Fasting for good health

Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor

"If thou wouldst preserve a sound body, use fasting and walking; if a healthful soul, fasting and praying; walking exercises the body, praying exercises the soul, fasting cleanses both."

- Francis Quaries, AD 1635

You may consider fasting an activity relegated only to religion for spiritual growth, but if you want to maintain good health, you should plan to fast periodically as part of your nutrition regime.

Fasting has several benefits and it is believed to cure several ailments of the body. Fasting is similar to systematic cleaning and disposing of waste around the home before it accumulates and cause disease and other problems in the household.

One of the quickest ways to clean out clogged arteries and prevent organs from malfunctioning is to go on a fast. According to naturopathic physician Steven Bailey of the Northwest Naturopathic Clinic in Portland, Oregon, "Fasting rests the body from the heavy amount of work that is required for digestion and it speeds up the breakdown of fat cells so you can release and eliminate stored wastes and generate new cells."

Oldest cure

Fasting, a working vacation for the body, is an age-old practice considered to be one of the oldest 'cures' of humankind. Fasting is simply going without food and consuming water for a period of time in which the body has the nutritional reserves to function properly. In every religion, fasting is practised to promote mental, physical and spiritual health. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine regularly prescribed fasting as a cure for disease.

As age-old practices are integrated into modern medicine, doctors are reverting to fasting as an ancient healing method and may prescribe fasting from three to 30 days to bring about health improvement in their patients. Based on observations and experiments, the conclusion is convincing that humans are not designed to function with nutritional excesses of fats, protein and glucose, according to fasting advocate Joel Fuhrman, MD, author of Fasting - and Eating - for Health.

Professionally prescribed

Proponents of fasting posit that the period of fasting is not a period of starvation. Furhman defines fasting as refraining from food while your nutritional reserves are high enough to sustain your normal functions. Starvation occurs when those reserves are depleted and at this stage the fast should be broken. There is nothing healthy about starvation and extended fasts should be professionally prescribed and supervised. Persons who prescribe fasting for therapy should have specialised training which may come as part of naturopathic study or doctors and can be certified by the International Association of Hygienic Physicians or the American Natural Hygienic Society.

During fasting, the body literally takes a rest from processing the daily oversupply of food taken into the body. This allows overworked cells to regenerate and process nutrients more effectively. The liver plays a key role in fasting as it chemically changes the toxins released from the cells of the body, allowing them to be excreted more readily. Toxins include pesticides, chemicals and toxic by-products from eating too much food.

Self-digestion

Fasting also allows the body to break down and metabolise all the fat the body has been saving for emergency use. Furhman refers to this process as autolysation of self-digestion in which the body consumes its surplus tissues such as fat, blood vessel plaque and diseased cells. This is claimed to promote youthfulness as the body speeds revitalising the dead cells to restore physiologic youthfulness to the body.

You may be concerned about how you will survive for three or more days without eating? To prevent complete deprivation, your body has a supply pack of fat, muscle and stored carbohydrates. During a fast, stored material such as fat is converted into energy while sparing the vital organs. While the brain and red blood cells need glucose to function, glucose stored in the liver usually runs dry after the first day of the fast so the brain and blood start to pull from amino acids, energy-providing proteins found in the muscles. Amino acids are converted to glucose which feeds the brain and red blood cells. If you go on an extended fast, you may lose little muscle.

Ketones

For an alternative source of energy, the liver breaks down fat to produce glucose-substitute chemicals known as ketones. The brain and blood also use ketones instead of glucose for energy. The process of ketogenesis is critical to basic survival and they preserve the body's protein stores. However, if there is a build-up of too many ketones in the blood, it leads to a dangerous condition called ketosis and the body could become too acidic, leading to fatality. This is why you should be under doctor's supervision during a fast so your condition can be monitored.

There are some persons who have existing conditions and should not fast. These conditions include insulin-dependent diabetes, cancer, severe anaemia, AIDS, liver or kidney disease, eating disorders, epilepsy, tuberculosis, pregnancy and lactation. If you are on medication, you should also see a doctor even if you plan to go on short fast.

Juice fast

For those who are not able to go total deprivation for even a few days, there is the option of modifying the fast by drinking fruit juices, vegetable juices and herbal teas, all of which will provide fuel for the body and still give the digestive system a rest. The modified fast is also a good way to learn to fast if you cannot handle the water fast in the first instance. Water fast is best for healing the body to its maximum capacity. Orthodox fasters believe that when you add calories through the juices, the physiological process of fasting is changed.

Withdrawal symptoms

You may experience withdrawal symptoms when you fast which indicate exactly why you need to fast. Symptoms such as headaches, confusion, abdominal cramping and weakness indicate that the body is detoxifying.

Benefits of Fasting

Fasting should bring about a change in diet to one of natural, whole foods as you will feel better, with higher energy levels so you should be motivated to stay on healthy course and kick the old habits of eating.

Beating addiction: Fasting helps people eliminate substance abuse, coffee and alcohol addiction. When the body is cleaned out, addictive behaviours are easier to kick.

