Herbert. M. Shelton is considered as the father of fasting. He is the one who has done extensive work in the field of fasting.
Fasting has been derived from an English word, ‘FASTEN’ – to observe or to be strict
According to Herbert M Shelton, Fasting is defined as voluntary abstinence from taking any king of food for a definite period of time with the view of giving rest to different organs of the body and their processes, thereby helping them to get cleansed.
According to Henry Lindlahr, Fasting is a safe natural way to help and to remove accumulated toxins from the body.
The ancient scriptures like vedas, also mention fasting as one of the important remedies
सर्वे रोगः मला वशाः
लंघनं परम् औषधं
This means that, ‘Disease is because of accumulation of foreign matter and fasting is a supreme medicine’
“Langhanam param aushadham’’.
Fasting is a great remedy
- Fasting is useful instrument for maintenance of health, it prevents much suffering, improve health and prolong life.
- Fasting is useful for overall wellbeing at different planes of life i.e physical, mental, emotional, and psychological.
- The benefits of fasting are tremendous, it is also said “FASTING CAN SAVE ONCE LIFE”
- Many health practitioner beliefs that if fasting is done under supervision of trained person, it can be safest and most effective treatment for most of the diseases.
- It is because the conventional medical treatment or surgeries do not remove the cause of disease rather treats at symptomatic level.
Characteristics of Fasting
- It is physiological voluntary abstinence from food.
- Done for definite period of time.
- It is done with mental preparation and it is completely planed scientific procedure.
- It is important to take rest during fasting at all levels that is physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.
- Healing crisis may occur during fasting which should be dealt or manage with understanding and by giving proper counseling to the patients.
- Breaking the fast play a highly important role and should be done in planned manner.
- Healthy lifestyle and positive thinking should be continuous after breaking the fast.
Benefits of fasting
- Remove toxins from body.
- Help in weight loss.
- Help to rejuvenate body.
- Conserve vital energy.
- Enhance spirituality.
- Improve metabolism.
- Strengthen immune system.
- Increase functioning capacity.
- Improve mental confidence.
- Bring positivity.
- Strengthen all over body.
- Accelerate healing.
- Gives complete rest, physiological, sensory, physical & mental.
- Repairs and rejuvenates the whole system.
Classification of Fasting
| Based on Duration | Based on purpose | Based on method |
|---|---|---|
| -Short -Intermittent -Long | -Political -Spiritual/Religious -Therapeutic | -Raw -Fruit -Juice -Water -Raw diet |
Short Fasting
- Duration: 3-5 days
- Indication: It is used in acute conditions, weak patients.
Intermittent Fasting
- Duration: it means doing a number of short fast by giving break in between ex: 3 days fasting then take a break of 2 days then again short fasting for 3 days.
- Indication: cancer, diabetes
Long Fasting
- Duration: More than 1 week- 1 month min: 7 days
- Indication: obesity, chronic conditions.
Political Fasting
- Done to achieve political goals
- Anshan
Therapeutic Fasting
- Done for improving health
- Fasting for reducing weight
Spiritual Fasting
- To achieve spiritual goals.
- Shivratri, navratri, ramzan
Dry Fasting
- Complete abstinence from any kind of food.
- It is usually short fasting.
Water fasting
- Done with plane water.
- Obesity, constipation.
Juice Fasting
- Done with acidic and alkaline juices
- Fever, pains
Mono diet fasting
- Done with particular one type of fruit/juice/food material
Hygienic Auxiliaries of fasting
Person who is fasting should have complete knowledge about fasting. Fasting should be done in free mind with no mental stress
Where to fast:
- Fasting should be done in calm, quiet and peaceful space
- Pure water and air supply should be there.
- People around should be cooperative
- It should be done under expert guidance
- Best place to fasting is naturopathy institute.
Precautions during fasting:
- Person should take complete physical, mental and sensual rest.
- Person should be mentally prepared for fasting.
- Enema and other naturopathy treatments should be given or taken regularly during fasting.
- Fasting should not be break all of sudden.
- Stay hydrated
- Stop fasting if you feel any discomfort or immediately consult your physician.
Progress of fast
- In the initial days patient feels slight difficulty to fast, he may feel fast hunger but this may disappear after one or 2 days of fasting.
- He may experience acute manifestation of crises as headache, diarrhea, excessive salivation, vomiting, insomnia etc. these are the nature affects to eliminate waste from the body.
