Introduction
Fasting is a key form of practice in many cultures. From Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, giving up something in the month of lent to breaking our break-fast, fasting is something we all do each to different degrees. Some fasts are voluntary sparked by deep devotion and submission to a higher power whilst other fasts are non voluntary due to famine. Different types of fast produces different results for the human body.
The body adopting to eating more
The more we eat the more our body gets use to consuming more food. We crave more food when we eat less as we try to fulfil reward systems which involves a connection of nerves from the brain to the belly. These reward systems aims to achieve satisfaction and people can end up in a vicious cycle of eating more to feel content after a meal. In western society we have become addicted to processed foods and the sugars they contain which is why it is becoming more common that people can reach an excess of over 30 stones.
The Woderfast feeling
Abstaining from food I have discovered wonderful personal benefits. I find that my skin is significantly much more clearer, I have a deeper clarity of thoughts which feels as if it extends outwards to the world around me. I also have a more subtle awareness of the energy flowing vibrantly throughout my body allowing me to experience some of the energy systems widely talked about in Chinese medicine such as chi flow within myself. My Body feels as if it is going through a detoxification process, where my eyes feel less cloudy and my hair dandruff free. Due to this wonderful experience I go through days working only drinking water (although i would not encourage it for everyone due to potential health condition) as I feel more efficient and not hit by the afternoon feeling of the post meal slumber.
Ancient times
The Romans are known for eating only one meal a day and ancient man may have only been able to get their hands on one meal a day when food was scares. A human being can go several days without food which begs the question why we seem to want to eat every 2 seconds. We know that food is big business and eating multiple times a day may benefit the pockets of opportunists rather that benefit our bodies. A 67 year old man performing training using his own body weight in the park challenged my belief about having multiple meals a day something I would incorporate at a later time after much deliberation and trial.
The key in the colon
The health of the colon appears to play a key part in they key to fasting. After extended periods of fast I noticed that a generally felt lighter, vibrant and happier. This was probably because i was less full of junk. After what I felt was having my colon cleaned to an extent I found that eating foods in small quantities and for example eating one orange made me feel fuller, as my colon was so clear that it was instantaneously able to absorb the orange with little obstruction or blockage from having a full gut. Poor colon health can be seen in conditions such as Crohn’s disease and Celiac disease where inflammation of the colon leads to poor absorption of nutrients from the gut.
Nutrient rich foods
Having one meal a day cannot be achieved by eating food that is poor in nutrients. Meals should contain foods that are densely packed with the right, full spectrum of nutrients that your body requires. A Mac Donald’s meal will not suffice and in most cases it would leave you worse off if that was your only meal during the day.
Conclusion
Eating one meal a day or certainly eating less or not overeating is defiantly possible and will lead to better health. Fasting is nothing new and something practiced by ancient system and religions. We should question why we overeating, is it due to boredom or are we actually hungry? Processed foods from companies out to make a profit may be responsible for over eating in todays society and associated health problems. There are different types of fasts and before going on a fast medical advice should be obtained.
Kristos Straker
Physiofriend