The Benefits of Fasting and How Does it Work

Strictly defined, fasting is abstinence from all food and drink (except water) for a limited period of time to maintain or improve health, or treat a specific illness. Juice fasting, a popular variation, is abstinence from all food and drink except water, vegetable juices, and fruit juices. A modified fast includes small amounts of solid food, usually raw fruits as well as raw and steamed vegetables. Some advocates of fasting include other modifications as well, such as vegetable broth, herbal teas, and nutritional supplements. Most of the research into the therapeutic value of fasting has explored the water-only method.

A short fast, lasting from one to three days, can generally be tolerated by most people. An extended fast (more than three days) should be supervised by a doctor, preferably one trained in fasting therapy.

How Does Fasting Work?

Critics of fasting therapy often confuse fasting with starvation. In the fasting state, nonessential tissue, like fat, is used for fuel while vital organs are spared. Starvation occurs when the body has depleted its fat stores and begins to use vital organs for fuel. Obviously, if the body does not receive food after a supervised fast, starvation and death will inevitably follow.

The series of physiologic events that occurs within the body during a fasting state has been well-studied and follows a definite sequence. Basically, the body undergoes certain changes in metabolism to conserve its energy sources but continues to function with the same degree of efficiency. For example, blood sugar levels remain fairly constant no matter how long the fast lasts.

Early in fasting, the body both manufactures glucose (gluconeogenesis) and releases stores of it from within the liver (glycogenolysis). After a few days, the body will release triglycerides from fat cells. These tryglycerides become oxidized and form acids called ketones, which are then used for energy production. All of these changes slow the overall metabolism of the body to about 75% of its normal rate. For this reason, plenty of rest (and no vigorous exercise) is routinely advised while fasting.

What You Can Expect From a Fasting Therapy?

If you'd like to try a fast of one to three days' duration, it is probably safe to do so on your own--as long as you are healthy and not pregnant or breast-feeding. If you plan to fast for longer than three days, however, you should seek medical supervision.

If your primary-care practitioner isn't willing to supervise your fast, you may want to seek a naturopathic physician, nutritionally oriented chiropractor, nutritionist, or registered dietitian. Before you begin, the practitioner should go over your medical history, conduct a physical examination, and perform other tests to be sure that your body is up to the challenge of a fast.

Prepare for your fast with a day of eating light vegetarian meals, focusing on raw fruits plus raw and steamed vegetables. Throughout your fast, drink plenty of liquids--water, if you are on a strict fast, and nonacidic juices and herbal teas, if you are on a modified fast. While you'll need to continue any prescription medicines for a specific condition, you can stop taking any nutritional supplements during the fast. The way you break your fast is also important. Ease back into solid food the same way you eased into the fast--with light meals of fruits and vegetables. A large amount of food right away may be too much for your system to comfortably handle.

At the beginning of your fast, you may feel energized. Or, your hunger may trigger headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability. As time goes on, you will probably feel calmer and may even experience a heightened sense of well-being and clarity of mind. Your sleep patterns may be disrupted, however. Be sure to nap during the day if your sleep at night is lighter. In addition, your tongue may feel furry or coated, and you may develop bad breath. Rinse your mouth with plain water or water mixed with lemon juice to relieve these symptoms. If dizziness, nausea, aching limbs, or visual or hearing disturbances bother you, contact your practitioner.

Don't expect to pursue your regular activities during a fast. For a weekend fast, you will want to stay close to home. Limit exercise to walks, stretching exercises, yoga, or tai chi. Good pastimes are meditating, napping, reading, and listening to relaxing music.

The Health Benefits of Fasting

Published research into therapeutic fasting first appeared in the late nineteenth century. Since that time articles have appeared in conventional medical journals in both the United States and Europe showing the positive results of supervised fasting in treating various diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, skin disease, gastrointestinal disease, arthritis, and allergies. How fasting positively affects these diseases, and what its long-term effects are, depends on the ailment. If you have a chronic medical problem and are interested in the benefits of fasting as a therapeutic modality specific to your condition, your best bet is to locate a nutritionally oriented physician or naturopath with some experience in the field.

