Benefits of Fasting

 Fasting is practiced in Hinduism as in many religions.

Scientifically, fasting detoxifies the body and spiritually it purifies the mind. The body feels lighter and your mind feels more relaxed as the restlessness reduces.  At the same time, the mind becomes more alert. When that happens, it is more prepared for prayer, and meditation, which is the intention of fasting.  In principle fasting does not mean keeping the stomach empty, fasting must be managed in a way that does not alleviate the stomach acid.

 

Fasting enables you to control the body’s natural processes and concentrate.  It frees the mind of negative emotions like greed, lust, anger, and anxiety and helps control laziness, drowsiness brought on with excessive food intake and to focus and control your thoughts.

 

Fasting can range from light restriction to extreme abstention. Fasting helps our digestive system by allowing it time for cleansing. Fasting has been suggested to have health benefits like caloric restriction, reduction in cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and immune disorders to name a few.

 

However, foods you choose to eat before and at the breaking of fasting are very important to get all the benefits.  During the night time while breaking the fast one should eat food that repairs and not gives energy (No carbohydrates). Fasts have varying levels of restrictions and allowances like consumption of fruits or certain seasonal foods during fasts.

 

Fasting is for all ages, but a younger body needs carbohydrates at shorter intervals hence the tradition exempts children.  The science experts advise Diabetics and pregnant women need to be more careful and should avoid fasting over 15-16 hours.

 

Note: if the Tithi falls on two dates of the Gregorian calendar, then fasting is to be observed on the day when Tithi is active at the time Sunrise.