Fasting

I’ve always had an interest in Orthodox religion and I much admire its accessibility and its quite practical teaching, as well as the beauty of its churches and monasteries. Whist it was of course a major influence in society in Imperial Russia only to be discounted during the years of communism, it has something of a revival in Ukraine. Despite this change it has always impacted on the lives of many and perhaps its most common influence has been that of fasting. Whilst fasting was common in imperial times it did in many communities - especially rural communities in West Ukraine - survive during communist times and has also enjoyed something of a revival.

Of course orthodoxy is not alone in recommending periods of fast and most religions have developed complex rules of fasting which in general are often about more global abstinence. On researching this article I was surprised to find the complexity of fasts laid down by the church - there are four major fasts each year, the fact that Wednesdays and Fridays are fast days and days for general abstinence including sex. Its also important that  fasting in the orthodox church is not about total abstinence from food but about decreasing both types and quantities of foodstuffs.

So its quite interesting to consider fasting in a medical sense and look at the benefits that it may offer us. Whilst the church preaches the concept of humility and religious dependence through fasting its perhaps a good starting point to consider some of the psychological benefits that may come from fasting. I think the main point is really about gaining control over our health and our bodies. With the percent of obese people rising each year many psychologists now consider obesity as a form of mental health problem in which people loose their self image and control over their bodies and eating habits, perhaps stemming from depressive illnesses. It is of course often linked to a simple addiction to sugars and refined carbohydrates which develop in early childhood or are learnt habits within a family setting.

Whilst orthodoxy is quite clear that we should view fasting as a penance and recognition of our vulnerabilty it is at pains to point out that we should not in any sense gloat about the process or our success therein. It is however that particular sense of gaining control and succeeding that is important to us in a mental sense. Indeed many psychologists and personal  trainers are taken with the concept of regaining control as a means of enhancing our mental health.

Fasting from a physical standpoint is equally interesting and is medically very different from total abstinence. Perhaps it is important to realise that certainly in the western and european world we all grossly over eat both in content and in quantity. I have certainly worked amongst Ethiopians who would often only eat one substantial meal every two or three days and nomadic Arabs who would similarly eat little. In an historic sense we were probably designed to eat smaller quantities of food which was of very different content. Nomadic man and indeed european man several hundred of years ago relied upon different foods to source energy and used their own biochemical methods to break down stored food in times of hunger and shortage - something modern european man rarely does. We do of course also consume huge quantities of toxic foods both as sugars; colourants, preservatives and additives and as trans fats. It has recently been shown that trans fats occurring in many mass produced foods, confectionaries and pre-cooked foods are especially harmful to health.

Fasting should firstly be about removing these harmful substances and secondly about  removing or decreasing foods such as meats that require the body to work hard in their breakdown and removal. In general quantities should also be decreased so body systems are allowed to regenerate and recover and to rediscover obtaining energy from stored fats and glycogen - a product of sugars. Whilst orthodoxy recommends a quite strict first week of fasting which can often leave you with hunger pains and lethargy a more gradual reduction over a week will help avoid this and is reasonable if you are entering a long fasting period. Red meats are best avoided as is alcohol and sugars, milks and cheeses should be of low fat content, but I am a great fan of natural live yoghurt as a digestive restorative. Whilst fasting a good quantity of water or natural fruit juices should be drunk.

A period of fasting will allow the body to regain and use some of its natural mechanisms in a balanced way it will also allow the biochemical systems that remove toxins to regenerate and become more effective. Abstinence from food for one day has no harmful effects and so long as a good intake of fluid is maintained again helps to reset bodily systems. Longer periods of abstinence will cause the body to eventually breakdown muscle and protein to supply energy which is dangerous.

In a long period of fast over several weeks some weight should be lost, you should not aim at a quick and large weight loss as this gives the body a message to store future foods even more effectively, a mechanism that also contributes to women gaining weight after a first pregnancy in expectation of another. Avoiding meats will decrease iron intake so its very important to eat vegetables like spinach in this period.

Certain groups of patients should not fast or only fast with care. Pregnant women or those contemplating pregnancy should not fast, they need to achieve a varied dietary intake to provide the protein building blocks for their babies. Diabetics should only fast after consultation with their physicians and anybody who is underweight (having a body mass index of less than 20) should not undertake long fasting periods particularly if they have physically demanding jobs. Children should not strongly fast for long periods but the concept of dietary control is a healthy one that can be adapted flexibly within the family.

Any patients with an active disease process should always take advice about fasting. Many claim that fasting enhances the bodies immune responses and helps to combat malignant disease or its spread and whilst the concept of allowing the body to combat malignant cells rather than expand energy on removing toxins sounds attractive there is very little research evidence to draw such a conclusion.

So as winter slowly changes into spring why not try a little fasting and look for improvements in your health.

 

Thursday, 10 March 2011

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