What is Fasting
Fasting is an ancient tradition, a basic element of all major religions and as old as human history itself. Fasting means abstinence. Voluntarily and consciously abstain from eating and stimulants in order to relieve the body, for a few hours or even days, depending on the method. During this time, the body lives on its energy reserves and taps into its stored fat stores.
For myself and I’m sure for many others, I initially thought that fasting seemed like just another weight loss trend. But I soon came to realise that it was much more than that.
From an evolutionary point of view, fasting is just as much a part of life as eating, and researchers are increasingly amazed at the powerful side effects that systematic food abstinence has on our bodies; the withdrawal of food triggers healing processes and is beneficial to the progression of diseases.
Fasting – Don’t we need to eat to stay fit and healthy?
Before I researched it, I felt the same way. Fasting? A possibly harmful procedure for slimming fanatics or anti-indulgence ascetics. That’s what I initially thought when I realised it was becoming a trend. I knew about fasting though from when I lived in Germany. The Germans are quite fanatical about their Gesundheit (health) and they often take a yearly fasting cure holiday, where they pay a lot of money for eating practically nothing.
How can fasting contribute to our health?
The voluntary withdrawal of food not only has a rejuvenating and regenerating effect, the medical significance of it is also becoming increasingly clear.
Fasting acts like a ‘healing’ – shock to the body. It turns physiology on its head and triggers entire cascades of biochemical reactions. For example, special cleaning mechanisms are stimulated: activating the waste disposal and recycling system of the body`s cells.
Fasting has also been shown to inhibit inflammation and lower high blood pressure, and as the latest research shows, fasting can also be beneficial to cancer sufferers.
The findings of new scientific research are showing, for example, that when fasting, age and cancer genes in the genetic material are silenced. Indeed, research into the body’s fantastic molecular waste-disposal capabilities is now shedding new light on even the concept of ‘waste’, which was long rejected by medicine.
How long should you fast?
Not only long intensive fasting cures work, even short periods without eating are beneficial. Fasting for one or two days per week, or sometimes just going without food for a few hours a day – 16 hours without food sounds like a lot, but the occasional skip of dinner or breakfast makes that amount of time easy to do. The most important message from the research institutes is: Don’t count the calories on your plate, but count the hours without food.
What is the difference between fasting and dieting?
In contrast to diets, fasting is not predominately about losing weight, but primarily about detoxification, elimination and regeneration.
The physiological difference between abstaining from eating and dieting is substantial; when fasting, the body quickly switches from burning glucose to burning fat. Ultimately when glucose is no longer available, ketones are used as an energy source.
This special “fasting metabolism” has numerous positive effects on the body and brain, including neurogenesis, which is the formation of new brain cells. Whether this happens with other diets is debatable.
Does fasting also have a psychological effect?
Researchers have measured a significant increase of serotonin concentration and mood elevation. After two or three days of starvation, you get a real feeling of euphoria; the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is activated, which slows our heart and breathing rates, lowers blood pressure and promotes digestion. Our body enters a state of relaxation, and this relaxation breeds recovery. The more time we spend in a PSNS state, the healthier we are.
Medical Disclaimer
Please use the information on this website or other resources I have created at your own risk. Fasting is safe for most people, but there are always exceptions. Please proceed with caution. Depending on your medical condition, you may need the supervision of a qualified physician to safely begin fasting. This is particularly true if you are taking any medication, including (but not limited to) medication for diabetes, blood pressure or other chronic conditions. If you have questions about whether fasting is safe for you or how to approach it safely, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. Fasting is just as much a part of life as eating. The withdrawal of food triggers healing processes and is beneficial to the progression of diseases.