Is fasting good for you?
For many people, the key question regarding fasting is
whether it is good or bad for your health. The answer to
this requires a quick overview of what happens inside the
body during fasting: the physiology of fasting.
The changes that occur in the body in response to fasting
depend on the length of the continuous fast. Technically
the body enters into a fasting state eight hours or so after
the last meal, when the gut finishes absorption of nutrients
from the food. In the normal state, body glucose, which is
stored in the liver and muscles, is the body’s main source
of energy. During a fast, this store of glucose is used up
first to provide energy. Later in the fast, once the stores
of glucose run out, fat becomes the next store source of
energy for the body. Small quantities of glucose are also
‘manufactured’ through other mechanisms in the liver.
Only with a prolonged fast of many days to weeks does
the body eventually turn to protein for energy. This is
the technical description of what is commonly known as
‘starvation’, and it is clearly unhealthy. It involves protein
being released from the breakdown of muscle, which
is why people who starve look emaciated and become
very weak.
As the Ramadan fast only extends from dawn till dusk,
there is ample opportunity to replenish energy stores at
pre-dawn and dusk meals. This provides a progressive,
gentle transition from using glucose to fat as the main
source of energy, and prevents the breakdown of muscle
for protein. The use of fat for energy aids weight loss,
preserving the muscles, and in the long run reduces
your cholesterol levels. In addition, weight loss results in
better control of diabetes and reduces blood pressure.
A detoxification process also seems to occur, as any
toxins stored in the body’s fat are dissolved and removed
from the body. After a few days of the fast, higher levels
of certain hormones appear in the blood (endorphins),
resulting in a better level of alertness and an overall
feeling of general mental well-being.
Balanced food and fluid intake is important between
fasts. The kidney is very efficient at maintaining the
body’s water and salts, such as sodium and potassium.
However, these can be lost through sweating. To prevent
muscle breakdown, meals must contain adequate levels
of ‘energy food’, such as carbohydrates and some fat.
Hence, a balanced diet with adequate quantities of
nutrients, salts and water is vital.
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