FASTING

Introduction

According to the Muslim calendar, it is the holy month of Ramadan, and that means one thing: Fasting. Like most people who have never fasted on purpose their whole life, I was intrigued by this age-old tradition and set out to explore the essence of fasting. What unfolded was more than a ritual. Beyond this religious ritual lies astonishing wonders fasting bestows on the mind and body. Fasting isn’t just a spiritual journey. It is a journey to wellness.

Fasting: beyond religion.

I’d never thought about fasting beyond religious and spiritual reasons until now. It didn’t help that almost no one talks about the essence of fasting beyond spiritual and religious reasons. You will be hard-pressed to find any media actively pushing people to not eat for health reasons. Why would they, when weight gain is celebrated and eating three or more meals a single day signifies status and a life well lived? Why would they, when food companies and advertisements portray stuffing our faces with food as normal?

Instead of having balanced periods between fasting and eating, a majority of the world perhaps eats more hours than they fast. Is it any wonder obesity is a growing global health problem?

Historical and Cultural Significance of Fasting.

For millions of people in the world, fasting has been part of a spiritual practice for years. In the Christian tradition, fasting has been accompanied by prayer as a means of cleansing and renewing the soul. It is a means of attaining spirituality and being able to commune with God. Hinduist faith teaches that our sins are lessened as the body suffers through fasting. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset in the holy month of Ramadan.

But before religious reasons, fasting was simply a way of life. It has been practiced for millennia and it is far older than any dietary technique. Our ancestors, with no or few foods that stayed fresh for long, experienced famine regularly. When seasons changed and food was scarce, hunter-gatherers did without food for days. Eating all the time was not normal.

The introduction of agriculture reduced the periods of starvation and famine and brought with it an abundance of food. As times changed and involuntary starvation became less common, ancient societies like the Greeks embraced voluntary fasting as a means of cleansing, detoxifying, or purifying the body.

Why people Fast.

Let’s start with what fasting is not. Fasting is not the same as starvation. Many people mistake fasting as a deliberate attempt at starving oneself. Starvation is the involuntary abstention from eating. It is a situation forced upon you by outside forces. Starving people have no idea where their next meal is going to come from.

Fasting, on the other hand, is all about control. You do have the food or the means to get food, but you choose not to. Fasting is the voluntary abstention from eating for spiritual, health, or other reasons. In addition, fasting can be done for any period, from a few hours to months. At any time of your choosing, you may begin a fast and end a fast. You can start a fast or stop a fast for any reason, or no reason at all. Fasting is really about control. People fast for religious and spiritual reasons, health reasons, and as a treatment for wellness.

Why you should consider going on a fast.

Is fasting healthy? Absolutely. Its health benefits are enormous. The regular application of fasting helps protect people from illness and keeps them feeling well.

Can anyone fast? Absolutely. Fasting has been done by thousands of people around the world for thousands of years. However, there are exceptions to this rule which will be tackled in the subsequent post. Like any new habit, you have to build fasting slowly and over time.

Will you lose weight? Absolutely. You and I can agree that not eating for a day means some weight loss. Staying at it consistently? Well, you already know what the answer is.

Will you burn muscles if you fast? No. Thankfully our body uses fats stored in our body for fuel when we exhaust the food we eat. But it is important to eat food and strive for balance.

Fasting is effective, simple, flexible, practical and guaranteed to work. Whatever your reason, be it religious reasons; spiritual growth, or health reasons; to lose weight, you are guaranteed to see results.

The different kinds of Fasting.

There are many ways to and different types of fast and no absolute or correct way to do it. What you consume or don’t consume and the timing of the fast are things you can tailor for you. It must be remembered that fasting is a practice that you can define when and how to do it. To make it rather simple, let’s stick to the timeframes to define the kinds of fasting.

1.    Intermittent fasting. The term intermittent fasting simply means that there is a period of fasting that occurs between periods of normal eating. This type of fast can last for short periods (less than 24 hours) or longer periods (more than 24 hours). However, how you define your fast and what you consume is up to you. You can do a liquid-only fast, an absolute or dry fast, a juice fast, etc. and for any amount of time.

2.    Extended fast. This is the type of fast done for more than three days. This is a more complicated fast strategy and comes with its complications. In light of this information, if you’re on some medication, you must be carefully monitored by a physician during fasting. Also, make sure you talk to your doctor before beginning any fasting regimen.

As we wrap up this exploration of the transformative power of fasting, it’s clear that there’s still much more to uncover. In our next installment, we’ll delve deeper into fasting’s advantages over other dietary plans, explore the health benefits of fasting, and share practical tips for overcoming common challenges. Get ready to elevate your fasting journey to the next level! Until then, keep fasting, stay healthy, and remember, the best is yet to come!

For further reading and clarification, I found The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jason Fung, MD and Jimmy Moore a tremendous book for anyone interested in the topic.