The health benefits of fasting are numerous, depending on the different kinds and duration of fasting. The myriad benefits of fasting include many physical, medical, and even spiritual advantages.
In my previous post – Prayer and Fasting for a Better Life, I had emphasized on the combined benefits of prayers and fasting, and it was interesting to know the opinions of the readers in their comments.
In that post I had mentioned the spiritual aspect of fasting, with no connection to its religious aspect. In fact, I never intended it to be a religious discussion and this post too is only about the health benefits of fasting, without any religious overtones.
However, I think I can mention that fasting is considered a ritual in many religions and cultures the world over, and it no doubt delivers its physical and medical benefits to the practitioners.
First, let’s define and understand what is fasting.
“Abstinence and fasting cure many a complaint.” ~ Danish proverb
What is Fasting?
Fasting in its true sense is the act of going without the consumption of food and beverages, except for water – for certain duration.
This duration may extend from a few hours to a few days. A strict form of fasting known as absolute fasting even prohibits the intake of water, along with abstinence from all kinds of food.
“The best of all medicines is resting and fasting” ~ Benjamin Franklin
