Last week, I explored some of the recently discovered health aspects of fasting by scientific research on June 4. Fasting is an age-old practice, which has been performed for several millenniums by most ancient cultures and religions to cleanse the body; purify the spirit; and teach patience, strength of character, and abstinence as well as keep control over food, overconsumption, and sensual desires.

In Islamic teachings, fasting protects against temptation, sins, offending others, misbehavior, anger, altercations, lies, gossip, evil doings, crime, and other types of transgressions. Allah Almighty, prompts Muslims to do good deeds and attracts them with His blessings and rewards for the virtuous and pious acts such as supplementary prayers, Zakat, (tax imposed on the rich for the benefit of the underprivileged), charity, kindness to others and the underprivileged, abstinence from evildoing, feeding the hungry and the fasting, cladding the unclothed, caring for the orphans, treating or financing the sick, telling the truth, hosting a guest or traveler, smiling to others, or even saying a kind word. By observing Ramadan, we end up collecting physiological, mental, and spiritual benefits.

Now, I will resume my analysis of certain scientifically proven health benefits that come from proper fasting. When I say proper, I mean to fast the way fasting was ordained and that it should not be followed by overconsumption, especially with the wrong types of food like sugar, syrupy desserts, chocolates, doughnuts, creamy pastries, soda and soft drinks, fries, and fast fatty foods. Moderation is key in all our lifestyles in order to be healthy and well.

Studies in the last couple of years came up with interesting and astounding results about fasting. They have shown that a sudden drop in food and calorie intake, such as consuming between 500 to 800 calories a day only, can “trigger protective processes in the brain…” and prevent the risk of degenerative disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Fasting two days a week can also prevent the brain from shrinking. Research indicated that excess weight gain and obesity are causes for the brain to shrink. This phenomenon is an indicator of future brain disorders (dementia, Alzheimer’s…). It was shown that fasting and calorie restriction protect the brain from decline because of the subsequent weight loss, which promotes the regeneration of neurons.

Calorie restriction can help the brain cells to become more resistant to stress as well. It has an important role in restoring the functions of the appetite hormones, leptin and ghrelin. It regulates them by fueling the metabolic rate in order to control weight gain, obesity, and other metabolic syndromes. Leptin and ghrelin have another important function than regulating appetite; they also regenerate brain cells in the hippocampus, where memory is located, making it protective to the memory cells.

According to Dr. Mark Mattson, professor of neuroscience at John Hopkins University of Baltimore and senior investigator at the US National Institute of Aging, obesity disrupts the internal balance of the two hormones, especially at around forty and fifty. He says “Obesity at that age is a marker of cognitive problems later.” The good news is that regular two-day fasting has been shown to reverse brain cell damage in rats, improving the memory and making it significantly more active.

Fasting also triggers hormonal and metabolic changes that help reduce the growth factor hormone, which promotes insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Less body fat results in less inflammation and stress on the body and improves insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk of diabetes. By reducing the harmful effects of free radicals and inflammation biomarkers, immunity, energy, and general health start to improve.

One of the main benefits of fasting is the breaking down of excess fat. The process is called autolysis, which is a form of detoxification from fat and inflammation caused by fat. The liver converts fat into ketone, the chemical that passes through the bloodstream. With fasting and food abstinence, the body breaks down stored fats to make ketone. Too much of the chemical, like during starvation and harsh diets, can become harmful, because the body starts breaking down the muscles for survival.

Body fat is accumulated in the body around belly, hips, and a little everywhere with the overconsumption of dietary fats, carbohydrates, and simple sugars. Synthetic chemicals, toxins, heavy metals, and other toxic materials that cannot be metabolized or detoxified by the body get deposited in fat tissue. When fasts and diets become too harsh and fat is broken down too fast, toxins and heavy metals flood the bloodstream, creating a dangerous toxic condition.

When toxins enter the system, the body tries to neutralize them or get rid them of them through the intestines, liver, lungs, kidneys, lymph glands, and the skin. If these systems fail to cleanse the toxins, they simply get stored in body fat. Lab analysis of the feces, sweat, or urine can be a good indicator of the body’s toxic content. Gentle fasts get rid of body fat, cleansing your systems from toxins and chemical residue (synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, DDT, detergents…) without harming your health.

After the fat loss and toxin elimination, the body promotes internal healing by cutting down on many symptoms such as migraines, asthma, allergies, abnormal growths, tumors, and other puzzling maladies. Fasts give the digestive system a break, which allows the immune system to regenerate and boost its defense mechanism, because the digestion takes a major share of the immunity’s action. Thus, fasting allows the immunity to address other problems in the body.

With fasting, older and flawed cells get recycled and newer and healthier cells are generated. Protein production also becomes more efficient and fewer errors occur by the genetic controls of DNA/RNA, resulting in more robust cells, tissues, and organs functions. Both humans and animals lose appetite and stop eating when sick or wounded. This gives a chance for the immune system to focus on repairing cells, tissue, organs, system, wounds, infections, and others. Fasting speeds the healing of gastritis, colds, diarrhea, and other illnesses. This is a way of diverting energy from the digestive tract to the immune system.

The first couple of days of fasting in Ramadan can be strenuous on the person who is not used to it or is overweight. When the body goes into autolysis, the broken-down fat starts releasing the toxins hidden within, which cause tiredness, fatigue, headaches, or other undesirable symptoms. Heavy smokers or coffee drinkers with nicotine and caffeine addictions will feel miserable, experiencing excruciating headaches and will be in a bad mood, refuse to talk, and have bursts of anger, until they break their fast with a cigarette or a cup of dark coffee. After the first puff or sip, they begin to relax and feel better. Nicotine and caffeine addictions cause disagreeable withdrawal symptoms with fasting and cleansing fasts.

Next week, I will continue exploring the benefits of fasting and healthy ways to fast and cleanse the body and clear the brain from clutter in order to help increase spirituality during Ramadan and help heal from disorders and diseases.

References:

• Fasting for three days renews entire immune system, protects cancer patients, ‘remarkable’ new study finds, by Sarah Knapton, The Daily Telegraph, National Post Wires Services

• Science Discover that Fasting Triggers Stem Cell Regeneration & Fights Cancer by Arjun Walia

• Fasting at least Twice a week Seen as Alzheimer’s Hedge, by Makiko Kitamura, Oct 29, 2013

N.B.:

Individuals with medical conditions or on medication should consult their physicians when they decide to introduce anything new in their diet even if it is natural.

The previous Health Solutions articles are located at www. arabnews.com

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