Are you presently fasting for health benefits? I know from practical experience when folks think of going on a fast they usually think about starving. Fasting isn’t something we voluntarily do because foods are so abundant and who would really wantto give up all the delectable sweets that are available to us? It takes a lot for a person to just simply say “I really want to give up food today” because we have been trained we need four things in life to survive. Those four things are air, water, shelter, and of course food! So, it makes it very hard to modify our mindset to abstain from food in order to know the remarkable health benefits it gives you. But…was it always like that?
Some years ago, our forefathers frequently abstained from food just because they had to as they didn’t have food stores where they could pick food items off shelving and place it into their grocery carts. It just wasn’t like that so whatever they ate in most cases had to be trapped or gathered and they could go for long durations of time without catching or gathering anything. See, if you had to hunt or pick your food you could fall into periods of time where you just cannot entrap or find things to consume. It’s just how things go. I have experienced this myself where I’ve had the best motives of going out to catch fish and after fishing for four or five hours on the fishing boat, all I’m left with are receptacles of worms and a sun tan. You just don’t catch fish sometimes but unlike my forefathers, I have the luxury of being able to walk into a supermarket and buy the fish I didn’t catch a couple of hours ago. It just wasn’t like this for our forefathers so if they didn’t catch or pick anything to feed on they would have to fast until they were able to finally find meals. I bet if you could take a snap shot of what they looked like back then, not one of them would be overweight.You can’t say that at this point int time,can you?
There is some remarkable evidence as to why you may want to begin going on a fast for health benefits and I thought I would discuss some of them for you right now. Some of these are scientific but some of them are things I’ve noticed from my own real life experience with abstaining from food on a frequent basis.
1. Much lower Insulin levels and lowered insulin sensitivity – Most people today have higher than normal insulin levels as a result of the elevated amounts of sweets they are consuming. Processed white sugar and corn syrup are in most products today which was never heard of in earlier years. This is one of the major reasons why there is a high blood sugar epidemic in America because with the increasing amounts of sugar, the pancreas has to produce more and more insulin to drive blood glucose levels down. This usually results in insulin sensitivity which manifests into diabetes and being overweight. Abstaining from food helps increase the normalizing of insulin levels in the human body.
2.Increase in Growth Hormone Levels – Going on a fast helps to raise growth hormone levels. This is essential if you want to generate more muscle, feel better and look younger. It’s the all-natural way to do it without using artificial hormones.
3. Digestive System – Abstaining from food for brief periods of time gives your digestive system time to rest 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 reinvigorated mental alertness and focus. This is one of the principal reasons why starting a fast has been related to higher awareness.
5. High Blood Pressure – Fasting is a great way to reduce hypertension.
6. Food addiction – Many people are addicted to foods in our society. We are overwhelmed with food at family get togethers, work, and everywhere else. Going on a fast is a great tool to help manage the impulse to eat for no reason. This has been a big assistance to me personally to steer clear of unnecessary eating when I am not wanting to eat.
7. Decreased Body Fat Levels and Weight – You can tactically use going on a fast to shed body fat and get to the your desired weight.
8. Energy – Going on a fast 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 going on a fast for an really short period of time.
9. Longevity – In the latest studies, people who intermittent fast on a routine basis live a longer life.
Bonus – Reduction in Excess Weight – You can use going on 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 ate what I wanted to without being concerned about adding any weight!
Starting a fast for short periods used to be considered a crazy thing to do, but judging by the way our modern society is looking today it can be considered the correct thing to do to boost your health. Going on a fast has been sitting right under our noses for many years but no one ever saw it as a way to increase 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 hassle-free and one way to do this is to begin fasting for health and wellness benefits.
Disclaimer: The preceding post is for informational purposes only. Consult a doctor before taking any medical advice.