Fasting Can Help Your Health

Wellness

oi-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, March 3, 2011, 10:56

Fasting is a common practice in India and is related to almost every festival. With many religious logical reasons Indians follow fasting and a fast once a week is a regular practice among all age group. True fasting is no intake of food in the whole day. Fasting which is often thought as an Asian practice and thought as illogical by the western world, has several benefits. Health benefits of fasting has even been acknowledged by Hippocrates, the father of western medicine. He practised the fasting and believed that fasting allows boy to heal itself.

There are several other health benefits of fasting -

1. One of the main health benefits of fasting is detoxification of the body. Due to our irregular diet, dependability on medicines and hectic working schedules toxins gets stored in the body. Fasting is the best way to get rid of them and water is the only thing consumed on that day helps us to flush it out of our system. Thus, detoxifying us and preventing us from several illness.

2. The second most important health benefit of fasting is it regulates the digestive system. Most of our illnesses happens due to improper digestive system. All that we eat is not digested and thus, begins the problem of acidity, ulcers etc. Fasting gives the digestive system rest thus, getting it back on track.

3. Fasting has the ability to control blood sugar. As mentioned earlier fasting regulates digestive system, which gives chance for the pancreas to produce enough insulin. Thus, as body has it's natural insulin supply, the blood sugar comes under control. This does not mean and diabetic patients should always follow fasting but should fast once every week.

4. Fasting once a week can promote weight loss. When the body does not get any other source of energy, it utilises the stored fat in the body as the source of energy. Liver breaks down the fatty acids to produce energy. Thus using up all your excess fat.

These are the four basic health benefits of fasting. Fasting also helps the body to restore peace and balance. Fasting, though should be over done as it might then lead to overusing of resources.