Why fasting is good for everyone

Fasting can be viewed as the most primitive and universal medicine known to man. 

It has been practiced for thousands of years in many cultures and religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. 

Fasting plays an important role in the meditation of Yoga as well as in the healing rituals of Ayurveda (the traditional Hindu system of medicine). 

In Chinese medicine, fasting is considered to be particularly good for your liver and kidney functions.

Because it allows them to rest from processing excess food and waste that can accumulate with daily eating habits.

 

Fasting can improve digestion

Have you ever experienced overeating and stomach pain after an entire day of eating and drinking junk food, only to feel better upon waking up and drinking a glass of water? 

This may be because your body has been holding onto your food for so long that you were forcing yourself to digest foods when you’re not hungry. 

Fasting can clear out these undigested foods in order to reduce bloating, indigestion, acid reflux, and stomach pain.

 

Fasting can help reduce fatigue

A lack of energy can ruin a workday and rob life of joy. 

When you don’t get enough sleep, your energy levels can suffer.

Fasting helps keep your energy levels high, allowing you to focus on getting through your day with a clear head and a spring in your step.

 While it might sound counterintuitive, skipping meals will actually help give you more energy! 

It’s true that when you haven’t eaten recently, your body will dip into its glucose stores for fuel (this is why people often feel sluggish after skipping breakfast). 

But as soon as those stores are used up, your body has no choice but to start burning fat instead—and doing so requires a lot of energy.

 

Fasting helps you focus

Because you’re not distracted by food, you have more time to devote to yourself and your goals.

 And since many religious and other rituals center around periods of fasting, it makes perfect sense that they often include periods of intense self-reflection. 

If you decide to give intermittent fasting a try, be sure to stick with it;

 even though it might take some getting used to, especially if you are a regular breakfast person or don’t typically finish eating until late in the evening.

 

Fasting gives you increased energy

Have you ever felt sleepy after a meal?

 The reason might be that food can give you energy, but there are certain types of food that may make you feel less energetic.

 If your body isn’t getting enough energy, it will try to conserve what it has and slow down.

 Fasting improves your body’s ability to metabolize energy and boosts cellular regeneration—helping you feel more energetic. 

Many people who practice intermittent fasting report increased levels of energy while they fast. 

This could be due to an increase in human growth hormone (HGH), which helps heal cells and tissues throughout your body, including muscle tissue. 

HGH also increases during sleep so if you have been depriving yourself of sleep while trying to lose weight through dieting or exercise, HGH production may have slowed down as well.

 

Fasting improves your health

When you fast, your body goes into survival mode. It releases chemicals called ketones, which provide energy. 

The buildup of ketones helps protect cells from damage. In addition, your insulin levels become very low so that fat burning increases throughout your body and brain.

 Fasting also changes how genes in cells function, which can help prevent disease development.

 There are many health benefits to intermittent fasting that go beyond weight loss: improved metabolism, lower blood pressure, and reduced triglycerides.

 

Fasting makes you happier

Studies have shown that taking regular intermittent fasts can help reduce depression and make you happier in general.

 Fasting boosts serotonin levels and helps stabilize your blood sugar, lowering anxiety, reducing stress, and improving memory.

 You don’t need to take a long break from eating to benefit either—even skipping breakfast can boost your mood!

 A study published in Nutrition Journal found that people who ate nothing at all for two consecutive days had lower markers of inflammation and better insulin sensitivity than those who ate normally.

Researchers think it may be due to changes in fat metabolism or an increase in human growth hormone (HGH). 

What’s more, when combined with exercise, fasting has been shown to improve physical performance as well as cognitive function by increasing focus and concentration. 

Want more reasons to start fasting today? Check out these amazing benefits of going without food!

 

Fasting regulates blood sugar levels

When you stop eating, your blood sugar levels drop slightly—and then stabilize at a lower level.

 Fasting also gives your digestive system a break. 

This can reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and other health conditions linked to an overactive gut.

 Studies have also shown that fasting lowers cholesterol levels and boosts mood and mental clarity. It’s even been shown to help with weight loss.

 In one study, obese women who fasted every day for six months lost an average of 24 pounds more than women who didn’t fast daily.

 It could be because fasting reduces hunger hormones or increases fat-burning hormones (like leptin). 

Whatever its effects on weight loss, it’s clear that intermittent fasting has many benefits.

 

Is intermittent fasting right for me?

In order to figure out if intermittent fasting is right for you, there are a few things to consider. 

First, it’s important to discuss any pre-existing health conditions that you may have with your doctor. 

They will help advise you on whether or not intermittent fasting can be safe. 

They may also recommend that you alter your plan slightly in order to take into account any issues associated with your health, like diabetes or other conditions. 

The next thing to think about is what kind of fast you want to try.

 There are many different types of intermittent fasts and some can be more beneficial than others depending on your goals.

 Some people choose a 24-hour fast once per week, while others do shorter fasts throughout their day.

 

What happens if I skip a meal while fasting?

When you’re not eating for a few hours, your body will turn to its fat stores for energy. 

This process results in an increase in ketones (water-soluble molecules produced when fats are broken down), which can be easily converted into energy by your body and brain.

In short, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel any different if you don’t eat while on a fast.

 

Conclusion

Make sure to eat a healthy breakfast. The rest of your day will be much more productive and less stressful.

 If you’re having trouble waking up in time, try setting an alarm that wakes you 30 minutes earlier than normal—in time to take care of breakfast before work.

 Eating something small but nourishing like fruit or eggs can help kickstart your body and mind and make you feel more human—

and isn’t that what we’re all striving for at work? Happy and human at work!