Becoming a health trend in different pockets of the world, intermittent fasting is different from the Ayurvedic or naturopathy fasting guidelines. Like all lifestyle changes, intermittent fasting requires commitment, discipline, and patience. Intermittent fasting is a pattern of life and food consumption. The rules of this game are simple. Fast for 14-16 hours, then eat within an 8-hour period: If you’re eating dinner by 8 pm, then your next meal will be around noon or 2 pm the next day. Then you’re allowed to eat your meals between the 8-hour window of noon to 8 pm or 2 pm-10 pm. You can drink water during this time. (Bring on the H2O!) Eat everything, just avoid binging: During the 8-hour eating window, the intermittent fasting plan allows you to consume food high on nutritional value. However, it’s best to eat your regular quantity and avoid those fried, sugar-rich foods. There are different ways to practice intermittent fasting. The 16:8 principle, or alternate days or even for 24 hours. Find out which intermittent fasting plan suits your body, and lifestyle. Our ancients were wise and scientific. They devised ways and means to incorporate healthy living into our customs. In the story above, my grandparents were following a Jain custom of chuviyar or abstinence from food after sunset. My Muslim friends follow dry fasting and intermittent fasting during Ramzan, while my husband observes only liquids during Shivratri. A few of my friends diligently observe the Ekadashi fasts (according to the Hindu calendar) with fruits and liquids. Many traditions around the world support the idea of fasting. It’s simple: it’s about going on a break. In today’s world, our bodies are fatigued and overstressed by unhealthy eating or untimely eating. The idea of fasting is to heal, repair, and detoxify the system, giving your overworked body some loving care.
The importance of being moderate
A seed does not germinate if it is scattered on the surface or buried too deep. It needs to be sown at just the right depth. In the same way, moderation is essential. Food is important but eating the wrong food, eating at odd times, not exercising, and overworking – all of them can cause physical restlessness. The remedy for this is exercise, moderation in work habits and fasting (eg: going on a vegetable or juice diet for one to two days.)
What happens to us during fasting
More energy: Our bodies use around 75 percent of our energy to digest food. This means that we have only around 25 percent of our energy for other activities, including intellectual. When we fast, the body has that much more energy to spend on detoxifying itself. The intestines use this time to process the toxins floating around and digest them well. Once that happens, the body is lighter and stronger. There is a spike in the growth hormone and a decrease in insulin. One of the widely-cited intermittent fasting benefits includes the incredible increase in the human growth hormone (which usually decreases with age). In adults, the growth hormone is essential for brain function, building lean muscle, healing, and cellular longevity. Facilitates the regeneration of new immune system cells. This boosts immunity and also helps in longevity. Supports the process of autophagy, which is the body’s self-cleaning function. Here, the cells repair and recycle damaged molecules. Lower insulin levels are known to increase the rate of autophagy. How do you feel after you fast is the only question you need to ask. If you’re tired and sick, then you need to speak to a nutritionist. And if you’re feeling light, enthusiastic, and fresh, you know you’re doing the right thing. it’s best to understand what fasting does. New times call for new practices and a recall of the wisdom from our ancestors. More power to them!
(Based on inputs by Dr Ganesh Puttur, Vice-Principal, Professor and Head, Department of Panchakarma, Sri Sri College of Ayurvedic Science and Research; Dr Raghavi, Naturopathy Consultant at the Sri Sri Ayurveda Hospital.)