Depending on how you view things in life, there are some lifestyle practices in this world that you may pick up for whatever reason it may be. It could be for religious reasons, health reasons, or even seen as something you do for self-care. Whatever it is that you do and what you do it for, it’s important to determine if the act is a healthy one or a harmful one. What you may be doing could be benefiting your body and mind in many ways, but there’s also the chance that what you’re practicing could be harming your body and mind instead of helping it. For example, the art of fasting. What is fasting and how do you know if it’s actually working? What if it’s doing the opposite of what you truly want?
The History Of Fasting And What It Does
What is fasting? Well to put it simply, fasting is the practice of not eating food either completely or for a certain amount of time every day; practicing abstinence from food and drink. It could be done by giving up food altogether, for a partial or short amount of time or it could be done for a lengthy amount of time.
There are different reasons for people to fast. Again, some are for religious reasons and it’s seen as a way to get closer and give back to your higher power. Others may fast for health reasons, which is called intermittent fasting. This practice is the same as the religious practice of fasting, the only difference is, people who intermittently fast are doing it to help them lose weight.
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How Does It Work?
Depending on what your reason for fasting is, it can look different for everyone. Those who are fasting for medical reasons may start fasting because certain illnesses cause involuntary fasting and make people lose their appetite so they go hours or even days without eating and or drinking. Sometimes these illnesses make people so sick that they simply cannot eat or drink anything without feeling like it's going to be regurgitated.
Another medical way of fasting that was done by the Greeks in the 5th century was by recommending abstinence from food for people who were experiencing certain symptoms.
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This is a practice that some doctors may recommend to their patients to this day, such as only eating certain foods or removing certain foods from their diet if they experience symptoms.
For those fasting for religious reasons, it’s usually done for a certain amount of time and it’s similar to intermittent fasting. There is a certain hour of the day that you are allowed to eat and then after that, you must not eat or drink for a certain period of time during that day. The time frame of when you can and cannot eat, how long the fast will last, and what you can or cannot eat is different for different religions.
Could This Be Helpful Or Harmful?
For some, fasting can be extremely helpful. It can help some people accomplish their goals of feeling closer to whatever higher power they believe in as well as help people lose weight or manage any medical symptoms they may be experiencing. It can also help people who may be living with certain medical conditions such as ulcerative colitis.
It has been proven that fasting while living with ulcerative colitis can help with reducing gut bacteria, inflammation, and increased cell repair. The best type of fasting practice for these results was intermittent fasting.
For others, fasting could be detrimental to their health. For example, those living with conditions such as diabetes should not fast. This is because it can affect a person's blood sugar levels immensely and that could be harmful to diabetes patients.
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What To Try If Fasting Isn’t For You
If you notice that fasting does not work for you, there are other options for you to choose from. Taking a look at your eating habits and changing what and how you eat could be helpful for you. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables may be what helps your symptoms and help you reach any other goals you might have. Getting the proper amount of exercise is crucial as well.
If you are looking to try fasting, make sure you do your research first and talk to your doctor about what it could possibly look like for you. It’s better to be mindful and know what your options are than to do something you don’t know much about because, at the end of the day, your health is the number one priority.
