Can fasting be good for you?

 Can fasting be good for you?

Why do people think fasting is necessary?

Fasting is abstaining from food and drink for a period of time. Fasting is being without having breakfast. It is synonymous with abstinence.

In the Bible we find the practice of fasting in various circumstances, all of them to favor the spiritual life of the one who practices it. For this reason, fasting must be considered a power within the reach of the servant of God, particularly when it is accompanied by prayer. Here are some purposes of fasting, because fasting without purpose is simply starving.

When we fast, we follow a sacred example. Moses and Elijah fasted for forty days before going before the presence of God.  Anna, the Prophetess, fasted to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. They all wanted to see God and considered fasting a basic prerequisite. We also want to enter the presence of God and for the same reason, we fast.

Jesus fasted (Matthew 4, 2). And since he did not need purification, he surely did it to give us an example. In fact, he assumed that all Christians would follow his example. "When you fast," he said, "do not make a sad face, like those hypocrites who neglect the appearance of your face, so that people will notice that you are fasting." (Matthew 6,16). Note that he did not say, "if you fast," but "when you fast."

So the apostles continued to fast, long after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus (see Acts 13, 2-3 and 14,23).

In the oldest Christian documents, we see that the first believers fasted every Wednesday and Friday. In those days they probably only had one meal, bread and water.

The current fasts are not so demanding. The Church requires that we fast only two days a year: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

The norms for fasting are obligatory for Catholics from 18 to 59 years of age. And we are allowed to take more than just bread and water. The rules allow for one full meal, as well as two smaller meals. The two smallest meals together should not equal the entire meal.

Catholics also observe minor fasts throughout the year. We do not eat or drink anything other than water for one hour before receiving Holy Communion. We call this the “eucharistic fast”.

Fasting helps us to detach ourselves from the things of this world. We fast, not because earthly things are bad, but precisely because they are good. They are the gifts that God gives us. But they are so good that sometimes we prefer the gifts to the Giver. We tend to eat and drink to the point where we forget about God. Saint Paul said that for some people: "their god is their womb... They think only of the things of the earth" .

We are not to be like those people. We must be able to enjoy the gifts of God without ever forgetting the Giver. Fasting is a good way to start.

This year we are fasting longer than usual, including on Good Friday. We are deprived of activities we enjoy. We are homebound and limited in other ways. We can't even receive Holy Communion.

We can treat this as depressing, or use it as an extraordinary occasion for grace and spiritual growth. We can complain, or follow the example of Moses, Elijah, Ana, the Apostles... and Jesus.

This is not the time to lose control of our Lenten sacrifices. This is the time to renew our commitment through our fasting and our prayer.

To fast or not to fast

Does it matter when I eat?

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern in which you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. Numerous studies show that it can have important benefits for your body and brain.

Here are 10 evidence-based health benefits of intermittent fasting.

1. It changes the function of hormones, cells and genes

When you don't eat for a period of time, several things happen to your body.

For example, your body changes hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible and initiate important cellular repair processes.

These are some of the changes that occur in your body during fasting:

Insulin levels. Insulin levels in the blood drop significantly, making it easier to burn fat.

Human growth hormone (HGH) levels. Blood levels of human growth hormone (HGH) can increase dramatically. Higher levels of this hormone make it easier to burn fat and build muscle, and have many other benefits.

Cell repair. The body induces important cellular repair processes, such as removing waste from cells.

Gene expression. There are beneficial changes in several genes and molecules related to longevity and protection against disease.

Many of the benefits of intermittent fasting are related to these changes in hormones, cell function, and gene expression.

When you fast, insulin levels drop and human growth hormone (HGH) rises. Your cells also initiate important cell repair processes and change the genes they express.

2. It can help you lose weight and visceral fat

Many of the people who try intermittent fasting do so to lose weight.

In general, intermittent fasting will cause you to eat fewer meals.

Unless you compensate by eating a lot more during other meals, you'll end up consuming fewer calories.

Additionally, intermittent fasting improves hormonal function to facilitate weight loss.

Lower insulin levels, higher HGH levels, and higher amounts of norepinephrine (noradrenaline) increase the breakdown of body fat and make it easier to use for energy.

For this reason, short-term fasting actually increases your metabolic rate, helping you burn even more calories.

In other words, intermittent fasting works both ways of the caloric equation. Increase your metabolic rate (increases calories) and reduce the amount of food you eat (reduces calories).

According to a 2014 review of the scientific literature, intermittent fasting can cause 3 percent to 8 percent weight loss in 3 to 24 weeks. This is a large amount.

The study participants also lost between 4 percent and 7 percent of their waist circumferences in 6 and 24 weeks, indicating that they lost a lot of visceral fat. Visceral fat is the harmful fat in the abdominal cavity that causes disease.

A 2011 review also showed that intermittent fasting caused less muscle loss than continuous caloric restriction.

However, a 2020 randomized trial looked at people who followed the 16/8 method. On this diet, you fast for 16 hours a day and have an 8-hour window to eat.

The people who fasted did not lose much more weight than those who ate three meals a day. After testing a subgroup of participants in person, the researchers also determined that those who fasted lost a significant amount of lean mass. This included lean muscle.

More studies are needed on the effect of fasting on muscle loss. All things considered, intermittent fasting has the potential to be an incredibly powerful weight loss tool.

