From time immemorial, human race has lived under the shadow of religious faiths. In search of peace and light, man has worshipped the intangible power of God. One such act of worship across many religions has been to keep fast in his devotion. Basically, an act of a change in food habits, it, however, comes with its share of medical benefits. The human body undergoes wear and tear, inside and outside. Thus, it becomes very important to detoxify ourbody so that it functions properly. And here comes the beneficial role of occasional fasting.
Detoxifying the body becomes even more important if one is addicted to habits like smoking, drinking and eating junk food. These toxic materials make it even more difficult for the natural detoxifying mechanism of the body to work properly so that the unwanted elements in the digestive system are flushed out and the whole system is refreshed.
“By giving one day off to your stomach, you can detoxify the body, it is like charging it,” says fitness expert Nisha Malhotra. Working in the field for the past 26 years, Malhotra underlines the importance of fasting by highlighting the fact that it not only detoxifies the body but also curbs the desire and the temptation to overeat.
As the energy intake lessens during this period, the body is forced to use the energy reserves. “We lose water, and then glycogen, fat is the last thing we lose,” says yet another fitness expert Neha Saxena. Neha says fasting does not help in losing fat, but such a practice can act as a catalyst to the process of losing the extra inches off your waist.
Sometimes fasting would mean having an early breakfast and then skipping a meal and directly going for dinner. But such practices not only can use up the body's energy reserves but can have ill effects on the body as well. If overdone, one runs the risk of suffering stomach related diseases like ulcer besides fluctuating insulin levels, particularly in diabetics.
Thus, fasting for small periods is beneficial but if stretched for longer duration, it may even harm the body by denying it adequate energy.