- Is should be not taken lightly and should be properly managed
Starvation
Involuntary abstinence from food, resulting in severe deficiency of energy, nutrients needed for maintenance of life.
Difference between Fasting and starvation
| Fasting | Starvation |
|---|---|
| 1. It is for short and definite period of time | Long and indefinite period of time |
| 2. It is physiological and voluntary | It is pathological and involuntary |
| 3. Helps in internal cleansing, body cleanse itself of everything expect vital tissues. | Body exposed to utilize vital tissues for survival |
| 4. Helps to eliminate toxins, leading towards health. | Brings about deficiencies to body that cause health problems, organ damage. |
| 5. Ends at natural hunger | Terminates at deficiency that leads to disease and death. |
| 6. Person develops or gets clear shiny skin with fresh appearance | Person is emaciated with dry, shrunken skin |
| 7. Metabolic rate in body is improved | Metabolic rate decrease |
| 8. Beneficial process if done under supervision | Dangerous |
| 9. Improves higher mental functioning | Deteriorates mental functions |
Crisis during fasting
Crisis: The term crisis has been defined as decisive change in the disease resulting either in recovery or death.
Healing crisis:
It is acute reaction, resulting from ascendency of nature’s healing force over disease condition. Its tendency is towards recovery that is it is in conformity with nature’s constructive principles.
Disease crisis:
A disease crisis is an acute reaction resulting from ascendency of disease condition over the healing forces of organism. Its tendency is towards fatal termination and it is in conformity with nature’s destructive principles.
The various symptoms and changes are seen during fasting which do not cause any harm to the person.
There are indications of certain internal functional or organic changes which are for the betterment of body.
The main crisis seen during fasting are:
- Excessive salivation or spitting.
- Dizziness or fainting.
- Bowel cramps.
- Uterine cramps.
- Bad taste in mouth.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Diarrhea, fever, cold
- Mental irritation.
- Insomnia
- Gas formation and excessive flatulence.
- Sore throat.
- Rashes on skin.
- Pain in limbs.
- Enlargement of parotid gland.
Complications:
- Extreme weakness.
- Irregular pulse.
- Extreme dyspnea
- Delirium
- Retention of urine.
Contraindications of fasting:
- Pregnancy, Breastfeeding
- Lactation
- Protein energy mal nutrition
- Kidney diseases
- Epilepsy
- Schizophrenia
- During antibiotic course
- people with diabetes (depend on the patient BSL)
- people with a history of eating disorders
- people using medications that they must take with food
- children
Criteria to break the fast:
- Tongue should be clean.
- Breath should be fresh and having clean odor.
- Person should feel natural hunger.
- Clear taste in mouth should be present
- Urine should have normal color
- Blood supply should be normal
- Skin should be normal and glowing
- Sense of rejuvenation and wellbeing should be felt
- Eyes should be clear
- Feeling of lightness in the body
- Pulse rate is regular and rhythmic
- Normal body temperature should be maintained
- Fasting should be break by patients own will and determination
Changes in the body during fasting:
- Whether a person is fasting or not, the body still needs energy. Its primary energy source is a sugar called glucose, which usually comes from carbohydrates, including grains, dairy products, fruits, certain vegetables, beans, and even sweets.
- The liver and muscles store the glucose and release it into the bloodstream whenever the body needs it.
- However, during fasting, this process changes. After about 8 hours of fasting, the liver will use the last of its glucose reserves. At this point, the body enters into a state called gluconeogenesis, marking the body’s transition into fasting mode.
- Studies have shownthat gluconeogenesis increases the number of calories the body burns. With no carbohydrates coming in, the body creates its own glucose using mainly fat.
- Then it starts breaking down protein within muscles and fat to produce energy. During that process, the body’s metabolism slows down in order to conserve energy. Meanwhile, hormonal reactions will fluctuate.
- Eventually, the body runs out of these energy sources as well. Fasting mode then becomes the more serious starvation mode.
- At this point, a person’s metabolism slows down, and their body begins burning muscle tissue for energy.
- Although it is a well-known term in dieting culture, true starvation mode only occurs after several consecutive days or even weeks without food.
- So, for those breaking their fast after 24 hours, it is generally safe to go without eating for a day unless other health conditions are present.
Procedure of performing a therapeutic fast:
Preparation of fast
- DAY 1: Boiled diet
- DAY 2: Raw diet
Fasting start
- DAY 3 to DAY 6
Breaking of fast
- DAY 7: Raw diet
- DAY 8: Boiled diet
- DAY 9: Normal diet