Six Facts About Fasting

For many people, the mere word 'fast' means pain and suffering. Does it have to be this way? Not necessarily! Here are some facts that just thinking about them will already make you feel different. Fasting is a 'method of action' by which the body heals itself. The rest it provides to organs, especially the digestive system, is unparalleled rest, and our body needs it most.

So what do we learn about the time our body is in abstinence?

1. If you thought that a fasting day is a good opportunity to diet, you are mistaken: fat burning will only be possible after the body uses its sugar reserves - a process that will take at least 24 hours. So if you have lost weight during a few hours of fasting, it is likely due to fluid loss (which increases the risk of dehydration).

2. To prevent the risk of fluid loss and dehydration on the day of the fast, start drinking about 10 cups of water the day before. It is also important to avoid any physical activity during the fast and try to be in a shaded place as much as possible.

3. Fasting allows the excretory organs to get the rest they need to start working again on eliminating the toxins from our body.

4. Fasting aids in the breakdown and absorption of fluids and conserves the energy our systems need. Furthermore, it enhances the function of the digestive system and strengthens the brain and clarity of thought.

5. Fasting helps us enter a different dimension concerning our attitude toward food: with the relative distance from it, we have the opportunity to examine the truth of our feelings when we claim we are 'hungry' or 'thirsty'.

6. Through fasting, the body gets a chance to cleanse with a physical and mental detox. At the end of the process, we will feel how our senses have sharpened, how our vitality has returned to us, and how we are more alert and happy.