To non-religious people, fasting for religious purposes may look like a meaningless ritual of starvation aimed only at expressing loyalty to God or the faith by torturing the body and endangering one's life. But what does religious fasting really do to the body? You may just be surprised at what science has to say about the health benefits of religious fasting.
What Is Fasting?
Fasting can be defined as a wilful abstention from eating, from eating and drinking, or from some foods and drinks, for a certain period of time. In some traditions and religions, such as Christianity, fasting represents a withdrawal from certain types of foods, while in Islam and Judaism, fasting represent a complete withdrawal of food, drinks or any flow to the body, as well as the withdrawal of bodily pleasures, from dawn to sunset or from sunset to sunset.
From time immemorial, fasting was considered as beneficial for health. In fact, this is one of the oldest methods of health preservation. Even Hippocrates advised his patients to treat their soul and body with fasting, moderate exercises and fresh air, instead of taking medicines. Scientists proved that fasting can be quite a successful method in the treatment of many diseases, primarily related to obesity and excess body weight.
Fasting Vs Dieting: Exactly What Are The Differences?
Fasting and dieting are often confused, but those two terms should be clearly separated. A diet is a special regime of nutrition, with selected foods and pre-determined rules. Fasting is an abstaining from food, in which weight loss is just a side effect. Refraining from eating certain foods, like meat, or limiting their intake may indeed result in a weight loss similar to that seen in dieting, but the underlying reasons for engaging in fasting are completely different.
The Positive Health Effects Of Orthodox Christian Fasting
Greek Orthodox Christians, and other christians from within the Eastern Orthodox religion, fast for a total of 180 to 200 days each year. The main fasting periods include the Nativity Fast, Lent, and the Assumption. The fasting periods are rather similar in terms of limitations on food consumption and can be described as a variant of vegetarianism.
According to a study published in the journal Nutrition, some of the positive effects of Orthodox Christian fasting include a reduced body mass, and a decrease in total cholesterol, LDL-C (low density lipoproteins, so-called “bad” cholesterol) and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio (“bad” to “good” cholesterol ratio).
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Furthermore, another study found that fasters (as compared with controls) had lower intakes of dietary cholesterol, total fat, saturated fatty acids and trans-fatty acids along with an increase in total dietary fiber attributed to their higher consumption of fruit and vegetables during fasting periods.
Religious Fasting Can Make A Serious Difference To Various Aspects Of Health
Muslim Fasting And Its Impact On Health
Some people call it surgery without a knife. Ramadan is a 28 to 30 day fast in which foods and drinks are prohibited during daylight hours. Lately, a number of serious scientific studies confirmed the benefits of Muslim fasting for human health. The scientific journal Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism published several scientific papers on the impact fasting has on health. These papers revealed that fasting during Ramadan induces a marked increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) and a decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol).
It also has a positive effect on serum lipid levels, coagulation status and plasma homocysteine levels, and positively influences the levels of interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein and other biochemical parameters. Collectively, these changes in the body improve inflammatory parameters and reduce the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases.
Daniel Fasting – The “No meats, No Sweets” Fast
The Daniel Fast is a 21-day partial fast based upon Daniel's own experiences as recorded in the Bible. The followers avoid animal products and preservatives, and mostly consume fruits and vegetables.
In a study published in the journal Lipids in Health and Disease about the impact of the Daniel Fast on the metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk factors, researchers concluded that the Daniel Fast is well-tolerated by men and women and improves several risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
Furthermore, the investigation published in the journal Nutrition found that there are some other advantages of the Daniel Fast, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the level of lipids in blood, as well as positive effects on insulin resistance and biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Health Benefits Of Religious Fasting
Shelton summarizes the health benefits of religious fasting perfectly in his book Le Jeune:
- Fasting relaxes the body and removes some difficulties (facilitates the work of the digestive system, because it reduces fat and uric acid in blood). Increased fat in blood leads to arterial stiffness, and increased uric acid can cause gout and arthritis;
- It facilitates the work of the kidneys and the urinary channels by reducing urination;
- It sharpens the vision: after fasting people see and feel twice time better;
- It removes toxins accumulated in the body and prevents the absorption of substances accumulated in the intestine;
- It enhances the discernment of the mind; (excessive food intake full with fats leads to laziness, lethargy and poor reflection);
- It activates the digestive system and promotes its work;
- It dissolves higher material accumulated in diseased tissues;
- It rejuvenates and revitalizes the various cells and tissues;
- It protects against obesity, and therefore, various diseases that are the consequence of excess body weight. It is much easier to prevent than cure obesity.
A Word Of Caution
Like with any other health-related practice, people should use common sense when considering fasting. A recent problem in Pakistan when hundreds of people died during a heat wave is a perfect illustration of this point. The heat wave happened during the Holy month of Ramadan, and many people refused drinking water during the day, despite the risk of being severely dehydrated.
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In general, a doctor’s advice on appropriateness of a particular fasting regime to your personal health must always be taken in consideration.
Sources & Links
- Trepanowski JF, Bloomer RJ. (2010). The impact of religious fasting on human health. Nutrition Journal. 9:57
- Sarri K, Linardakis M, Codrington C, Kafatos A. (2007). Does the periodic vegetarianism of Greek Orthodox Christians benefit blood pressure? Prev Med. 44(4):341-348
- Sarri KO, Linardakis MK, Bervanaki FN, Tzanakis NE, Kafatos AG. (2004). Greek Orthodox fasting rituals: a hidden characteristic of the Mediterranean diet of Crete. Br J Nutr. 92(2):277-284
- Adlouni A, Ghalim N, Benslimane A, Lecerf JM, Saile R. (1997). Fasting during Ramadan Induces a Marked Increase in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Decrease in Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol. Ann Nutr Metab. 41(4):242-9
- Aksungar FB, Eren A, Ure S, Teskin O, Ates G. (2005). Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Serum Lipid Levels, Coagulation Status and Plasma Homocysteine Levels. Ann Nutr Metab. 49(2):77-82
- Aksungar FB, Topkaya AE, Akyildiz M. (2007). Interleukin-6, C-Reactive Protein and Biochemical Parameters during Prolonged Intermittent Fasting. Ann Nutr Metab. 51(1):88-95
- Bloomer RJ, Kabir MM, Canale RE, Trepanowski JF, Marshall KE, Farney TM, Hammond KG. (2010). Effect of a 21 day Daniel Fast on metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women. Lipids in Health and Disease. 9:94
- Shelton HM. (1970). Le jeune. Le Courrier Du Livre
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