Fasting, which refers to the voluntarily abstaining from food and / or drink for a period, has been practiced for thousands of years. Primarily performed in the past for religious or cultural reasons, recent research has shown that it can also offer many health benefits.
Fasting is an effective way to give the digestive system a break, allowing the body to rest and focus on healing and repair. Amazingly our bodies have evolved over the millennia with numerous complex systems for maintaining balance within our cells and allowing for energy production. These systems are not able to optimally function when there is a constant intake of food & drink (calories which the body is obligated to process). In other words, think of a house in which there is continual entertaining of numerous guests. The residents of the house won’t have an opportunity to thoroughly clean the house because of the continual presence of guests and after some time the house will begin to show deterioration. The body, like the house, needs time to attend to its own “housekeeping”.
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of fasting is for the promotion of weight loss. With less time available for eating, the resulting reduction in caloric intake allows the body to use stored fat for energy and thus increase fat burning. This in turn can improve insulin sensitivity which is important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders.
Giving the body time without the intake of calories enables those repair mechanisms to optimally function and a kind of “housekeeping” takes place. This critical fasting time has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body. Although inflammation is a natural response of the immune system to fight infection and injury, prolonged inflammation contributes to a range of health problems including several chronic conditions and neurodegenerative diseases. Reducing inflammation has been linked with improved brain function, including increased focus and concentration, as well as improved memory and learning. This is because fasting increases the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is essential for the growth and survival of neurons in the brain. In addition, by promoting cellular repair and reducing oxidative stress (inflammation) studies have suggested that fasting may increase lifespan and enhance healthy longevity.
Fasting can stimulate the production of immune cells, helping to strengthen the immune system and improve resistance to disease. It activates a process called autophagy, which helps to remove damaged cells and pathogens from the body. In this regard, research has even shown fasting to be beneficial for some people who have different types of cancers.
Increasingly popular now, intermittent fasting or time-restricted feeding is a pattern of eating that involves alternating periods of fasting and eating. It is a method of scheduling your meals to optimize the body’s natural processes.
There are many different approaches but the most common involves eating during an 8-hour window and fasting for the remaining 16 hours each day. Another approach is 5:2 where you eat normally for five days of the week and restrict intake to 500-600 calories for the other two non-consecutive days. This severe caloric restriction may prove quite difficult for some, while others may find their work, family and life demands don’t allow eating during a small window of time. The essential point is to do what is manageable for you and as a rule, allow periods of time when you can feel hungry.
In terms of religious practices, one universal reason for the practice of fasting has been for spiritual purification. Fasting can help individuals to focus their minds and hearts on their faith and strengthen their spiritual beliefs. It also helps to remove distractions and temptations that might interfere with this spiritual growth. Fasting can be a way of reminding oneself of the impermanence of worldly pleasures and the need to focus on spiritual matters. By denying oneself food, individuals remind themselves that material possessions and pleasures are temporary and that spiritual matters are ultimately more important. Finally, in some religions, fasting is a way of expressing empathy and compassion for those who are less fortunate.
Please remember that while fasting can have many potential benefits, it may not be suitable for everyone. People with certain health conditions or those who are pregnant, or breastfeeding should consult with a healthcare provider before starting a fasting regimen.