Slows aging: The aging process is slowed by fasting. Wear and tear builds up in the cells and cease to function properly so fasting counteracts the accumulation of waste and the cells are given a rest from wear and tear to the cells so they are able to regenerate.

Relief of rheumatoid arthritis: The pain and stiffness of the joints are caused by the build-up of harmful substances that deteriorates the joints. Fasting removes the pain as there are no harmful deposits from rich animal foods in the joints.

Asthma relief: Furhman believes that fasting is magical against asthma and the fast sometimes dramatically reduce or eliminate the need for routine medication.

Non-cancerous tumours such as fibroids, polyps, breast tumours, are absorbed and disposed of like other bodily waste in a fast. It is important to shed excess body fat in order for the fast to be effective in eliminating tumours.

Reducing cardiovascular disease: A study at Intermountain Medical Centre shows a link between fasting and a lower rate of heart disease. Researchers are now conducting another study to determine why. (www.fasting.ws) Fasting can produce relief for someone with rapid chest pains and it provides significant physiological rest for cardio-vascular patients as the workload of the heart is decreased. Excess fluid is eliminated during the fast and this lowers blood pressure.

Reduces high blood pressure: Fasting is known to normalise blood pressure in a week or two.

Reduces prostate: Enlarged prostate can be reduced during a fast but the results can only be permanent if men engage in permanent lifestyle changes such as avoiding over-eating and large portion sizes, overwork, stress, sexual excesses and chemicals like coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol.

Boosts immune system: Fasting enhances the immune system as the body is given a chance to increase lymphokines which help the white blood cells to fight infection.

Sinusitis and allergies are speedily relieved with a fast as the toxins are removed and will stay away with a natural, plant-based diet.

Prevents fatigue: water or juice fast can reduce chronic fatigue

Planning for the Fast

Give yourself time to prepare for the fast and time to recover as it is a life-changing event.

BEFORE THE FAST

Change your diet to a plant-based one or few weeks before the fast.

Two weeks before the fast gradually eliminate alcohol, caffeinated drinks and tobacco

Limit the amount of sugars, starches and fatty foods a few days before you start.

During the Fast

Go to bed early so you can get enough rest.

Drink lavish amounts of water to adequately flush the system and to supply the body with enough water to operate.

After the fast

Re-introduce plant-based foods slowly to the body. Use mainly fruits and vegetables which are easy to digest ‹ examples like watermelon and green, leafy vegetables. Eating large portions can cause stomach cramps and may lead to ulcers. Smaller portions allow the digestive juices time to return to its normal amounts.

Exercise is a vital as it increases basic metabolic rate. During exercise, the muscles use their glycogen reserves and for several hours after the workout, muscles reabsorb calories from the blood to replace the glycogen reserves.

While fasting can be difficult and intense it undoubtedly has a positive impact on improving health problems and lead people to a healthier lifestyle.

Benefits of Fasting

Fasting should bring about a change in diet to one of natural, whole foods as you will feel better, with higher energy levels so you should be motivated to stay on a healthy course and kick the old habits of eating.

Beating addiction: Fasting helps people eliminate substance abuse, coffee and alcohol addiction. When the body is cleaned out, addictive behaviours are easier to kick.

Slows ageing: The ageing process is slowed by fasting. Wear and tear builds up in the cells and cease to function properly, so fasting counteracts the accumulation of waste and the cells are given a rest from wear and tear to the cells so they are able to regenerate.

Relief of rheumatoid arthritis: The pain and stiffness of the joints are caused by the build-up of harmful substances that deteriorates the joints. Fasting removes the pain as there are no harmful deposits from rich animal foods in the joints.

Asthma relief: Furhman believes that fasting is magical against asthma and the fast sometimes dramatically reduces or eliminates the need for routine medication.

Non-cancerous tumours, such as fibroids, polyps, breast tumours, are absorbed and disposed of like other body waste in a fast. It is important to shed excess body fat in order for the fast to be effective in eliminating tumours.

Reducing cardiovascular disease: A study at Intermountain Medical Centre shows a link between fasting and a lower rate of heart disease. Researchers are now conducting another study to determine why. (www.fasting.ws) Fasting can produce relief for someone with rapid chest pains and it provides significant physiological rest for cardiovascular patients as the workload of the heart is decreased. Excess fluid is eliminated during the fast and this lowers blood pressure.

Reduces high blood pressure: Fasting is known to normalise blood pressure in a week or two.

Reduces prostate: Enlarged prostate can be reduced during a fast but the results can only be permanent if men engage in permanent lifestyle changes such as avoiding overeating and large portion sizes, overwork, stress, sexual excesses and chemicals like coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol.

Boosts immune system: Fasting enhances the immune system as the body is given a chance to increase lymphokines which help the white blood cells to fight infection.

Sinusitis and allergies are speedily relieved with a fast as the toxins are removed and will stay away with a natural, plant-based diet.

Prevents fatigue: water or juice fast can reduce chronic fatigue

Heather Little-White, PhD, is a nutrition and lifestyle consultant in the Corporate Area. Send comments to editor@gleanerjm.com or fax 922-6223.