Intermittent fasting helps you eat fewer calories while slightly increasing your metabolism. It is a very effective tool for losing weight and visceral fat.

3. It can reduce insulin resistance, lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has become a very common diagnosis in recent decades.

Its main feature is high blood sugar levels in the context of insulin resistance.

Anything that reduces insulin resistance should help lower blood sugar levels and protect against type 2 diabetes.

Interestingly, intermittent fasting has been shown to have the greatest benefits for insulin resistance and to cause an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels.

In human studies on intermittent fasting, fasting blood sugar dropped by 3 percent to 6 percent over the course of 8 to 12 weeks in people with prediabetes. Fasting insulin was reduced by 20 percent to 31 percent.

A study in mice with diabetes also showed that intermittent fasting improved survival rates and protected against diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that can cause blindness.

What this implies is that intermittent fasting may be highly protective for people who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes .

However, there may be some differences between the sexes. A 2005 study in women showed that blood sugar management actually worsened after a 22-day intermittent fasting protocol.

Intermittent fasting can reduce insulin resistance and blood sugar levels, at least in men.

4. May Reduce Oxidative Stress And Inflammation In The Body

Oxidative stress is one of the steps towards aging and many chronic diseases.

It involves unstable molecules called free radicals. Free radicals react with and damage other important molecules, such as protein and DNA.

Several studies show that intermittent fasting can improve the body's resistance to oxidative stress.

Additionally, studies show that intermittent fasting can help fight inflammation, another key factor in many common illnesses.

Studies show that intermittent fasting can reduce oxidative damage and inflammation in the body. This should have benefits against aging and the development of various diseases.

5. It can be beneficial for heart health

Heart disease is currently the biggest killer in the world.

Several markers of health (so-called “risk factors”) are known to be associated with increased or decreased risk of heart disease.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve several different risk factors, including:

blood sugar levels

blood pressure

blood triglycerides

total and LDL (bad) cholesterol

inflammatory markers

However, much of this is based on animal studies.

The effects of fasting on heart health in humans need to be studied further before any recommendations can be made.

Studies show that intermittent fasting can improve several risk factors for heart disease, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and inflammatory markers.

6. Induces various cell repair processes

When we fast, the body's cells initiate a cellular “waste removal” process called autophagy.

This implies that, over time, cells break down and metabolize the broken and dysfunctional proteins that accumulate inside the cells.

Increased autophagy may protect against several diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.

Fasting triggers a metabolic pathway called autophagy, which removes waste material from cells.

7. It can help prevent cancer

Cancer is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of cells.

Fasting has been shown to have several beneficial effects on metabolism that may reduce cancer risk.

Promising evidence from animal studies indicates that intermittent fasting or fasting-mimicking diets may help prevent cancer. Research in humans has had similar findings, although more studies are needed.

There is also some evidence showing that fasting reduces various side effects of chemotherapy in humans.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to help prevent cancer in animal studies and in some human studies. Research in humans has shown that it can help reduce the side effects caused by chemotherapy.

8. It has benefits for your brain

What is good for the body is often good for the brain as well.

Intermittent fasting improves several metabolic functions known to be important for brain health.

Intermittent fasting helps reduce:

oxidative stress

the inflammation

blood sugar levels

insulin resistance

Several studies in mice and rats have shown that intermittent fasting can increase the growth of new nerve cells, which should have benefits for brain function.

Fasting also increases levels of a brain hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A deficiency of BDNF has been implicated in depression and various other brain problems.

Animal studies have also shown that intermittent fasting protects against brain damage due to stroke.

Intermittent fasting can have important benefits for brain health. It can increase the growth of new neurons and protect the brain from damage.

9. It can help prevent Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the world's most common neurodegenerative disease.

There is currently no cure available for Alzheimer's, so preventing it from appearing is critical.

Studies in rats and mice show that intermittent fasting can delay the onset of Alzheimer's or reduce its severity.

In a series of case reports, a lifestyle intervention that included short-term daily fasting was able to significantly improve Alzheimer's symptoms in 9 out of 10 people.

Animal studies also suggest that fasting may protect against other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.

However, more studies in humans are needed.

Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting may protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

10. It could extend your life

One of the most exciting benefits of intermittent fasting may be its ability to extend your lifespan.

Rodent studies have shown that intermittent fasting extends life in a similar way to continuous calorie restriction.

Intermittent fasting has also been shown to increase the lifespan of fruit flies.

In some of these studies, the effects were quite dramatic. In an earlier study, rats that were fasted every other day lived 83 percent longer than rats that were not fasted.

In a 2017 study, mice fasted every other day increased their lifespan by about 13 percent.

Daily fasting was also shown to improve the general health of male mice. It helped delay the onset of conditions like fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma, which are common in aging mice.

Although this is far from determined in humans, intermittent fasting has become very popular among people fighting aging.

Considering the known benefits for metabolism and all sorts of markers of health, it makes sense that intermittent fasting could help you live a longer, healthier life.

Intermittent fasting may help you live longer, according to animal studies.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is a very popular weight loss method, but its benefits go beyond that. It can also help you live a longer, healthier life, according to studies involving animals and humans.

There are many different forms of intermittent fasting. Some methods include fasting for certain hours each day. Other methods only require you to fast on certain days of the week. Approaches, and results, vary.

If you're interested in starting intermittent fasting, consider talking to your doctor or a nutrition expert today. They can help you determine if it is safe for you.

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