What is Fasting and Benefits of Fasting as a Medicinal Practice I

 

I have been aware of fasting as a religious practice since my childhood, and it comes naturally to me. During Ramadan, we fast for 30 days from sunrise till sunset without any food or water. When I migrated to Canada – many commented that fasting like this cannot be healthy. I even heard that from fellow Nutritionists who thought water fasting is fine however dry fasting did not sound right.

Today “fasting” as a healing practice is a hot button topic. Almost as popular as CBD oil!!

Fasting is a natural healing treatment that has been used for centuries to aid and support good health and even to fast track healing of multiple diseases. While pharmaceuticals and sometimes even nutraceuticals aim to correct or treat the symptoms of a particular disease, fasting unleashes the body`s hidden powder to heal from the inside out. Fasting can target the root cause of many health conditions as it enables the body`s ability to create healthy cells and destroy the damaged cells.

With fasting, a whole new world of healing potential opens up for your body.  Our body’s intelligence is capable of healing itself –  when given a chance to do so.

The Benefits of Fasting

Fasting relieves the liver and the digestive system from processing food, which requires a lot of energy. When this energy is not required, it is then used for other thing mentioned below.

• Cleansing the body’s metabolic wastes, as well as toxins.
• Fasting decreases body inflammation and pain.
• Fasting assists with weight loss and helps to keep it off as well.
• Fasting strengthens the digestive fire or Agni (HCl and enzymes) from an Ayurvedic perspective.
• Fasting helps tighten and tones the skin as well as increase skin glow
• Fasting promotes new cell growth which has an anti-aging effect.
• Fasting boosts the immune system and the body’s natural defense mechanism.
• Fasting can balance hormones and strengthens glandular health.
• Fasting will balance blood sugar, therefore is a healing method for diabetes.
• Fasting improves blood pressure and lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Fasting improves mental clarity and enhances your mood.
• Fasting increases energy and vitality.
• Fasting can assist with reaching a meditative state sooner.

 

 

 

Ayurveda and Fasting:

From an Ayurvedic perspective, one must take into consideration their age, location, time of the year or day of the week, dosha type/body type etc. before starting a fast. According to Ayurvedic practice, “Spring” is the best time to fast or cleanse the body. It is believed that the body’s self-cleansing power is kindled when the sun starts to shine more.

 Kapha body types have a tendency towards weight gain and stronger physique. Fasting and movement are mostly beneficial for Kapha type. When fasting, Kapha body types can easily get rid of metabolic wastes, toxins, and body fats. Kapha’s also tolerate fasting quite well.

Excessive or extreme fasts are not suitable to most Vata types or Vata-Pitta types unless they are experiencing weight gain. Mono diet is best for Vata types.

A two to three-day juice fasting or a mono-diet may be ideal for Pitta body types.

An Ayurvedic practitioner can design a fasting regime for you according to your body type. It is important to have a customized fasting regime to increase the effectiveness of the fasting.

How Long should you Fast?

• It would be easy, to begin with, IM. I finish my dinner by 5 or 6 pm and do not eat or drink the next day until 10 am. This makes it a 16 hour fast. You can start with 12 then work up to 16 hours of fasting.
• You can then progress into one-day water fast. Or a dry fast from sunrise to sunset.
• You could also do a 3-day fast once a month regularly. Depending on your health, medical condition, location, and your health care practitioner`s advice this can be water fast. I have done dry fasting for 24 hours during the winter months.
• There is also a one-week fast you can do seasonally for cleansing.

Always take advice from your primary health care practitioner.

I would ONLY continue fasting as long as there is no stress on the body such as dizziness, fatigue, hunger pain, and low energy. You should not force the body.

Cautions of Fasting

• Due to the lack of nutrients and sugar, fasting can cause irritability, hunger pain, and headaches.
• Fasting may interfere with social engagements that involve eating.
• After fasting is completed, some people may experience overeating to compensate.
• Fasting may affect people with gut conditions such as IBS and IBD.
• Fasting should not be performed if you are hypoglycemic or diabetes since blood sugar can become dangerously low.
• Fasting can disrupt menstruation and fertility in women who are malnourished or follow restrictive diets. Intermittent fasting can balance hormones.
• Fasting should not be performed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Fasting can cause dehydration and low blood pressure, dizziness, and fainting in some people.
• Fasting may not be suitable for people with certain health conditions such as chronic kidney disease, gout, and heartburn.

 

References

Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. Halberg N, Henriksen M, Söderhamn N. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 2005, Jul.;99(6):8750-7587.

Usefulness of routine periodic fasting to lower risk of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Horne BD, May HT, Anderson JL. The American journal of cardiology, 2008, Jul.;102(7):0002-9149.

Cardioprotective effect of intermittent fasting is associated with an elevation of adiponectin levels in rats. Wan R, Ahmet I, Brown M. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 2009, May.;21(5):1873-4847.

Late-onset intermittent fasting dietary restriction as a potential intervention to retard age-associated brain function impairments in male rats. Singh R, Lakhanpal D, Kumar S. Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 2011, Aug.;34(4):1574-4647.

Faris MA et al. Intermittent fasting during Ramadan attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells in healthy subjects. Nutr Res. 2012 Dec;32(12):947-55

 

Harris L et al. Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2018 Jan;19(1):1-13.

 

Mehrdad Alirezaei, et al. Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy. 2010 Aug 16; 6(6): 702–710.  

