12 Physical and Mental Benefits of Performing Fasting

Fasting is closely associated with Ramadan and Muslim though the fact is religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity are also practicing fasting. However, today there are a lot of people are practicing fasting not only for faith reasons like athletes who are practicing fasting for health reason and many more. It is because there are a lot of health benefits of fasting that most people don’t aware of.

Don’t be mistaken fasting with starvation because they are completely different. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the examples how you do fasting correctly. Before fasting is started, you should take an early breakfast or pre-dawn meal which is also well known as soohor. What you should eat during soohor time is meals that commonly consumed during breakfast or foods that are rich of carbohydrate, vitamin and minerals and fiber so you have enough energy to do whatever activities you should do daily while practicing fasting until the time to break the fast is coming.

* Great Solution to Lose Weight

Fasting is a great solution to lose weight only if you do it correctly. If you don’t do it correctly, instead of losing weight, you will gain more weight. During fasting, when there is no sugar from foods that are entering your body during the day, body will use the stock of fat as the source of energy. Unused fat will lead to weight gain but during fasting, there is no such unused fat because all fat stock will be turned into energy during the day.

* Preserves Muscle Strength

As mentioned in point number one is all unused fat will be stocked in your muscle. Every time you consume carbohydrate or fat, the glycogen (fat cells) will be added to the stock. If this condition is continued, condition like weight gain is likely to happen. However, during fasting those stocks will be very useful as the source of energy and leave your muscle toned and strong without excessive fat cells.

* Solution for Athlete to Improves Muscle Mass

Today, fasting is like a new age diet program because many people have proven how effective fasting in controlling their weight as well as preserving their muscle. That’s why many athletes now are considering to practice fasting as part of the solution to improve their muscle mass. However, don’t overdoing it because wrong way of fasting could lead to starvation that could endanger muscle mass and totally a nightmare for athlete.

* Reduces Cholesterol Level

The ability of body in controlling weight loss will affect to the reduction of cholesterol level. There are two types of cholesterol, first is LDL which is also best known as ‘bad’ cholesterol and HDL which is the reverse or well known as ‘good’ cholesterol. Some studies have shown that during fasting the level of LDL is going down significantly, which is good, while fasting is not affecting the HDL level at all.

* Good for Diabetic Patients

The main problem that usually face by diabetic patient is how difficult in controlling their appetite. If a person with diabetic condition cannot control their appetite, it will lead to constant spike of blood sugar level. However, during fasting the patients will be ‘forced’ to control it. Initially, it could be really hard but after sometimes body will adjust to the habit and even diabetic patients will have a better control to their blood sugar.

* Improves Insulin Sensitivity

It has been proven scientifically that fasting has positive and significant effect toward insulin sensitivity. During fasting your body could tolerate carbohydrate in much better way and because of that insulin will be more effective in sending information to cells to use the stock of glucose for energy.

* Controls Blood Pressure

How fasting is actually effective for controlling blood pressure is because during fasting weight will be reduced. This condition will affect the reduction of blood pressure as well. However, what you eat after you break the fast is also important because what is the point of fasting if when the time for you to eat, you take it as revenge time.

* Improves Brain Function

Many studies have shown that fasting could boost the production of certain protein which is beneficial for brain function best known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF. This kind of protein will activates the brain stem cells so they could function optimally. That’s why during fasting, instead of feeling dull and unfocused, you will become more alert because your brain is functioning in much better way.

* Reduces the Risk of Alzheimer and Parkinson

The same protein mentioned in the point number 8, BDNF also able to reduce the risk of Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. Because, those conditions occurs when your brain cells are not able to regenerate optimally but BNDF will provide protection to brain cells from changes.

* Gives Mental Clarity

Most people don’t know that fasting also able to give them mental clarity because during fasting, BNDF is not only affecting the brain cells but also nerve cells. Furthermore, during fasting your body will learn how to control your desires towards foods and drinks, in the process your brain is adjusting to the condition and learning how to be more patience and have a better control with emotion.

* Improves Immune System

In animal study, when they are sick, animal instinct will tell them to focus on resting and stop eating. Well, it also applies for human because during fasting, you give your internal system a rest for a while so your body could focus on fighting the infections. The amount of free radicals is also reduced during fasting.

* May Prevent Cancer

Well, just like any other cells, cancer cells also required certain properties to develop. However, during fasting, the process will starve the cancerous cells and stop them from spreading and affecting the other organs. Though more studies related to this subject are still required.