Fasting therapy is type of body cleansing, where food is restricted and only a particular type of food is allowed to be consumed. Only liquids may be allowed that include herbal teas, fruits and vegetable juices that can be consumed which can be better tolerated by the body than complete fasting.
When people consume regular food there is a mix of food types and most of them contain chemicals and high fat foods that give rise to toxins in the body. This not only deprives the body of essential vitamins and nutrients but also affects the functioning of vital body systems.
History
Fasting has been considered as a ‘good for health’ procedure since ancient times. It has been practiced and promoted by religious gurus and many people follow it for the cleansing effect.
Principle
Fasting is used as a method to cleanse toxins from the body and is considered as an essential part of the detoxification process. It is considered that just as people take breaks and go on a vacation, the body too needs a break from digesting and processing heavy food. Thus during fasting, the body is able to focus on cleansing the toxins as there is much less energy expenditure on the digestion process.
During a fast there is less intake of calories, as a result the liver uses glucose from its stores to keep the brain functioning. This may cause breakdown of fatty acids to avoid proteins from breaking down, which may result in ketosis. This is managed by allowing fluids and fruit juices thus maintaining a supply of simple sugars to the body.
Method
During fasting the blood and lymph gets detoxified and toxins that have accumulated in various areas get cleared off. Fasting for a day or two is considered safe, while those wanting to continue it for long are advised to do it under supervision. It is better to get a medical evaluation done before beginning with this therapy as people suffering from certain ailments like nutritional disorders, anemia, gastric troubles, tuberculosis, cancers, etc need proper nutrition and fasting may affect their health.
Benefits
Fasting has been proved beneficial in conditions like obesity, stress related disorders, back pain due to muscle spasms, bone and joint condition, allergies, skin problems and insomnia.
