a 30 minutes of walking, jogging or cycling everyday helps in keeping you healthy and prevent different forms of cancer.

4. Healthy Diet:
Having a healthy diet is very important to keep cancer at bay. A diet low in salt and saturated fat helps. Also, add foods that is rich in fibre, vitamins, calcium, minerals and all the essential minerals as these helps in preventing several health issues including cancer.

(With Agency Inputs)