Fasting is supposed to have various health benefits. It can save you from many chronic illnesses. Also, it can detox the body naturally. Hence water fasting has become an important practice these days.
In earlier times fasting was done as a ritual in some religions. But today, people have started realizing the benefits of fasting and hence they have started fasting as per their capacities. Water fasting is quite popular and has a number of benefits. One can perform water fast for 24 hours or may be more like water fasting for 3 days or 5 days or 7 days.
Few people go one step further to perform 30 to 40 days water fasting. Initially if you are doing the water fasting for the first time then you should select a short duration. Slowly and steadily you should increase the duration. So, when we say that water fasting has several benefits some people will believe and some won't.
Thus, when it is to be stated that there are several water fasting benefits then there has to be scientific evidences backed by the facts. So, here is the list of water fasting benefits that you need to know along with scientific studies and backing.
Know about the water fasting benefits as proven by science
Reduces insulin resistance
There are some of the things that you will not realize at an early stage. But when you realize it is often too late. If you start doing water fast then a day or two you will feel week. But later you will feel that good that you did water fast.
This is because soon you will see that the insulin resistance would be reduced and you will start feeling fresh. Due to this, there will be reduction in blood sugar levels.
There are many studies done on this and in most of them it was indicated that with water fasting there would be reduction in insulin resistance and finally there would be better management of blood sugar levels in the body.
Leads to weight loss and boosts metabolism
If fasting is taken up for a limited timeline like 24 hours or may be 72 hours with just having water in between it would help in quickly dropping the pounds. It also aids weight loss and at the same time helps in managing blood pressure levels, healthy levels of cholesterol.
If you have high cholesterol then with water fasting there would be a boost in the metabolism and reduction in levels of bad cholesterol. Most of the experts after researches have started believing that rather than just calorie restriction if one took up water fasting then results would be very quick.
Boosts HGH the growth hormone
HGH is human growth hormone. In one of the studies as taken up it was found that when adults took up fasting of 24 hours it could actually boost HGH.
This would give better muscle growth and brain functioning. It would provide better energy levels to the body and at the same time there would be better health.
Prevents cancer
A few tests were taken up on the animals and it showed that when they were exposed to fasting of 24 hours then this could block and postpone tumour formation.
In one of the studies it was indicated that fasting can help in postponing the development of tumour. In fact, fasting has similar effects like chemotherapy. More studies are taken up on this. But with the available findings it is sure that water fasting helps in prevention and postponement of cancer.
You develop good self control
With water fasting you will be able to develop good control. Hence, you will also be able to put a limit on the junk food that you would otherwise eat.
You can start water fasting for 24 hours or may be more. If you want you can take up water fasting every alternate day. So, you should be able to figure out soon what works best for you. Fasting can help in detoxifying the body and the body gains better capacity to get rid of the toxins and the stuff as accumulated in the body. Hence, go ahead with water fasting and see how that can change your life for better.
Drinking water during fasting can give you a perfect boost because it can flush out the toxins from the body. Hence, plan out a routine and go ahead with water fasting for 24 hours or more as per your capacity and need.
Dos and Don'ts in Water Fasting
Here are some things what you should follow and what you should avoid in water fasting. If you are new in water fasting you have to keep these things in your mind.
Dos
- Drink purified water which is free from any pollutants.
- Drink water every 2 - 3 hours.
- Sleep properly and make a fix time for your sleep.
- Keep your mind stress free. You can do any productive work like diet or finance planning, reading books etc.
- If you are facing some abnormalities or problems in your body do consult your physician immediately.
- Always start with shorter fasting like 1 day and then once you habituated go for longer fasting.
Don'ts
- Don't do longer water fasting without consulting a doctor.
- Don't drink soda or cold drinks during your water fast.
- Don't do fasting if you are underweight or consult with your doctor.
- Don't do any hard work.
- Don't perform extremely hard workouts.
- If you have migraines don't do fasting.
- If you have heart problems, water fasting is not for you.
- Don't proceed if you have type 1 diabetes.
- Don't break your water fast with hard foods. Rather go with drinks.
- Don't do fasting after recently recovering from a disease.
Water fasting has many benefits but before starting you have to prepare yourself for this mentally. At first research thoroughly about this and only then perform it.
We wish a great success in your water fasting journey if you are planning for it.
