Unlocking The Power of Fasting

Audience: High School Students

Fasting has been practiced for centuries for spiritual, mental, and physical health benefits. Photo by Kirill Tonkikh from Unsplash. 

*Disclaimer: Fasting is not for everyone. Children, the elderly, pregnant women, people with a history of eating disorders, and those with preexisting health conditions should refrain from fasting. Fasting won’t work for everyone, and could have some serious negative effects, so it’s important to think about fasting thoughtfully. This article is not intended to promote extended periods without eating or drinking.

Could fasting be the key to a longer, healthier life? Fasting is when people stop eating or drinking completely for a certain period of time. Periods of fasting usually last 12-24 hours. It has been practiced for centuries in different cultures and religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Its growth in popularity in the health and wellness world of adults and young adults are due to its alleged health benefits. Various mental and psychological changes can be set in motion during fasting, which benefit the body and mind, with various fasting methods practiced for health, discipline, or tradition.

Let’s dive into how fasting affects the body. It can cause many biological changes on the body, including reducing insulin resistance (promoting blood sugar control), metabolic shifts, fat burning, autophagy (cell repair), fighting inflammation, improving heart health, increase in the human growth hormone, cleansing of the digestive system, or possibly extending lifespan. Healthy weight management may be a potential result of fasting. Fasting can also cause many psychological changes. For example, many people experience hunger, cravings, irritability, mood swings, brain fog, and fatigue, as a result of the adjustment phase in fasting when first starting out. However, after a couple days, this could turn into increased mental clarity, improved emotional stability, and enhanced neuroprotection. As someone who has fasted before (for Ramadan), I have also personally experienced an increase in gratitude and mindfulness. Through my experience, I’ve realized that fasting can help us appreciate the food and drinks we have access to, increasing our awareness of hunger, and what we should eat to fuel our bodies. Also, fasting may help people practice self control, which can add to increased mindfulness. However, it’s important to acknowledge that fasting can have many potential drawbacks. Dehydration, malnutrition, disrupted sleep, and prolonged headaches and fatigue can result from fasting. Knowing this, it’s important to actively think about how you feel while fasting, and know that it’s understandable to take a break or stop.

In order for fasting to have a positive effect, it’s important to be strategic and practice fasting properly. There are many types of fasting, including intermittent fasting (time-restricted fasting, alternate-day fasting, or modified fasting), prolonged fasting, religious or cultural fasting, and fasting from certain foods or water. Intermittent fasting is a broader term for time-restricted fasting, alternate-day fasting, or modified fasting. Time-restricted fasting is eating and drinking during a certain stretch of the day (typically 8-12 hours). Alternate-Day fasting is not eating for a full 24 hours every other day, with the days in between used as breaks to refuel and replenish. Modified fasting is eating 20-25% of normal daily energy needs on fasting days, and taking breaks in between (ex: 2 days of fasting with 5 days of break). Prolonged fasting is when you completely stop eating, but breaks are taken less often (with bigger meals at each break), and water is typically allowed. However, prolonged fasting is only okay for healthy individuals with medical supervision, adequate hydration, pre-fasting preparation, and no intense physical activity. Religious or cultural fasting is generally common and can include different types of fasting throughout the different cultures and religions. Fasting from certain foods or water means taking a break from those foods for a certain period of time, or even a prolonged time period (breaks are allowed). The most common example of this is fasting from food (but still drinking).

Having covered the basics of fasting, the effects, and the different types, let’s move onto discussing real world examples of fasting. Ramadan is a religious example of fasting, where Muslims adults and young adults around the world fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. During the fasting period, no food or water is allowed. Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, is where young adults and adults abstain from food and drink for the 25 hours between sunset to sunset. During Lent, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics may only eat one full meal and two smaller meals (which combined would not equal a single normal meal). Everyone above the age of 14 must refrain from meat on those certain Fridays, adults from ages 18-59 are also expected to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and would follow the guidelines stated above. Modern fasting trends are also emerging in popularity, and typically include practicing time-restricted or intermittent fasting, to help improve metabolism, lose weight in a healthy way, and increase longevity. Many people also try out different types of fasting for several days as a “trend”, as a result of possible inspiration from individuals who fast.

Fasting is more than just abstaining from food and drinks for a period of time - it has the potential to be a powerful tool and method which influences brain function, metabolism, and overall mental health and well-being. Whether practiced for health or religious reasons, it may help enhance mental clarity, self-discipline, and your health. By learning about the effects and choosing the right approach, fasting can become a valuable and important part of a balanced lifestyle.

Bibliography

‌Ajmera, Rachael. “8 Health Benefits of Fasting, Backed by Science.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 30 July 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/fasting-benefits.

‌Altman-Traub, Melissa. “Yom Kippur.” Www.eatright.org, www.eatright.org/food/cultural-cuisines-and-traditions/holidays-and-celebrations/yom-kippur.

Kubala, Jillian. “9 Possible Intermittent Fasting Side Effects.” Healthline, 23 Apr. 2021, www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-side-effects#mood-changes.

Frysh, Paul. “What You Should Know about Fasting.” WebMD, 28 Jan. 2023, www.webmd.com/obesity/ss/slideshow-fasting-overview.

‌Spiewak, Stephen. “Lent Fasting Rules: Catholic Rules for Fasting during Lent in 2023.” Hallow, 5 Feb. 2023, hallow.com/blog/lent-fasting-rules/.