 

 

 

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Benefits of Various Fasting

Types of Fasting and General Fasting Tips of Success

Fasting is an ancient healing method. Fasting unleashes the body’s own healing power with time and nothing to digest for a period of time. It provides the organ’s such as liver, kidneys and the lymph nodes to release waste. My previous blog on fasting provided information on the benefits of fasting and what to be cautious of. This blog is all about different types of fasting and some beneficial tips on how to successfully get into a fasting regime.

Types of Fasting

1. Dry Fasting

 

This type of fasting may seem extreme to some as it means to abstain from both food and water for certain periods of time. For centuries, dry fasting has been practiced for religious and spiritual purposes. This is known as being absolute fasting. An example of this would be Ramadan, where Muslims fast from dawn to sunset for a month. Dry fasting puts the cells into a stressful environment where the healthiest ones survive. In fact, a study on a group of people during Ramadan had significantly less pro-inflammatory cytokines, blood pressure, body weight, and fat percentage. In dry fasting, the body does not eliminate toxins through urine, bowel, and sweat or through elimination organs such as liver, kidneys, and skin. Instead, the toxins are burned inside of the cells. The body destroys or cleans our damaged cells and regenerates new cells. This is like the `survival of the fittest` as only the healthiest of the cells survives during dry fasting. Although the production of stem cells reduces in the body with age, with dry fasting stem cells are released into the blood more than usual. It has been said that cysts and benign tumors dissolve during dry fasting as the body eliminates its unhealthy cells for its own survival.

2. Liquid Fasting

 

Water Fasting

 

Liquid fasting is when the body is given only liquids during the fast. One of the best ways to experience success is through fasting by only drinking water for a period of time. This is one of the oldest and simplest forms of fasting as it provides the most health benefits in a short period of time including, lowering blood pressure and balancing blood sugar. During a water fast, the process of autophagy occurs – an internal recycling program where old cells/debris/toxins are cleaned out through lysosomes. A water fast is done for about 24 hours up to 72 hours, with no food and only drinking water, about 2-3 liters per day. When completed, slowly introduce food in the form of smoothies and small meals, working your way up to larger meals. Water fasting can protect against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart condition etc.

 

Juice Fasting

 

Today “Juice Cleanse” is a popular way to detox the body. Vegetable and fruit juices are prepared in mixes to create trendy juice cleanses. During juice fasting, the body is abstaining from solid foods and receiving a huge supply of micro nutrient support. Any type of fruit or vegetable juice can be consumed during this fast. During the time of juice fasting, the body’s digestive system gets a rest even though the body gets vitamins, minerals and antioxidant. Juice fasting can assist with weight loss, increased energy and enhancing mood.

 

3.Intermittent Fasting (IM):

 

This type of fasting alternates between periods of fasting and periods of eating. The fasting period is either 16:8 (16 hours fasting, including overnight, with 8 hours of eating), or 5:2 (fasting for 2 days, eating for 5 days). This type of fasting removes the body’s reliance on using carbohydrates for fuel and instead promotes the breakdown of fat for fuel. It also triggers changes in various hormones such as insulin and growth hormone. When you eat multiple meals a day, insulin is released each time to deal with blood sugar spikes. But when you go long periods of time without eating, such as intermittent fasting, this triggers fat burning instead. In terms of growth hormone, it is also involved in fat burning and muscle protection. Studies show that intermittent fasting can extend life expectancy, reduce inflammation and fat, and improving cognitive function.

Understanding Autophagy:

Food restriction or fasting is known to upregulate autophagy in various organs including the liver. Autophagy, the method by which your body cleans out damaged cells and toxins, helps you regenerate newer, healthier cells. Autophagy is a defense mechanism against many things such as infections and neurodegenerative diseases, and studies show that autophagosome numbers are increased in cortical neurons after food restriction or fasting.

I will be writing more about Autophagy, its benefits and how to turn up the body’s autophagy state in my upcoming blog.

General Tips for Success

In order to combat the negative impact of fasting, one must prepare the body for fasting.

Here are some tips on how to prepare the body:

1. Start with a generally clean diet and eliminate junk food, sugar, white flour, canned foods, and cured meats.

2. Increase your intake of vegetables by eating a minimum of one cup with every meal.

3. Do not snack between meals. Drink water or herbal tea if desired.

4. Start with intermittent fasting.

5. Be aware of your food sensitivities or allergies and ensure to remove them for a week before starting your fast.

6. You must speak with your primary medical care practitioner if you are taking medicine, on a certain diet, or have a chronic health condition.

References

Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. Halberg N, Henriksen M, Söderhamn N. Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985), 2005, Jul.;99(6):8750-7587.

Usefulness of routine periodic fasting to lower risk of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Horne BD, May HT, Anderson JL. The American journal of cardiology, 2008, Jul.;102(7):0002-9149.

Cardioprotective effect of intermittent fasting is associated with an elevation of adiponectin levels in rats. Wan R, Ahmet I, Brown M. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 2009, May.;21(5):1873-4847.

Late-onset intermittent fasting dietary restriction as a potential intervention to retard age-associated brain function impairments in male rats. Singh R, Lakhanpal D, Kumar S. Age (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 2011, Aug.;34(4):1574-4647.

Faris MA et al. Intermittent fasting during Ramadan attenuates proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells in healthy subjects. Nutr Res. 2012 Dec;32(12):947-55

 

Harris L et al. Short-term intermittent energy restriction interventions for weight management: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2018 Jan;19(1):1-13.

 

Mehrdad Alirezaei, et al. Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy. 2010 Aug 16; 6(6): 702–710.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVUGLc0D4TM&t=189s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwCRjwDs1Ek

 

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