Health Benefits of Fasting

Health Benefits of Fasting
what is fasting and can it be beneficial? Many of us know it as a protocol the doctor prescribes before blood testing.

For others, it may mean giving up a favorite food for a period of time or not eating food at certain times of the day or year out of respect for various religious holidays.

Strictly speaking, fasting is the voluntary absence of food. While the idea of missing even one meal might put most of us in misery, fasting does have many benefits for the body.

Give Your Body a Rest

We take vacations, we have weekends off from work, we rest our tired bodies through sleep, and we "take a break" to rejuvenate from stress. One thing, though, that we hardly ever do, is take a break from food for longer lengths of time.

Our digestive system is very busy and hard-working, which requires high amounts of energy; in fact, the digestive system can even drain energy needed for healing, repair and general maintenance of the body. Therefore, it makes sense to give it a vacation once in awhile.

Fasting Help Your Heart

Fasting for a day once a month may prevent heart disease and insulin resistance, the precursor to diabetes, according to two studies from Utah’s Intermountain Medical Center presented recently at the American College of Cardiology’s scientific sessions. When researchers looked at the habits of 200 men and women, they found that those who fasted once a month were 58 percent less likely to have heart disease than those who didn’t (after they controlled for factors such as age, smoking status, and high blood pressure). They then set out to understand why.

In a smaller study, the scientists measured various blood levels in 30 healthy adults after one day when they fasted and one day when they ate normally. After they fasted, participants had huge increases in human growth hormone (HGH) — 13-fold in women and 20-fold in men, among other changes. HGH protects lean muscle mass and encourages the body to burn fat stores instead. “During fasting, your fat cells are being metabolized and used as fuel,” says Horne. “If fat is being used for fuel, in the long run you have fewer fat cells in your body.” This may mean less insulin resistance and a lower risk of heart disease later in life.

Fasting Cut Cancer Risk

Periods of fasting did slow the rate of cell division (a measure of cancer risk) in mice, according to an American Journal of Physiology study. The researchers aren’t sure why, but say it may result from a decrease in growth factors that results from nutrient deprivation. But since the science is preliminary, you shouldn’t fast solely for cancer-prevention purposes until there is more definitive research on humans.

So these are some of the major benefits of fasting.If you do wish to add some more in this list let us know through your comments.Thanks.
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14 comments:

  1. This has to be done with medical supervision. I think eating in moderation is still the best thing. Extremes have to handled with care.

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  2. This is very educative post. Thanks for sharing this great post. I will be glad if you can guest post SABTrends' Blog

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  3. I don't think it's all about fasting, I think it's about living a healthy lifestyle or having a healthy diet. But regardless, it's good to take a break from all the fatty food that we consume and make sure that we just right.

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  4. With those health benefits, fasting seems to be a great way to improve the body system. However, I don't think I can stand a day without eating (or drinking water at least) because of the amount of energy I put to work.

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  5. It's okay to take a break sometimes especially if you think that you've been consuming too much food. I won't really considering fasting as an option but it does have its benefits. Thanks for this insightful post about fasting!

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  6. I experienced this fasting and really very positive with my body system. But lately, without limitation, it gave negative point with my health. Nice post and tips for healthy living.

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  7. I think fasting can be a great way for your body to reset. You just have to make sure that you are guided properly on the fasting.

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  8. I would support my friends when they fast but I'm not sure if I would be able to do it myself. Long hours of not drinking water, I wouldn't be able to take it.

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  9. I didn't know that fasting has benefits to offer. this is a good read. It gave me another information that I can share to someone.

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  10. I also advocate fasting, as you need to give your intestinal tract time to remove waste and toxins without introducing more at the same time. When you intend to fast for an entire day, it is best to take a day in which a low amount of energy is exerted. Otherwise the body needs food to fuel that energy.

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  11. Some people are very good with fasting but for others it takes a toll on their body. One day fasting is still fine or going on a just fruit or veggie diet.

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  12. Fasting might help but it's important not to stuff yourself with unhealthy food or too much carbs after fasting. I didn't know the benefits till now but it might not be good for those who has a weak stomach.

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  13. True..Stomach needs rest too. We keep on eating and eating and really take it for granted!

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  14. fasting isn't really for everyone. it can also set off eating disorders. i know it wont be suited for me since i would feel weak easily

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