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What is Water Fasting?
Water fasting is the process in which a person does not eat or drink anything except water. This process is helpful to lose weight and combat health problems. One should prepare properly before opting for this process and should choose a time when the body will not require much energy and can safely sustain itself on water.
There is no set timeline for water fasting, but for most people the safe zone ranges between 24-72 hours. On average, this is how long the body can safely function without food.
Benefits of Water Fasting:
Water fasting helps combat various diseases. These include:
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- Heart Diseases
Water fasting follows scientific consensus. The body makes energy from carbohydrates. During fasting when the carbohydrates are not available, the body will use the stored fats for its energy utilization and this results in the immense weight loss.
The best way for the water fasting it to take it very slowly and maintain a proper routine. It should be combined with healthy exercises and diet. It is also advisable to change food habits such as reducing the intake of sweets and snacks.
Safety Rules for Water Fasting
Water fasting is a safe procedure if followed with the proper guidelines. On the other hand, if maintained for a longer period of time, it is advisable to judge the long-term effects on the body and your specific reaction to the diet. It is very risky for people with age and health-related problems.
If one is planning to begin water fasting but has pre-existing health issues, it is advisable to take proper medical guidance before and during the fast. He/she must be strictly monitored until the fast is over.
Who should not fast?
Water fasting is not safe for everyone. This is a strict no for the children below 18 years, the elderly, and the underweight. This is also not advisable for people who:
- Are undergoing blood transfusion
- Are taking specific medication and are under medical supervision
- Have uncontrolled migraines
- Suffer from heart-related problems
- Have type 1 diabetes
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Are underweight
- Have an eating disorder
Tips for Fasting
For beginners, one-day fast is a great idea. For fasting beyond 3 days it is highly recommended to consult a medical practitioner. The entire period of fasting should be under medical supervision.
The process of fasting is tiring, both mentally and physically.
Hence, the below-mentioned tips can be really beneficial to prepare a person:
- Before starting to fast, eat high energy giving food.
- Pick a suitable day to fast, preferably a non-working day.
- Fasting should be strictly avoided if a person is not physically well or tired.
- It should be completely avoided when heavy physical exercise is required.
- Fasting should be seen as a slow process and can also be initiated by reducing the size of daily meals.
During fasting, one should be watchful for water consumption and should follow a proper routine throughout the day to consume water. When the body is food deprived, it naturally craves more water, and this is the situation when one has to be watchful. Drinking excess water during fasting can also be harmful and risky.
Do’s and Don’ts of Fasting
When on water fasting, the body is deprived of the food intake and hence, one can expect to feel tired and energy deprived. People can also feel dizzy, weak or nauseous. If these symptoms go on a bad extent, then, one must take food. If these symptoms turn dire or persist for a long while, the fast must immediately be abandoned. Medical consultation is highly recommended.
While on fasting, one must try to conserve as much energy as possible.
- Avoid intense exercises.
- Taking plenty of rest and staying indoors is highly advisable.
- While fasting, it is quite natural to feel irritated or tired due to lack of food intake. If you start to feel disoriented or confused, then you must get immediate medical help.
Research Behind Fasting
Intermittent fasting is an alternative to long periods of fasting. This involves taking very limited calories for a certain time and then taking the proper normal diet for another period of time. 5:2 diet is the perfect example of this in which a person takes the regular diet for 5 days of the week and a portion of the daily calories for 2 days.
Researches show that intermittent fasting and eating low-calorie diets are equally beneficial for weight loss. This also aids in reducing the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart ailments. Studies also prove that intermittent fasting is very easy to follow and once habituated, one really enjoys this routine.
Fasting regularly for short intervals of time has really proved to be beneficial with lower BMI, lower rates of diabetes, and a reduced rate of heart failure.
However, fasting may not be beneficial for older adults and can end up being counterproductive to their health. Hence, it is always advisable to take medical opinions before fasting.
Water Fasting – Easy and Efficient
Water fasting has become extremely fashionable in the current time. It is easy to follow and is laden with enormous beneficial results. It is highly safe, helps in reducing calories and is highly effective for weight loss. Water Fasting can also be followed by alternative methods such as intermittent fasting which is beneficial for reducing risks of heart-related ailments and diabetes. It has also been proven to be easy to sustain.
This method has been tried by millions and has proven to be highly beneficial. It is recommended to follow this to get a healthy body without investing a penny. It can easily be followed from the comfort of your home.
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