Periodic Fasting: Alternative Health Treatment

When you don’t have time to eat lunch – it doesn’t mean you should overeat at dinner.

Americans face a current epidemic of obesity and physical inactivity and instead of curbing every single caloric intake, or doubling up on the exercise, there is something you can do.

Skip a meal.

Researchers at the National Institute on Aging say that overeating is a big problem now in this country, particularly with children, and that studies show that skipping occasional meals, is not necessarily bad. In fact, it's a now a bonafide treatment.

Fasting for religious and spiritual reasons has been a normal human activity since the days of the Old Testament.

But before you read this article and decide to jump on a week-long detox, you must have a solid understanding of what fasting is about.

When you fast, it means you are willing to abstain from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.

Some holistic and naturopathic practioners believe pure water fasting detoxifies cell walls (preventing cancer) and rejuvenates organs.

In alternative medicine, fasting is seen as a way of cleansing the body of toxins, dead or diseased tissues, and giving the gastro-intestinal system a rest. These fasts are typically water-only, or fruit and vegetable juice-only fasts. Usually the vegetables or fruits used in these fasts are combined in such a way as to produce a certain result, such as metabloic change, weight-loss, cleansing, or all of the above.

But recently, Western science is giving a green light to alternative health practitioners who test fasting for health.

Some research reports that fasting can actually alleviate or cure cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colitis, brain damage, and other disorders, when combined with a healthy diet.

Recent studies on mice show that intermittent fasting fends off diabetes and protects brain neurons as well as or better than either vigorous exercise or caloric restriction in mice. Other studies revealed that fasting every other day protects you from Huntington's disease.

Ayurvedic medicine uses fasting therapy as an important treatment tool along with heat or oil therapy.

For more information on the benefits of fasting visit NIH.