Diet plays a very important role in our health, which we have discussed through past posts. Also, we have already discussed about how much we should eat. However especially, those who are overweight or suffering from chronic health problems can effectively make use of fasting. Some religions too highlight the importance of fasting though it is mainly for religious reasons.
First we must understand the difference between fasting and starvation. While fasting, you are not supposed to starve and suffer-fasting is a rather different process. The energy produce by the food we generally eat is not fully used by our body. A part of this energy is stored in the body (in the tissues of the muscles, liver etc) and mainly this stored energy is utilized by the body during our fasting. Starvation is the condition where the body starts to suffer when the supply of this stored food is over.
To understand this better, let us take some examples from our daily life. At times, we may happen to be without our usual meals for a day or so due to some reasons but when we eat next, we cannot eat enough food equal to all the meals to all the meals that we have skipped. Similarly, some people who meet with accidents, emergencies etc survive without any food until they rescued after few days.
Our body’s this ability is utilized in a regulated way during the process of fasting in order to give rest to our body to cleanse and refresh itself periodically. Our digestive organs get adequate rest, and the harmful waste matter produced in the body is effectively removed during a fast. The need to pass urine becomes more than normal and we can smell a foul odour with our breath when we are fasting, and these indicate that the waste matter gets a better chance to escape from the body. Relaxation of the body & mind also is very important to make this process effective and then you can experience a sense of well-being instead of getting tired or fed up. According to experts, if fasting is agreeable with you, you can practice it to recover from even some incurable diseases.