Get Healthy, Fast
Why would anyone go without food? Surprisingly, the answer is simple. It’s good for you. The fact is that humans cannot go without water, but going without food does many excellent things for your body. And for some, it’s a religious practice.
Fasts can last from 24 hours to over a week. But long fasts can have a harmful effect. Intermittent 24-48 hours fasts done once a week to once a month seem to provide the most benefit.
Recently fasting was the subject of extensive research. In fact, the 2016 Nobel prize was awarded for research on fasting. A biologist from Japan showed that fasting allows the body’s cells to clear trash from inside the cells. The pause in eating gives the cells time to break down and recycle defective proteins and rebuild a healthier cell. This may help protect against disease.
Intermittent fasting has many other benefits. Short term fasts can lower insulin levels, which promotes healthy fat burning. It may also protect against Type II Diabetes. Fasting can increase Human Growth Hormone (HGH) levels. Higher HGH levels promote muscle building and fat regulation. This can help with weight loss. And short term fasting can increase your metabolic rate — the rate at which you burn calories.
Fasting is also good for your heart and your brain. It can also reduce high blood pressure and bad cholesterol. And intermittent fasting increases levels of important brain hormones, which may be useful in combatting depression and other brain disorders.
Fasting is not only good for the body, it is good for the soul. Those fasting for spiritual reasons report a renewing of the mind, a feeling of centeredness, and a quiet confidence that whatever situation they’re facing, they’re capable of handling it well. Still, others fast to improve their overall physical appearance, emotional stability, and to get through difficult times.
While a liquid-only fast is the most popular, an alternative to a total fast is a bone broth fast. It’s a fast which is still a liquid only fast, but because one has added bone broth to the fast, protein is available to the body, relieving the shock associated with a water-only fast. Bone broth fasts are not true fasts, but many people report good results with bone broth fasts.
Another option is the fat fast. A fat fast is a liquid fast of waters and/or teas with fat added. The fat, although it doesn’t seem palatable for some, includes fats such as butter, coconut oil or MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides sold at health food stores).
For those who are just beginning to fast, it’s important to make sure you’re healthy enough. Some report a headache when they attempt a water fast, forgetting their bodies are likely dependent upon caffeine and possibly sugar. Weakness is also experienced as the body is used to a daily intake of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids normally obtained through food.
With practice, however, fasting can be successful. Fasting is entirely voluntary and can be stopped, started, and restarted at will. There are, however, some individuals who should not fast. Those who are underweight, malnourished, or pregnant shouldn’t fast. Neither should children, or breastfeeding women. Children and unborn babies typically need all the calories they can get.
