Fasting consists of abstaining from food for a few days. It can also be intermittent by limiting the time of eating to a specific time slot. Practiced for millennia, it has many virtues for health.
Fasting has sparked scientific interest and has been recognized as beneficial by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC).
Fasting and stimulation of the immune system
Indeed, according to scientists, fasting for a period of three days, would allow stem cells to create new white blood cells, thereby regenerating the immune system and developing the body's defenses against infections. The results were convincing, especially in elderly subjects or those suffering from an immune deficiency.
Anti-aging fasting
Indeed, fasting activates the body's ability to promote cellular protection, regeneration and rejuvenation. For this purpose, fasting activates autophagy, which means that the cells eat themselves; they destroy the harmful and undesirable particles for the body. Thus, autophagy reduces oxidation and cellular aging.
Fasting and fighting cancer
Fasting would help the body cope with the side effects of chemotherapy that impairs the immune system. Professor Valter Longo and his team at the USC Longevity Institute have shown that fasting allows stem cells to rebuild new cells by getting rid of defective and damaged cells. The strengthening of the immune system would allow the body to better manage the inconvenience of cancer treatments.
Fasting an anti-inflammatory
Fasting is particularly effective when you have an upset stomach. The stomach thus takes a rest period which makes it possible to restore it and thus reduce the inflammation as well as all the inflammatory diseases, on the condition of not suffering from stomach ulcer.
Fasting and cardiovascular system
The proper functioning of the cardiovascular system is important for longevity. As a result, fasting has a cleansing effect by eliminating waste stored in the body. Thus the blood circulation will be healthier and promote the presence of good HDL cholesterol by lowering the concentration of triglycerides in the blood.
Fasting and weight loss
Although the effect of fasting is therapeutic, it also helps to promote weight loss. An unhealthy diet usually causes extra calories to be absorbed. Deprived of food, the body will burn more fat, allowing for rapid weight loss. However, to lose weight, fasting should not exceed three days, because beyond the body will attack the muscles. These have an important place in daily energy expenditure.
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting simply means half-fullness and alternating periods of deprivation with periods of food consumption on a single day. Intermittent fasting helps to detoxify and purify the body and helps to lose weight. It also helps to clean the digestive system.
Example of intermittent fasting
For example, it is possible to split the day by fasting for a period of 16 hours and eating for a period of 8 hours, depending on the choice of times that are appropriate for the person; they can go from 5 pm to 7 am or from 6 pm to 6 am ... ..
Intermittent fasting can be an easier cure than traditional fasting; the main difficulty would be not to eat in the morning. Moreover, most mistakenly associate the morning belly pain with a feeling of hunger, while it is simply a purgative phenomenon of the stomach.
Precautions to take before starting the cure of fasting
- It is important to be mentally prepared to allow the body to adapt to this new diet.
- Consult a medical specialist before fasting, whether traditional or intermittent, to avoid any risk to your health.
- A gradual fast is recommended to accustom the body to purge.
Stop fasting if complications such as chronic fatigue, muscle loss or depression occur.
