Some Healthy Fasting Tips!

There are a number of myths related with fasting. All we need to know is, Fasting is not starving, there are many who have this perception that fasting means to starve, during the time of our fast the body takes all the energy from the reserves, where as when we starve, this indicates that all our reserves have been depleted and the body then starts taking energy from the muscles and the tissues. Fasting cannot make people sick, it is a phase during which the body speeds up in its cleaning process and also heals it.

Regular fasting is not at all healthy, when your body is completely on liquid and there is not solid intake of food, the body becomes weak which can pose a harmful impact on your health. There are more chances of fat being accumulated in your body because as soon as one breaks his/her fast, the reserves get replaced immediately. Therefore one should avoid over eating or else you might accumulate a lot of fat in the body.

One needs to be really careful while fasting, because there are a numerous ways in which a person can fast, in some cases only liquid diet is permitted, in some salt is completely boycotted. There are people with low blood pressure, they need to have salt compulsorily, if not, they can affect their own life adversely. When you are preparing for the fasting sessions, here are, a few tips which you can follow.

One thing which is of great importance is that- the body and the system should be kept hydrated after and during fast.

• Intake a lot of fluid – during you fasts when you strictly cannot have a single morsel of food, try to keep your body hydrated with water, buttermilk, fruit juice. Having fluids can also include vegetable soup, most importantly of pumpkin and bottle gourd. Such soups are very nourishing and provide your body with energy such that you can spend the entire day without chewing anything except fruits.
• Juices and fruits – one should ideally stick to juices such as that of watermelon, orange, apple etc. The best fruits available for your fasting time would be apple, banana, and papaya. The best way to have during your fasting time could be mixing fruits like banana, apple and some other seasonal fruits with curd and add a little salt and pepper to it, squeezing a little amount of lemon or salt as per your choice. This gives you a variety to have and at the same time keeps you healthy and energetic throughout the day.
  TIP: persons who are suffering from “hyper acidic reflex” should ideally avoid having those juices which have a citrus nature, empty stomach.
• Curd and milk – one can consume 200ml of milk twice in a day, during his/her fasting period. No other food stuff is as good as curd, which is fulfilling as well as good for one’s digestive system. “Lassi” or butter milk can be the best form of having curd, which is loved by many people.
• Avoid acidity – it is very normal that during fasts people suffer from acidity, reason being no regular meals being consumed by them. Therefore, in these circumstances chilled milk or cream can be very helpful.
• Avoid strenuous activities – usually during fast people avoid doing such activities through which they get tired very early, or anything which makes them exert a lot of physical strength.
• Dry fruits should not be left out – the early morning breakfast with dates, almond and raisins. Therefore, instead of having a full huge meal, one can easily have a bowl full of dates which shall make you feel energetic and at the same time you will consume an indirect form of sugar, which is also recommended by the nutritionists. This can be beneficial for those who are more acidity prone.
• Potatoes – people who are lean and thin and need calories to keep them active, potatoes, groundnut, and banana is the food for you. But in case you are heavy weight and bulky, them such foods are definitely meant for you.
• Elderly and kids – people of these age groups are advised not to fast. In such age groups, fasting can lead to constipation.

PEOPLE WHO SHOULD NEVER FAST

• Persons who have undergone some surgery.
• Nursing or pregnant women
• Those who are severely weak and anaemic.
• Those who have blood diseases, bleeding ulcers, heart diseases.
• People prone to anorexia.
• People who are skinny and anyways before fasting should compulsorily take advice from the doctors.

BENEFITS OF FASTING

• Stops your weight gain, and can help you maintain your figure, which is a great concern especially for girls.
• Helps in delaying age related sickness such as heart diseases, diabetes etc.
• A research says that skipping meals once a month can reduce the risk of clogged arteries, therefore the risk of heart attacks reduced.
• Fasting can help you stay longer and healthier at the same time
• Helps you to maintain your appetite and keep it lesser at the same time.

If one is just about to start with the fasts, it’s better to cut down on sweets, caffeine and cigarettes. Reason being, these are such things to which one easily gets addicted and then during the fast time it’s difficult to maintain control over it. Moreover, as mentioned earlier if a person is suffering from any chronic illness; it would be on a safer side for him/her to consult a doctor and then proceed with the fasting process.

During this time keep rejuvenating your body by consuming dates, fruits, milk and curd. Your body will receive all the nourishment and along with it you shall also keep healthy without any increment in your weight. 30 minutes of exercise can also help you lose weight faster and if you are healthy fasting can provide you with many other benefits.

Therefore have a happy fasting period and keep your doctor’s suggestion in mind.