Benefits of Fasting
Done by great men. Heals the body, clears the mind. Precautions for women and those with certain conditions and circumstances. But do it right and feel great in body, mind, and soul.
One great practice to implement in a healthy lifestyle is fasting. Something you may want to consider after the holidays and festivities, especially after too many sweets. You may also want to keep this in mind following that Thanksgiving feast that’s not too far away.
Fasting has been a regular practice of many different cultures throughout the ages and for me personally, has been a key reason for a better outlook and mental clarity in the midst of adversity and stress. It promotes healing of old injuries and energy in the absence of calories due to autophagy which recycles and repairs old and damaged cells, and mitophagy which does the same specifically for your mitochondria (the powerhouse of your cells). It can even increase your spirituality and connectedness with others as your body and mind are cleared out and refreshed. This gives you the ability to respond to and understand situations and other people better and gives you a mind to understand and even entertain higher concepts. Clear body, clear mind, open heart.
"I fast for greater physical and mental efficiency."
-Plato
"Fasting empties the stomach and the mind; freeing up space to refuel our bodies with the Bread of Life."
-Allene van Oirschot
"Fasting is the first principle of medicine; fast and see the strength of the spirit reveal itself."
-Rumi
Fasting has a plethora of benefits but is something to transition into. Don’t want to try to do too much, too long, too fast and negate all the benefits because you’re just miserable and hangry. I would recommend intermittent fasting (IF) a day or two a week first, then three days a week, then perhaps longer term. Just be cognizant of activity level, hydration, stress, obligations, environment and nutrition taken in before hand, condition or circumstance all of which affect your ability to endure or cope with the stress. If done right it can be hormetic (good stress), if done wrong it can be detrimental.
If you’re able, it is one of the most healing, therapeutic and cleansing practices you could undertake. In my opinion on par with gratitude, love and the emotion of awe (wonder and amazement). The benefits include:
-Reduced inflammation
-Increased energy
-Gut healing and immune system repair
-Old injury repair
-Increased insulin sensitivity
-increased HGH
-Stem cell production (people pay thousands of dollars for these treatments and it can be done with fasting alone).
-Mental clarity
And more...
There’s a reason why it has been practiced by some of the most well respected minds and prominent individuals.
"The best of all medicines are resting and fasting."
-Benjamin Franklin
Interestingly, humans are the only species to actively seek out food when sick or injured.
"Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness."
- Hippocrates
"Instead of using medicine, rather, fast a day."
-Plutarch
In the Bible fasting is mentioned numerous times. Paul the Apostle, formerly Saul who was once an ardent persecutor of Christians was converted on the road to Damascus and became one of Christendom's most valiant defenders after an appearing and revelation. Losing his sight he went through a purification of his entire being. Physical, mental and spiritual. Acts 9:9 KJV tells us "And he was without sight, and neither did eat nor drink anything."
"For Christians like myself, we will use the term Holy Spirit to describe this inner voice of truth that guides us in our life. Many people, including myself, find that fasting helps us hear from the Holy Spirit and have clearer communication with God. In my opinion, this benefit alone is enough to practice a fasting lifestyle."
- Dr. David Jockers
Of course, there are individuals who shouldn’t fast such as certain athletes, pregnant women, those who have an eating disorder or the propensity to have one, and those who are severely underweight.
I do also want to take a moment to mention that women can also respond much differently to fasting then men as women are more sensitive to stress and hormone fluctuations. Fasting can also have negative effects on a women’s reproductive system which is a bit more complex than those of their male counterparts. Dr. Stacy Sims goes into more detail about it in her article entitled The Complete Guide to Fasting for Women Part 1: Should Females Fast? Spoiler alert! The answer is…it depends. It definitely isn’t a simple black and white issue as with most things but it definitely doesn’t preclude you if you’re a women. In her own words “Women are different than men in so many wonderful ways, and therefore we require different approaches to our nutrition, fitness, and yes—even how we fast.” You just need to consider a few things. Here’s some snippets from her article that are great things to keep in mind as a women who may be considering fasting:
I would be remiss not mention part 2 of her discussion on this. Here’s a sneak peek:
I will say that when it comes to PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) Dr. Sims and Thomas DeLauer both agree that fasting for women who have this condition does have great benefit as is shown in this study in the Journal of Translational Medicine.
And when it comes to other disorders (whether man or woman) fasting has huge positive effects when it comes to helping someone heal from disease. Looks like Ben Franklin, Hippocrates, and Plutarch were on to something if you ask me.
Now, if you’re healthy and don’t have a condition or circumstance that prevents you from doing so, fasting is something that you may want to definitely consider. Whether it’s intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting (ADF), long term or another variation, done at the right time and in the right way, it has profound effects on your entire being. And that’s what I’m all about. Helping you on your journey achieve the best version of yourself. Body, mind, and soul.
Sources:
I love my fasting days! What I do is called nutritionally supported cellular cleansing. Pretty similar process with same effects or results. I love the mental clarity and the overall feeling of being energized. My favorite is a 48-hour one...that second day adds some extra bonuses to the experience. Appreciate your information as always.
Anyone with an underlying medical condition should definitely approach fasting slowly and get proper guidance. With coaching and support, your body will thank you for it!