WHAT
Fasting is the willful refrainment from eating and sometimes drinking.
From a purely physiological context, "fasting" may refer to the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight, or to the metabolic state achieved after complete digestion and absorption of a meal.
Several metabolic adjustments occur during fasting.
WHY
There are numerous benefits of fasting. Here are some:
- Promotes Blood Sugar Control by Reducing Insulin Resistance
- Promotes Better Health by Fighting Inflammation
- May Enhance Heart Health by Improving Blood Pressure, Triglycerides and Cholesterol Levels
- May Boost Brain Function and Prevent Neurodegenerative Disorders
- Aids Weight Loss by Limiting Calorie Intake and Boosting Metabolism
- Increases Growth Hormone Secretion, Which Is Vital for Growth, Metabolism, Weight Loss and Muscle Strength
- Could Delay Aging and Extend Longevity
- May Aid in Cancer Prevention and Increase the Effectiveness of Chemotherapy
HOW
Here are a few of the most common types of fasting:
- Water fasting: Involves drinking only water for a set amount of time.
- Juice fasting: Entails only drinking vegetable or fruit juice for a certain period.
- Intermittent fasting: Intake is partially or completely restricted for a few hours up to a few days at a time and a normal diet is resumed on other days. Typically windows are:
- Fast for 12 hours a day.
- Fasting for 16 hours (called the 16:8 method or the Leangains diet).
- Fasting for 2 days a week. People following the 5:2 diet eat standard amounts of healthful food for 5 days and reduce calorie intake on the other 2 days.
- Alternate day fasting. There are several variations of the alternate day fasting plan, which involves fasting every other day.
- A weekly 24-hour fast. Fasting completely for 1 or 2 days a week, known as the Eat-Stop-Eat diet, involves eating no food for 24 hours at a time. Many people fast from breakfast to breakfast or lunch to lunch.
- Partial fasting: Certain foods or drinks such as processed foods, animal products or caffeine are eliminated from the diet for a set period.
- Calorie restriction: Calories are restricted for a few days every week.
Check out the
fasting category under Recipes for more details on each fasting
