Fasting – A Truly Healthy Habit (“Upvas”)

Fasting or “Upvas” or intermittent fasting have its own importance in various cultures all over the world. especially in Hindu culture where Periodic Self Starvation / Upvas is followed. As per Indian calendar there are many Upvas days are followed by the devotees for various occasions. there are numerous Self Starvation / Fast benefits towards health. According to Noble Prize winner Japanese Scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi suggest Intermittent Starvation which can even kill’s cancer cells, that is the power of fasting.

But along with Spiritual reason doing fast also benefits our health. skipping meals for a day or for a few hours is called Self Starvation or Fast. This periodic starvation pushes our body towards the self-healing process.

Practicing Fast / Upvas once in a Week very much benefit to our health. Just like Computer Reboot Gains its Speed alike Periodic Starvation Technique helps to rest and re-energize our body digestive system.

Benefits of Fasting!

• Fast helps in resting our Digestion system, helps to detox our body, decreases cholesterol, and regulates digestive diseases.
• Blood Sugar level can be lowered by following Fast which benefits in diabetes.
• Fast Process control our body Insulin and Glucose Level which helps in purification of blood.
• Starvation during fast helps in burning excessive fat, which helps to control over weight problems.
• Doing Fast stimulates body cell health, which results in hormonal balance in our body and better Immunity.
• According to an expert study, Self-Starvation for more than 72 hours leads to control of cancer and heart like diseases.
• Fasting relaxes our body muscles and helps in mental stress relieving.

Type of Fasting

1] Intermittent / a Day Fasting /or 1 Meal for 24 Hours:

Intermittent fasting benefits if it is done for 24 hours or more with staring 1 full meal can take and rest time fasting followed with its lots of benefits. Intermittent fasting benefits a lot in rejuvenating our body cells, including removal of cancer like disease cells.

2] Alternate Day Fasting

Alternate day fasting means fasting on alternate days like eating full meals on day one and on the second day eating nothing which followed continuously in every week of the month.

3] Complete Fasting / “Nirjal Upvaas”

In this fasting, no eating for 2 to 3 days or for a week or can be for 30 days of the month. These Periodic Self Starvation needs very strong willpower and consultation with a health practitioner required before following this complete fast.

4] Reduced Fat Fasting

In this Self Starvation Technique, Moderate food intake done contains Low Fat, Low Protean and Low Carb food, and rest time followed with staying starved.

5] Liquids Fasting

This Self Starvation Technique consists of only consuming Liquid Food such as warm water, lemonade or fruit juices, Other Food in liquid or semi liquid form as a 3-course meal during 24 hours of a day.

How the fasting benefits our body step by step

1. As per a study during the first 5 hours All food inside the stomach starts burning, Body Blood Sugar level falls and the body stops producing insulin.
2. After 12 hours of starting the Self Starvation fast ends, Food burning process and stop the work of digestive systems. Due to the low energy Body start producing Glucagon to maintain the Blood Sugar level. Our body pituitary glands start producing Human Body Growth Harmon (HGH) to heal our Body.
3. 14 hours of starting Fast, Body fats start burning fast and increase in HGH release.
4. 16 hours of fasting body excess body fat start burning.
5. 18 Hours of starvation start HGH release at a very High Level.
6. 24 hours of starvation our body starts consuming our own cells, this process called Autophagy. Our body starts releasing Ketone which converts our body sugar into Energy.
7. with 36 hours process of Autophagy reaches its highest level where our body cells start eating damaged unnecessary cells.
8. 48 hours of starvation our immune system starts rejuvenating.
9. 72 hours of Fast our body Autophagy process reaches to its extent, where our body starts the self-healing process, which helps in curing various internal body damages, tumors, and muscle damages.

Food to eat during Fasting to prevent Major Energy Loss

“Upvas” or Periodic Starvation means no Eating. But, in case of excessive body energy loss, few foods like Water, Milk, Lemon / Honey Water, Sweat Potato, Fresh Fruits can be taken to save from drastic energy loss.

Hope you understand the above benefits of Fasting. It’s good to Fast once in a Month, and for more health benefits of fast, one can consult with Medical or Nutrition Practitioner. So, accordingly, you can improvise your health with “Periodic Self Starvation Technique”.

If you want to know deeper about Upvas / Self Starvation and its enormous health benefits, you can buy the book by renowned Health Expert Zara Taylor “Intermittent Fasting” and another book Benefits of Fasting written by Writer Brian Smart by clicking on the below Link.

Thanks for reading

GymBag4u Team

Prashant V @Gymbag4you@gmail.com