13 BENEFITS OF FASTING FOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH - NUTRITION - 2025

There are benefits of fasting that will help keep your body healthy and receive positive effects on your mental and physical health. Although yes, and which is very important: before doing so, it is recommended that you consult a doctor and have a review.

In a world where the body is an important factor when it comes to developing and relating, the desire to constantly want to improve our physique sometimes turns into something sick and obsessive.

One of the main complexes is to overpass the kilos that a priori "are the right ones" for society and that is why new formulas are constantly being reinvented to be able to leave behind unwanted weight.

There are many ways to do this, many of them are diets, of which we have spoken on many occasions. On the other hand we find a new fashion: fasting.

What is fasting and what does it consist of?

Fasting is defined as "total or partial abstention from eating or drinking." Therefore we can ignore that it is a total elimination, or small reduction of different edible products.

The time of this abstention can vary, starting from a few simple hours until it can be transferred to days, or even months.

Main benefits of fasting for health

The benefits offered by fasting are several, among which it develops especially in moments related to ketosis (a bodily situation in which our body is induced to a state based on a low carbohydrate index).

Commonly known as a "miracle cure", then we will explain the benefits of carrying out this action, and as always, with caution and head.

Helps to lose weight

The first and clearest of all is the help it gives us to lose weight. As long as it is controlled within a certain time throughout the day, fasting will help our body to burn fat in a much faster and, of course, effective way.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes

According to a study published in 2005 by the Journal of Applied Physiology, after periods of fasting, insulin works more effectively when it comes into contact with blood cells. That is why fasting improves our body's sensitivity to insulin.

All this has as a consequence the protection against the appearance of diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes.

According to a study published in 2014 by Medical News Today, after 1 day of fasting, just by drinking water, the risk of type 2 diabetes can be greatly reduced.

Speeds up metabolism

Fasting burns fat much faster and more effectively, which is due to the fact that our metabolism speeds up due to the lack of food to convert, and also helps to maintain a much less forced intestinal function and therefore more healthy.

Increase in life expectancy

Diet has a lot of influence on the years and life expectancy of people. It is scientifically proven that people who reduce their diet in greater amounts live longer than those who eat more food than enough.

Indian or Peruvian cultures are said to be the longest-lived due to the diet they follow within their borders.

Prevent cancer

It should be noted that this benefit is not 100% proven, but it is true that there is promising evidence in practices with animals and various humans.

The results have concluded that fasting is an extra help to chemotherapy in addition to alleviating its side effects.

Improves the immune system

According to a study conducted at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles by Dr. Valter Longo, fasting creates a kind of "reset" by which our immune cells are purified and cleansed and regenerates older ones. In this way, protection against cell damage is produced, which leads us to the next benefit.

Improves and protects the skin

Being long periods of time without our body having to divert an important focus of energy to digestion, we can redirect it towards the regeneration of other organic systems.

One of the organs that improves is the skin. Our toxins are cleaned, avoiding among many other effects, the appearance of acne or different blackheads. In addition, the functioning of organs such as the liver or kidneys among others is also improved.

Improves the state of the heart

A fast for several hours will lead to a direct reduction of several risk factors related to the heart, since there will be direct changes in our blood pressure or cholesterol.

Some dangers to be aware of

It is necessary to take into account a series of negative consequences that may arise when carrying out this process.

• Dehydration: Produced due to lack of food consumption.
• Headache: Derived from dehydration. Headaches can get worse over time.
• Weakness: We will be physically exhausted, so it is convenient not to do a lot of physical exercise.
• Heartburn: During this period, our stomach will produce higher amounts of acid than normal.

Religious fasts

The practice of fasting is widespread throughout the world. In addition to being done for simple aesthetics, there are other reasons why fasting grinds in different societies.

Jews

Within the Jewish beliefs and religion we can find Yom Kippur, commonly called the day of repentance. Here, what is involved is that one day a year a total fast is carried out in which not only food abstention occurs, but also sexual relations and cleansing rituals are terminally prohibited.

In addition, the Jewish religion itself encourages the practice of personal fasting to find a peace that could be mimicked with contradiction and repentance.

Israelites

The Israelites also offer another fast day, specified within the Old Testament, Leviticus:

Islamic fasting

One of the best known and most peculiar in the world: Ramadan or sawn (in Arabic). As is well known by all, this type of fast lasts for a whole month and is mandatory.

In this process, every Muslim has the right to eat food when the sun goes down, without abusing it.

Christian fasting

This is based on the same roots as Judaism, with which it is strictly related. Now, Lent was based on a total of 40 days of fasting (based on the 40 days of fasting that Jesus Christ performed in the desert), while today the days of compulsory fasting are reduced to Ash Wednesday and Good Friday..

* Do not forget that this series of benefits will occur as long as the fasting process is carried out with head and responsibility, together with the advice of a professional at all times.