Defined as the abstinence from food and drink for a specific period of time, fasting is a practice that has been around for thousands of years and plays a central role in many cultures and religions.
Aside from spiritual fasting, it has increasingly gained popularity, especially among the younger generations today.
It could be done partially for some particular food or as total abstention, in which no food or liquid is consumed for one or more days.
“There isn’t one “right” way to fast. That’s the beauty of it.”
Along with religious significance for some people, fasting is good for you because it offers a lot of health benefits if undertaken in a correct and a healthy manner.
Here are 7 health benefits of fasting:
1. Delay aging and extend longevity
Fasting helps to get rid of cells that are not working properly by recycling itself. This process is called autophagy.
Cells age just like we do, so when they are constantly restoring and refreshing themselves to have the optimal performance, it’s going to have anti-aging effect as you are slowing down the aging process both in your physical appearance and internally.
2. Improves insulin sensitivity
When your body gets too many carbs and sugar, it can become insulin resistant, which increases the likelihood to get type-2 diabetes.
On the other hand, if it’s more insulin sensitive, you will be able to absorb nutrients better when you eat.
Fasting lowers your level of insulin which helps break down fat faster, and what’s even better is that it will keep your insulin level low even when you start eating again.
If you’re struggling with pre-diabetes or insulin sensitivity, intermittent fasting can help normalize things.
3. Aids in weight loss
Theoretically, when you fast you are abstaining from eating certain foods, and you’d probably be eating less than you normally would in the first place and this decreases your overall calorie intake.
Some research has also found that short-term fasting may boost metabolism by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which could enhance weight loss
In addition, fasting was found to be more effective than calorie restriction at increasing fat loss while simultaneously preserving muscle tissue.
4. Increases body’s resistance to stress
Stress is partially caused by free radicals in the body. These free radicals will react to other molecules and cause changes to the dynamics of certain cells, which will then lead your body to have more stress.
Fasting causes your body to go into a survival mode and gets rid of the bad cells and starts replacing them with healthier ones.
Over a long period of time, less free radicals will be formed and you will keep a chemical balance in your cells and body.
5. Improves brain function
Sometimes when you eat, it may cause your brain to be overactive, and it can be a bad thing because your brain will have trouble focusing on one thing to function properly.
As mentioned earlier, fasting makes your body go into survival mode, forcing your brain to have more focus on certain tasks at hand. So, if this is practiced on a daily basis, your brain power can increase significantly for a certain time period.
6. Lower risks of deadly diseases
Fasting greatly lowers your risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Technically, if you fast, your body fat will be lower, thus preventing you to become overweight or obese. If you are already considered to be obese, fasting will slowly help reduce the amount of fat on your body.
Fasting has also been associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and may help lower blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels.
7. Aids in Cancer prevention
Fasting may not completely prevent you from getting cancer, but it can help in the spreading of it and tumor growth.
Since fasting gets rid of a ton of toxins that can sneak their way into your body, it makes sense that it may help prevent certain types of cancer.
Cancer attacks your cells, but when there are no toxins in your body that can attack any of your cells, then cancer cannot form.
In conclusion,
Fasting is a practice that has been associated with a wide array of potential health benefits especially when coupled with a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle. Just make sure to keep yourself hydrated and get plenty of rest.
Also, consult with your doctor before fasting if you have any underlying health conditions.
Download our Doc2Us app from Google App Store or Apple Store and chat with a doctor now.
Reference:
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Thrive/Strive | Lose Weight, Exercise, Keto. (2019). 11 Powerful Benefits of Fasting. [online] Available at: https://thrivestrive.com/benefits-of-fasting/.
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Healthline. (2019). 8 Health Benefits of Fasting, Backed by Science. [online] Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fasting-benefits#section11.
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Dr. Axe. (2019). 7 Benefits of Fasting + the Best Types of Fasting - Dr. Axe. [online] Available at: https://draxe.com/benefits-fasting/.
Image Credit:
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