Fasting
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The origins
Fasting is a very ancient practice. Over the centuries, it has taken on various meanings:
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- religious: all religions, at the beginning, included periods of abstinence from food, for penance, for mourning, or on the occasion of some rites
- therapeutic: according to the writings found, fasting as a curative method seems to have been used for at least 10,000 years
- philosophical: it is said that Plato, Socrates and even Pythagoras fasted quite often, in order to stimulate the mind
- political: some fast to claim something, as in the case of the hunger strike.
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The pros
According to the followers of natural remedies, the advantages of fasting are manifold:
- Prevent cancer. The "naturotherapists", fasting specialists, observed that tumors tend to disappear with abstinence from food
- Help with weight loss. Fasting is not a diet. However, since it allows you to lose, on average, 500 g per day, it can trigger weight loss
- Purify the blood. During periods of fasting, the number of red blood cells would increase, while that of white blood cells would decrease slightly
- A beauty factor. By purifying the body from the inside, fasting would improve the quality of the skin, but also of the teeth, nails and hair.
- Improve cardiovascular health. Depriving oneself of food would result in decreased heart rate and blood pressure, purification of the arteries, and reduction of cholesterol.
- Stimulate the spirit. In addition to the body, fasting would also "purify" the brain! All the senses would be stimulated
- Return to serenity. Fasting would relieve stress and make sleep more effective. It would stimulate optimism by increasing the secretion of serotonin
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The cons
In general, doctors agree that fasting is not recommended. And this for many reasons:
- Promotes bad habits. Stopping eating, even for a short time, upsets the natural food balance. And it can end up causing behavioral disturbances
- It weakens the body. From the first days of fasting, the body goes into hypoglycemia. Confusion, headache, fatigue: you risk getting sick
- The body goes into reserve. Warned of this sudden deprivation of food, the body begins to function in slow motion: it burns less to economize. The metabolism rests and when you start eating again, your body takes advantage of it
- Generates deficiencies. There are nutrients, such as vitamins C and D, which the body needs every day. In the long run, nutritional deficiencies alter organic functions
- It hurts the muscles. After many days of fasting, since food no longer performs its functions, the body draws energy from the muscles
- Causes the formation of toxins. In other words, the opposite effect to that sought ... The burning of fat reserves and muscles causes the production of toxins.
The intermittent fasting of the fast diet
- Beware of contraindications! Do not fast if you are pregnant, if you are breastfeeding, if you are under medical treatment, if you are thin. You don't even fast to lose weight, but only to purify the body
- Choose the right time. Fasting is difficult to follow as it is accompanied by side effects (headache, stomach pain, hunger, nervousness, pasty mouth, perspiration…). You need to choose a calm period and prepare yourself psychologically and physically
- Drink lots of fluids. Some types of fasting allow you to drink broth or fruit juice, others just water. In any case, it is essential to hydrate to eliminate toxins
- Fasting must have a reasonable duration, 10 days maximum, less if you are doing it for the first time
- When you start eating again. When the fast ends, do not throw yourself into food: you have to reintroduce food gradually, both in quantity and quality.
