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Benefit of Fasting -- Less Is MoreAlthough fasting is largely considered a religious ritual, scientific studies have highlighted the benefits of fasting. Depriving yourself of food may not seem pleasant, but it is good for health. Dr. Ray Walford, a famous UCLA researcher said, "Under-nutrition is thus far the only method we know of that consistently retards the aging process..." Aesculapius of ancient Greece had once said, "Instead of using medicine, fast." Christ is said to have fasted for 40 days in meditation. Muslims all over the world fast for 30 days each year during the holy month of Ramadan. When we are sick, we are advised to eat in order to keep up our strength. Nothing could be further from the truth. When a sick person fasts, more energy is available to combat sickness as the body is relieved from the labor of digesting food. The human body needs a lot of energy to digest food. This is why experts discourage swimming after meals; it could cause cramps while in the water. Think about festivals like Thanksgiving where people eat like there is no tomorrow. After consuming a lot of food, do you feel energized or tired? Eating heavily just before going to bed is also a bad idea. You could wake up feeling tired. The reason is simple -- digesting food requires tremendous energy. When you fast, the freed energy can be directed towards eliminating toxins from the body. Unfortunately, only animals and babies retain their natural instinct to refuse food when sick. Research on the Benefits of FastingWe already mentioned Dr. Ray Walford's thoughts on fasting. Let us take a more expansive look at his conclusions. Dr. Walford said, "Under-nutrition is thus far the only method we know of that consistently retards the aging process and extends the maximum life span of warm-blooded animals. These studies are undoubtedly applicable to humans because it works in every species studied so far." The studies also concluded that restricting food improves the immune system and slows down the body's physiological deterioration.Simply put, fasting is a method of giving the digestive system a day off so that the process of healing can take place. Naturopaths recommend fasting for one day in each month. Muslims are advised to fast twice a week along with the obligatory 30-day fasting period each year. Several medical studies show that the surest way to increase life span is by cutting down on food consumption. A study at Cornell University by Dr. Clive McCay is a great example. Dr. McCay took laboratory rats and reduced their food intake by half. It doubled their life span. Another study at the University of Texas involved three groups of rats. One group ate as much as it wanted, a second group had its food intake cut by more than half, and the third ate as much as it wanted but its protein intake was cut in half. After over two years, only 13 percent of the rats in the first group remained alive. Of the second group, 97 percent were still alive. Only half of the third group remained. The message is simple. Eat less, live longer! Also Read: |