Fasting as a breakthrough towards a healthy lifestyle

Written by: Fathima Hasheena Hassan, Class of 2028

Nowadays, fasting is a well-known term throughout the world. Fasting can be elaborated as a self- refraining method from meals for a certain period of time. People frequently engage in fasting due to many different reasons. For instance, treatments and devotional aims have become most notable amongst.

There are diverse varieties of fasting which depend on one’s meal consumption frame while contemplating one’s objective of fasting.

According to certain experiments conducted on food restrictions, it has been confirmed that, the reaction of various organisms contradicts one another. In addition, it was ascertained the period of food limitation relies upon the species. Such demonstrations solidly exhibited that, yeast plunges into a hibernation state and animals such as bears and ground squirrels were noticed to be in this state while nematodes defeated this resting period. Besides, in mammals the liver and adipose tissue are represented as power stations.

The well-being of a person is determined through various factors such as nutrition fulfillment, regular exercise, daily way of living and one’s stress management level. The ultimate goal of ‘living a well-balanced healthy life’ could be reached with the aid of fasting which is much more convenient and efficient.

It is a well-known fact that, an approved method to lose excess body weight which causes obesity and other cardiac risks is by fasting regularly. Recent studies done by some researchers including Fabbiano on turning the white adipose tissue (WAT) to brown adipose tissue (BAT) shows that the levels of WAT decrease due to the browning of WAT while restricting food. High amounts of WAT are unhealthy as they may lead to obesity. Thus, fasting could be used as a procedure to the drawback of excess weight.

In addition, through recent researches it has been proved that, there is an increment in levels of adiponectin hormone which is an adipose-secreting protein. This is a hormone which works against the body weight, adiposity as well as insulin resistance. It was also verified that, people who lived a long life tend to have numerally a high amount of this hormone. Thusly, it is noted that, fasting assists in one’s longevity.

Cellular autophagy is a process in which the warped molecules and organelles that are diminished in the cells are removed. This process is favored during fasting by supplying energy to such cells vaguely and the energy used here is gained by the recycling materials. Besides, it aids to maintain the regeneration of the cells as well.

An essential organ in maintaining the sugar levels of a person by producing and releasing insulin as well as glucagon is the pancreas. Restriction of calorie intake in other words suggests that, reduced intake of energy which subsequently clears the path for the decrement of pancreas apoptosis. Circulating glucose and insulin in the body were found to be reduced by 30% when a person follows a meal restriction plan for three consecutive days.

After several studies, it was found that there is a correlation between fasting and heart related diseases.

This is because the oxidative stress decreases in the endothelial cells. Two monitored clinical trials conducted on people who engaged in fasting explicitize that, there was a stunted frequency of coronary artery disease.

Peculiarly, studies manifest that, fasting may intensify synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis and neuroprotection. This is done because Brain Derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are increased when a person fasts. BDNF is a biomarker of aged cognitive shortfalls which could also be considered as a neurotrophic growth factor.

Apart from that, collected data proves that people who followed a meal restriction plan were capable to achieve quality time in sleeping, reduced midnight cravings and an endurable strength of energy.

Fasting is of course considered to be a non-prescribed treatment in which people could take part in. This could be further explained as a simple day-to-day activity if a person intends to whirl towards a healthy active life. At the same time, this could be prescribed by doctors in certain cases. Prior to a surgery the doctors generally advice to fast so that it is possible to avoid the encounter between the food consumed and the anesthetic chloroform. Contrarily, this could make the patient vomit but patients were allowed to take clear fluids before several hours of the surgery as repeated experiments suggested that, predominantly solid matters must be absent in the stomach.

Even though, there are numerous benefits by restricting food in various recommended methodologies there are certain excluded categories. In fact, when stages of life of a person are considered, children and adolescents are major groups to not undergo fasting. Into the bargain, pregnant, breastfeeding women and elderly people substantially fall onto this category. The exclusion groups are people who require vital energy and enough nutrition to lead a healthy life.

Overall, in general, there are immense benefits in fasting. Nonetheless, it is conspicuous that, fasting only cannot aid in achieving a healthy life yet could provide a gigantic leap to reach the concept of a healthy life hereby, striking the vitality of food restriction.