Benefits of Fasting

Almost all the religions have a custom of fasting during some special occasions.

In Hindu religion, people keep fasting for nine consecutive days during Navaratri.

In Islam, the followers keep fasting for entire month of Ramadan.

Buddhists keep fasting during the time of intensive meditation, while several Christian denominations also practice a forty-day partial fast commemorating the fasting observed by Jesus Christ during his temptation in the desert.

The religious rituals have their own significance. All the rituals are not baseless. The religious leaders who are valued like a God were highly knowledgeable. The rituals were adopted after thorough studies and analysis.

Fasting, a willing abstinence from food and drink for some period, has several health benefits. The modern science has also proved that fasting can be good for our health. Thus, it has become one of the common diet trends across the globe.

Fasting helps in losing weight. When a person does not eat anything for around eight hours and the stored glucose used up, then the body starts burning fat as a source of energy, resulting in weight loss.

In recent years, several studies have found that intermittent fasting improves blood pressure, cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity, said Dr. Michael Mosley- author of The Fast Diet.

Another study has suggested that periodic fasting- to drink only water in a day once a week- may eliminate the risk of diabetes.

Moreover, longer periods of fasting for around 2-4 days may also boost our immunity system by clearing off old immune cells and regenerating new ones.