Are you currently fasting for health benefits? I know from prior knowledge when people think of not eating food they usually think about starving. Fasting isn’t something we deliberately do because foods are so plentiful and who would desireto give up all the delicious goodies that are available to us? It takes a lot for an individual to just simply say “I want to give up food today” because we have been trained we need four things in this life to survive. Those 4 things are oxygen, h2o, shelter, and of course food to eat! So, it makes it very challenging to transform our mindset to abstain from food in order to realize the remarkable health benefits it offers. But…was it always like this?
Many years ago, our ancestors and forefathers frequently fasted just because they had to as they did not have markets where they could pick food items off shelving units and put it in their grocery carts. It just wasn’t like that so whatever they consumed in most occasions had to be trapped or gathered and they could go for long durations of time without ensnaring or picking anything. See, if you had to hunt or pick your food items you could fall into periods of time where you just can’t trap or find things to devour. It’s just how things go. I have encountered this myself where I’ve had the best intent of going out to catch fish and after spending 4 or five hours on the fishing boat, all I’m left with are receptacles of worms and a suntan. You just don’t catch fish sometimes but unlike my forefathers, I have the the convenience of being able to walk into a food store and purchase the fish I didn’t catch a couple of hours ago. It just wasn’t like this for our ancestors and forefathers so if they didn’t catch or pick anything to eat they would have to abstain from food until they were able to finally find food. I bet if you could take a picture of what they looked like back then, not one of them would be overweight.You cannot say that today,can you?
There is some amazing data as to why you may want to begin starting a fast for health benefits and I thought I would share a few for you today. Most of these are scientific but some of them are things I have discovered from my own experiences with fasting on a frequent basis.
1. Reduced Insulin levels and lowered insulin sensitivity – Most individuals today have elevated insulin levels as a result of the elevated amounts of sugar they are taking in. Processed white sugar and high fructose corn syrup are in most products today which was unheard of in earlier years. This is one of the major reasons why there is a high blood sugar outbreak in America because with the increasing amounts of sugar, the pancreas has to release more and more insulin to force blood glucose levels down. This usually results in insulin sensitivity which manifests into diabetes and weight problems. Abstaining from food helps stimulate the normalizing of insulin levels in the our bodies.
2.Boost in Growth Hormone Levels – Abstaining from food helps to increase growth hormone levels. This is important if you want to develop more muscle, feel better and look younger than you are. It’s the natural way to do it without using man-made hormones.
3. Digestive System – Fasting for shortened periods of time gives your digestive system time off and can also eliminate flatulence and bloating in the body. It can also get rid of constipation.
4. Cleansing the Body – By going on a fast, you can clear the body’s lymphatic system which will give you restored mental awareness and focus. This is one of the major reasons why going on a fast has been attached to higher awareness.
5. High Blood Pressure – Starting a fast is a awesome way to lower blood pressure.
6. Addiction to food – Many people today are addicted to food items in our culture. We are bombarded with food at social events, work, and everywhere else. Fasting is a great tool to help regulate the natural tendency to eat for no reason. This has been a big help to me personally to prevent unnecessary eating when I am not feeling hungry.
7. Decreased Body Fat Levels and Weight – You can strategically use abstaining from food to lose body fat and get to the weight you desire.
8. Energy – Fasting can give you more vigor! It may sound strange but I’ve experienced this myself when I’ve felt like I caught my second wind after starting a fast for an really short period of time.
9. Longer Life – In recent studies, people who fast on a periodic basis live a longer life.
Bonus – Decrease in Weight Gain – You can use starting a fast as a way to splurge on your eating. I used this recently during the Thanksgiving holiday as I didn’t eat for part of the day and when it was time to partake of dinner, I consumed what I wanted without worrying about putting on any excess weight!
Going on a fast for brief periods used to be considered a weird thing to do, but judging by the way our modern society is looking today it can be considered the right thing to do to take care of your health. has been sitting right under our noses for years but no one ever looked at it as a way to boost health and energy. Most of the time the answers are very simple but society makes them hard as a means to maximize profit and keep individuals confused. Always keep things easy and one way to do this is to start going on a fast for health benefits.
Disclaimer: The preceding post is for informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medical advice.