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Fasting is beneficial
In Christianity, Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and runs through to Holy Thursday, shortly before Easter. People are supposed to give up things they like during this period as a sign of repentance and contemplation. In Germany, the things most commonly given up are alcohol followed by sweets and meat. Voluntarily not eating is becoming increasingly popular. Fasting cures in clinics or hotels constructed for this purpose is becoming increasingly popular, and for those who are interested in eating better in everyday life interval fasting is top of the agenda as it can be integrated into each day. As is the case for conventional diets, self-mastery, self-discipline and perseverance are all needed. Is all the effort even worth it?
A change of diet is easier after fasting
Abstaining from food is an old tradition in many cultures. Today, research shows that fasting can have a positive effect on metabolism and prevent many illnesses linked to ageing. As well as the pleasing health aspect, the person also re-learns how to listen to their body and feel what hunger is like. The pounds also tumble off, which improves many people’s moods. Those who fast see and feel that they can change something for themselves. After the fast it is also easier to make a long-term change in diet. Researchers believe that alternating between fullness and hunger as practised in interval fasting is closer to our natural way of life than constant eating and snacking.
Fast, but do it right
If you want to succeed with your fasting cure, you need to plan well. A time when you don’t have too much on is the most suitable. In an ideal world you would take holiday to do it, as the body needs rest to fast. The ways in which individuals react to abstaining from food are manifold. Some people look dazzling and are extremely energetic, while others look sickly and seek rest. It’s important to change your diet slowly before the treatment and not to drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks or consume nicotine for a number of days before the fast. A purifying fasting cure activates the body’s self-healing forces and keeps the body healthy. One week of fasting is generally not a problem for healthy adults.
Fasting is a fountain of youth for the cells
If you stop eating solid food for a period of time and only give the body nutrients in the form of juices or broths, you will stimulate digestion and help to flush out toxins. A kind of recycling process occurs in the cells: waste products are removed and the cells feed on them. Fasting activates the self-healing forces, inflammation and swelling reduce and the blood levels improve. Weight loss, a strengthened immune system, a sensitisation of the sense of taste and smell and tighter skin are all among the excellent results than can be achieved through fasting.
Snacking is the worst
If you snack between meals, you do nothing for your body as your metabolism no longer stops. The recommendation to eat several small meals over the course of the day has not proven effective. Even the old “eat half” concept doesn’t make a lot of sense, because you always stay a little bit hungry. It’s better to eat until you are full during your main meals and avoid eating sweets and crisps between meals as snacks. You should eat your largest meal between 10am and 1pm as our metabolic processes work best over the course of the day.
Interval fasting means eating at certain times
Interval fasting is not classic fasting. Instead of abstaining from food for several days or even weeks, it is done in an alternating rhythm. There are various versions of interval fasting, and none of them require a health clinic or a hotel. The 5:2 and the 8:16 methods are the most common. In the 5:2 variant, you eat normally for five days in every week based on your previous eating habits. We recommend ensuring that you only eat health foods that are not processed and don’t snack over the course of the day. In the abstention period, only unsweetened drinks and water are allowed. It’s best not to choose two consecutive days. Tuesday and Friday, for example, would be ideal.
In the 8:16 method, you limit your eating to eight hours in a day, then you fast for 16 hours. You can choose the times when doing this. The period between 6pm and 10am has proven to be most effective. People feel less of a strain as a result of fasting during this period. Interval fasting gives the body the ability to take care of the breakdown processes and cell renewal that it needs to, optimises natural fat burning and makes you slimmer, fitter and happier in the long term without a yo-yo effect. The long-term goal is to eat in a healthy, balanced manner and maintain your desired weight when you reach it.
How is it different to dieting?
Diets focus exclusively on weight loss and abstaining from certain foods. Disadvantages: malnutrition, attacks of ravenous hunger, breakdown of muscle mass and the familiar yo-yo effect.
Fasting is a fixed part of all world religions. Interval fasting was practised in Buddhist monasteries well before the term was invented. It’s a time of contemplation, reversal and reflection. The idea is that abstaining releases new forces. In classic fasting cures, the focus is on detoxification and regeneration. The body quickly switches to burning fat. The carbohydrate reserves empty and energy is instead obtained from the fat reserves. Blood pressure, blood sugar and blood fat values are all regulated in a positive manner.
Diets focus exclusively on weight loss and abstaining from certain foods. Disadvantages: malnutrition, attacks of ravenous hunger, breakdown of muscle mass and the familiar yo-yo effect.
If you get back on your feet during a period of fasting and persist with it, you’ll be richly rewarded. After two or three days of hunger, your mood will improve along with the many health advantages. Some people experience a real sense of fasting euphoria, and some feel significantly more balanced and stable as a result. Consistent abstaining for a specific period of time is therefore good for both the body and the soul. We think it’s worth a try anyway.
Petra Geisser