A study by the University of Washington School of Medicine (USA) reveals that the ability of the human heart to adapt to physical exercise, stress and other factors is greater in people subjected to caloric restriction in their diet – that is, , a healthy diet but with 30% fewer calories than normal – for at least seven years. The study has been published in the journal 'Aging Cell'.
According to the authors of the research, the greater variability of the heartbeat means that the heart can adapt to changes more quickly, pumping more or less blood as needed. This variability decreases as we age because the cardiovascular system becomes less flexible. However, a restrictive diet can cause the heart to age more slowly and stay up to 20 years younger than normal.
What is most interesting about the finding, according to the authors, is that heartbeat variability is a measure of how the autonomic nervous system affects this organ. And since this system is also involved in digestion, breathing, and other involuntary actions, scientists suggest that the rest of the body's functions could also improve when we reduce our daily calorie intake.
