Health, Social, and Environmental Benefits of Fasting
You’ve probably heard the latest hype about fasting. It seems like everyone has tried it — celebrities, health enthusiasts, and animal rights activists. I started to think about the subject more when I noticed a strange drawing on a friend’s hand: a huge X in a circle. This symbolized a movement called “Animals First on the Second.” The main goal is a 24-hour fast on the second day of the month to reduce animal abuse in the food industry. But generally, what are the pros and cons of fasting if we look at the big picture?
Lower Calorie Intake
Most of our planet is overeating. Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are rampant. Many life years are wasted due to irresponsible, poorly thought-out meals. And I get it — we’re in a modern rush. So it’s just a question of time before we stuff our faces with junk food. But thankfully, intermittent fasting can come to the rescue. Some time without food depletes our liver of accumulated sugars, and then the magical time of fat burning starts. This can actually keep our weight and arteries in check.
Waste Disposal
I believe everyone has already heard about autophagy. When the body reaches some form of starvation, it starts to consume itself. And I know it may sound scary, but the first things that are digested are troublesome old cells and wastes. So we can say that autophagy can filter out bad parts of our body and destroy them, which can have a considerable effect on health in the long term. There has been evidence in animal trials that autophagy can result in longer youth and lifespan, but unfortunately, human trials are still ongoing.
Mental Clarity
Fasting has been done for thousands of years and is a typical practice in many religions. The simple idea is that it gives some form of mental clarity and a brain boost. This is also scientifically proven. Hormonal changes in the body when reaching fasting mode do everything to save our neurons and even make them grow. It’s some form of self-preservation when we are reaching a critical point. As a person who works in a field where a lot of mental resources are needed, nothing is better than an empty belly and a cup of coffee. Such focus… practically amazing.
Dental Preservation
Our teeth get a little damaged when we consume food. That’s true, but what if we stop eating? Well, the answer is simple. Less material for bacteria means less tooth decay. If you are interested in keeping your dental health in check, you can read this article: “Teeth Remineralization: A Dental Trick That Blew My Mind.”
Political, Economic, and Social Impact
The food industry is humongous. The amount of resources we put on a plate is amazingly big. It was considered to be around $1 trillion in the year 2022. But we will not talk just about numbers. The food industry has an increasingly dreadful impact on our planet’s environment. From global warming to deforestation and biological waste (disease and eutrophication), it is changing our planet’s landscape at a huge pace. And yet there is a question: how humane is it to breed animals to torture them and then just murder them? The machinery of suffering — is that truly a necessity?
First Hours Can Be Pure Misery
For those who are new to fasting, the time until you reach the state of ketosis (when you use fat for energy) can be quite difficult. Irritability, headaches, muddiness, irrationality, problems focusing, or even complete exhaustion are typical signs of early fasting. But fortunately, it improves as your body gets used to reaching the fasting state, and the unfortunate transition becomes shorter and less noticeable. A couple of people start fasting during their sleep to avoid this annoying phenomenon.
It Can Provoke Certain Diseases in Your Body
After a certain age or certain experiences, we start to gather baggage of health issues. This can be quite a challenge. Some diseases are incompatible with fasting, so it’s best to consult a doctor before you start, especially if you plan to fast for longer than 24 hours. Another case can be with people suffering from eating disorders — fasting can easily trigger anorexia or bulimia. Therefore, if you have a predisposition to these conditions, I suggest being quite mindful about the decision to fast.
Final Words
As our personal well-being reaches peaks of greatness and comfort, it’s time to reconsider our impacts on our planet with mindfulness. Even a small step can be an important part of significant change. After talking with my friend, I reconsidered joining the monthly challenge of fasting for the sake of our planet and animals. Maybe I’ll even make it more serious by restricting myself from eating every second day of the week.
With Love and Care,
Darian
