In a time of abundance and nearly unlimited options when it comes to food, the concept of fasting might seem difficult or even dreadful for some. Depending on where you live in the world, you may have access to any cuisine you like, at nearly any time of day or night, and probably able to go to your local market and pick up any food item you crave. So why would anyone fast anyway? When fasting is done right, it actually can have numerous health benefits. There are certainly right and wrong ways of doing it. What you DO NOT want to do is go from eating a fast food diet to only living on water for the next week. Or doing the master cleanse. Bad idea! And fasting certainly should not mean that everyone can or should fast the same way, since bodies are different.
Of course, if you’re Catholic you fast for religious reasons to practice self-denial. It’s not only a law of the Church, but great for you spiritually and for your body.
Most of us have probably eaten too much on an occasion and didn’t feel good afterwards. We all know that eating too much and too often is not good for us, even if we don’t know why physiologically. After we eat a meal our blood sugar goes up like it’s supposed to, though the amount of blood sugar varies depending on how much of your meal is carbohydrate. Then, the hormone insulin is secreted from your pancreas to put the blood sugar into your cells. That is the normal mechanism, as blood sugar that stays in the bloodstream for too long is detrimental to the body (that’s what happens with diabetes).
Yet when we eat more than three meals per day or are constantly snacking we are under the influence of insulin repeatedly, which over time can lead to inflammation. Insulin is necessary for our survival, but if it is being constantly secreted it becomes inflammatory and our cells become resistant to it, hence the term insulin resistance. In addition, when we are under the influence of insulin, we do not produce growth hormone, which is responsible for the body’s general repair and maintenance. This hormone is secreted when we are fasting, even if for just a few hours.
So here are some of the benefits:
- It will give your body a reset. Once you get over the difficult start, it can get your cravings under control and change your eating schedule if it is out of whack. One of the worst things you can do for your health is have a late night snack, because sleeping is a time when you burn fat, repair damage in the body, and build immunity. Your body cannot do that in the presence of insulin. Fasting can also normalize your hunger and satiety hormones, and will greatly improve your digestion.
- It will encourage cell repair. When you fast, it will initiate a process called autophagy, which removes waste material from cells. This is especially helpful when you are sick because it will speed up recovery time. When you haven’t eaten for 4 hours and can feel the grumbling in your belly, that means good things are happening!
- It can reduce oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress is generated by those pesky free radicals that are known to cause several diseases, like cardiovascular disease. Fasting can fight inflammation and promote healing from oxidative stress, which we can all benefit from due to the onslaught of free radicals that we are exposed to daily.
Keep in mind though, there are some folks who should either NOT fast or consult a physician before doing so: pregnant/nursing women, children, individuals with weakened immune systems, anyone with a disease or chronic illnesses, or those who are malnourished or underweight.
How long should someone fast? This can vary and it can be as simple as skipping a meal if you are not truly hungry, or eating 2 full meals instead of 3 in a day. It can also mean not having any snacks in between meals, which may not sound difficult, but many of us feel like we need a snack every couple hours. Can you say 4 o’clock chocolate cravings? You can do these kinds of fasts as often as you like, even if it’s every once in a while.
Women also need to be careful with fasting, because some do not feel well if they are skipping meals regularly and can start experiencing low blood sugar, thyroid problems, or worse. Basically, if you are not hungry don’t eat. And don’t eat out of boredom. This can be especially tempting during a snowstorm when you’re inside all day and don’t feel like doing much!
I have been fasting for Lent and started experiencing the random cravings that can happen when you start restricting food (totally normal). I’m also giving up chocolate for 40 days… the photo up top is basically what’s been on the brain lately. But I’ve also learned how much better one can feel and how you can make better food choices when you are consciously aware of what you are eating, as opposed to grabbing the first thing that you see when you are hungry. We should never forget to be grateful for what we have or take it for granted.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3106288/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095528630400261X
A Spoonful of Garlic 
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