There are many health advantages to fasting, such as reducing cholesterol, blood pressure, and inflammation. However, what is most astounding is that fasting has been found to increase antioxidant levels in the body. When organisms have excess antioxidants, there is no telling what greater benefits they may have!
Now is the perfect time to incorporate fasting into your lifestyle. There are many different ways to do it, whether you choose to starve yourself or eat only once a day. Experiment with different methods and find what works best for you.
Try A Low-Calorie Diet
One of the simplest ways to go about fasting is by drastically cutting back your regular calorie intake. It is a well-established fact that most of the weight problems plaguing America can be directly linked to our overconsumption of calories. The medical community has come to regard obesity as a chronic disease.
When you drastically reduce your calorie intake, your body will go into starvation mode and start burning calories at an exceptional rate. When this happens, even those with the least amount of weight to lose can shed off a good amount of pounds within a matter of days. Studies have also shown that a low-calorie diet improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, two important factors in the fight against diabetes. Cutting back on calories also improves the body’s ability to fight infections, due to the increased levels of antibodies in the blood stream.
Take Breaks During Fasting
When you are fasting, it’s important to take regular breaks to preserve your health. This is why, during the Islamic month of Ramadan, people often refrain from eating and drinking for a whole month. The fact that Ramadan is considered a sacred month by Muslims means that they will refrain from harming their health in any way, and it shows in the decreased rates of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer that are seen during Ramadan.
The problem is that our society does not value health as much as we should. Many people still think that bulimia, anorexia, and other eating disorders are fashion trends that will soon disappear, completely unconnected to health concerns. As a result, not many people are willing to refrain from food for the betterment of their health.
Consult With A Physician Before Trying Any Diet
If you decide to try fasting for weight loss, it is imperative that you do so under the guidance and supervision of a physician. Some patients may require additional medications or supplements to combat the effects of fasting. Once your weight loss goals are met, you can start to wean off the medications and supplements and go back to a healthier eating pattern. However, until then, it is best to leave these choices to the discretion of your physician.
Fasting Makes You Smarter
In addition to helping you lose weight, fasting has been found to make you smarter. This is because when you deprive your body of food, it has to enter a state of emergency. During this state, your body is forced to rely more on its cells for energy, which leads to an increase in synaptic transmission and the creation of new neurons. The medical community has even suggested that prolonged fasting may be able to reverse Alzheimer’s Disease and other types of dementia. If you’re looking to fight dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment, fasting is a great option.
Fasting Has Many Medical Applications
While some people choose to fast for health reasons, there are others who do so for different reasons. Those who choose to fast for religious purposes may do so because they believe that their bodies are temples and should not be inhabited by germs or harmful bacteria. It is also common for those who fast to experience a heightened level of mental clarity and clarity of mind, which can be helpful in many different situations. A person who chooses to fast may also do so because they want to experience weightlessness, similar to how astronauts feel when they go on a space walk. In these situations, fasting is used as a tool to achieve a specific goal.
Whether you choose to fast for health benefits or for other purposes, there are many advantages to doing so. Your physician should be able to advise you on the proper way to go about it, as well as the length of time that you should fast. Fasting provides your body with an experience that is different from merely eating or drinking, and it can help you in the fight against obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.