DUBAI: In addition to spiritual advantages, fasting offers several health benefits when done properly.
Fasting does indeed help with weight loss.When we fast, insulin decreases dramatically, and lower levels of insulin facilitate fat burning.
Research has proven that fasting helps boost brain power. When our bodies are overworked and overwhelmed by the stresses of daily activities, stress levels increase and disrupt sleep patterns.
During a state of fasting, our brain goes into a meditative mode, enhancing its ability to regulate stress levels and thus helping us make better strategic decisions.
The body does require energy to move throughout the day, but contrary to popular opinion, fasting does not deplete that energy.
With the proper diet, its estimated that more than 50 percent of food intake is transformed into stored energy. Fasting balances food intake and energy use.
Research has also found that fasting reduces an enzyme called PKA, a protein-dependent enzyme that has several functions in cells, including the regulation of glycogen and the metabolism of sugar and lipids. PKA is also linked to an aging hormone that increases cancer risk and tumor growth.
When toxins enter the system, the body tries to neutralize them or eliminate them them through the intestines, liver, lungs, kidneys, lymph glands, and skin. If these systems fail to cleanse the toxins, they simply become stored in body fat.
Fasts cleanse our systems from toxins and chemical residue (synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, detergents, etc.) without harming our health.
On a psychological level, fasting represents the renewal of ourselves and invites a state of peace. With repetition, our behavior changes and we become more relaxed. It is through abstaining that we regain control of our nerves and can assimilate to the environment around us if and when it is filled with negative energy.
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Six health benefits of fasting - Arab News
