Across cultures, food can serve as a social anchor. We share cakes to celebrate our birthdays, graduations, and weddings. Thanksgiving dinner, Fourth of July BBQs, and candy in our Easter baskets makes food a centerpiece at our favorite holidays. Food fuels us as well as bonds us with our community and family. However, fasting has proven beneficial for a host of different reasons, but difficult to achieve with food being such an integral part of our culture. Some of us wouldn’t dream of breaking up with our daily bagel. So how do people do it, and most importantly, why?
Spiritual fasts are a part of many world religions and cultures, but recently there has been a surge in fasting outside of religious ceremonies and traditions. Because of its many health benefits, fasting is beginning to gain traction in the health and wellness community. There are so many ways to fast: intermittently, partially, completely, solo or in a group, and choosing the right way for your body, lifestyle and health is key.
Partial Fast: This usually involves eliminating certain foods from your diet a few days a week or fasting a few days a week. This is a great way to ease into fasting, especially if you have a medical condition that prevents you from fully fasting.
Liquid Fast: This type of fast involves consuming only liquid for a certain amount of time. Liquids can include vegetable or fruit juice, but also may just include water! Water fasting can be an extreme form of fasting, so it’s best to consult a physician before trying this.
Intermittent Fasting: Just how it sounds, fasting intermittently calls for fasting at certain periods of the day. Oftentimes, a person schedules their eating time to an 8-hour window per day, although periods of time can vary depending on preferences.
Group Fast: As with certain religious ceremonies and traditions, people often find that fasting together is easier and more productive than doing it alone. If you are skeptical about being able to complete a solo fast, seek out a fasting community online to connect with likeminded fasters for support and accountability.
Secular fasting usually centers around developing discipline through a spiritual mindset or around health related reasons. Here are a few popular reasons to fast:
To Center Your Mind on The Present Moment
Many people who have fasted note a slowing down of time. When your day is not centered on consuming food, it allows your life to be opened up to wider possibilities. When fasting for mindful purposes, it’s beneficial to have a gentle yoga and meditation practice to help fill in the times you used to be enjoying meals.
To Reap Amazing Health Benefits
Fasting has been linked to a stabilization in blood sugar, better heart health, a positive way to lose weight, and a way to improve mental clarity. It also allows your body to reset, working as a detox from harmful chemicals and foods you may not know you’re allergic to. Most importantly, it gives your digestion a much needed break.
To Gain Awareness of Your Food Intake
Do you often eat on the go, standing up or pacing, or utilizing fast food as you just don’t have time to sit, prepare food, or slow down? Fasting helps reset your relationship with food, giving you a fresh look at what you eat and how you eat it. Fasting can empower you to see your eating habits from a new, clearer perspective.
Fasting has been a part of human behavior for centuries and a host of cultures and religions around the world continue to practice fasting for a variety of different reasons. There isn’t one perfect way to fast, and it can be challenging to give up your favorite foods for a while, but many have found fasting to be worth the struggle.
Proceed with Caution:
Fasting has a ton of amazing mental and physical benefits, but it’s important to check with health professionals to make sure your body will benefit from fasting. If you have any medical conditions that you are concerned about, clear the idea with your doctor first before jumping in.
Author: Sarah Ronau