There is very little published evidence that fasting has any value for a healthy individual. Even so, practitioners of naturopathic medicine regularly recommend fasting as the therapeutic tool for internal cleansing, otherwise known as detoxification. Periodic fasting, naturopaths believe, helps overworked systems (the gastrointestinal tract, skin, liver, and kidneys) remove potentially damaging toxins from the body.

Not surprisingly, a naturopath's definition of what constitutes a "toxin" vastly exceeds that of conventional medicine. And while both camps tend to agree that certain heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) and chemical compounds (pesticides, herbicides, solvents) are toxic, naturopaths expand the list to include food additives, many commonly prescribed drugs, cigarettes, recreational drugs and alcohol, and substances produced by bacteria-induced chemical reactions in the intestine.

A fast can also be an effective way to begin a low-calorie diet, a signal to your body that you're altering the way you eat. But the hunger produced from a fast can lead some people to binge afterward. The "yo-yo" effect of fasting and binging can slow down metabolism, making it harder to lose weight in the long run.

If you decide to do fasting, then a couple of precautions should be known.

Even healthy individuals should not undertake an extended fast of more than three days without medical supervision.

Pregnant or breast-feeding women should not fast.

If you have advanced cancer, a compromised immune system, diabetes, ulcers, or liver, kidney, heart, or lung disease, you should never fast without medical supervision.

Fasting as part of the treatment for a chronic disease such as heart disease, epilepsy, arthritis, or schizophrenia should be under the supervision of a physician experienced in the field.

Anyone who takes prescription or recreational drugs regularly should not fast without medical supervision. Withdrawal symptoms can develop quickly during fasting.

It's important to break a fast carefully. Eating too much too soon will overload your digestive system, causing uncomfortable and disruptive reactions. Your doctor can help you decide how best to break your fast for your individual needs.

The Low Fat Diet

What Is A Low Fat Diet?

Low fat diets try to eliminate most fats from the foods you eat. The diet replaces fat with vegetables, lean meat, brown rice, fiber-rich whole fruits, vegetables, and products made from whole wheat flour. The idea of this diet is to reduce your intake of saturated fat and replace them with protein, polyunsaturated oils and beneficial carbohydrates. This helps the dieter to lose weight while bringing your cholesterol, triglycerides and body fat down. The diet concentrates on restricting fats and filling the dieter up with protein and carbohydrates. This diet eliminates most fats from your diet, and replaces them with fiber-rich whole vegetables,fruit, lean meat, brown rice and products made from whole wheat flour. The goal of low fat diets is to reduce saturated fat in your diet.

How Does It Work?

The Diet works on the principles of reducing your saturated fat intake, thus leading to weight loss. The diet recommends the dieters to switch to lower fat options like: low fat dairy food, low-fat cheese, fat-free dressings and switch to fish, turkey and chicken from beef and lamb. It also recommends that the dieters eat more complex carbohydrates Like potatoes, wholemeal or wholegrain bread, oats, cereal, rice, pasta. The diet says to also eat more fruit, vegetables and salad and to make these foods a MAJOR part of your diet. Because of this weight is lost.

How Much Can You Lose?

Men lose an average of 6-8 pounds after the first two weeks on this diet. Women lose an average of 4-6 pounds. In subsequent weeks, dieters lose an average of 1-2 pounds each week.

Any Possible Side Effects?

Non to note


KNOW THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FATS


Saturated Fats

Foods high in saturated fats tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include high-fat dairy products (like cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), fatty fresh and processed meats, the skin and fat of poultry, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. Keep your intake of these foods low.

Dietary Cholesterol

Foods that are high in cholesterol also tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats.

Trans Fatty Acids

Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings. Foods with a high amount of these ingredients include some commercially fried foods and some bakery goods.

Unsaturated Fats

Unsaturated fats (oils) do not raise blood cholesterol. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish like salmon. Unsaturated oils include both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils are some of the oils high in monounsaturated fats. Vegetable oils such as soybean oil, corn oil, and cottonseed oil and many kinds of nuts are good sources of polyunsaturated fats. Some fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel, contain omega-3 fatty acids that are being studied to determine if they offer protection against heart disease. Use moderate amounts of food high in unsaturated fats, taking care to avoid excess calories.