Science of Fasting
What is Fasting?
Fasting is a natural therapeutic medicine and a biblical practice. Fasting the voluntary abstinence of all food & drink. Fasting is also a practice used for spiritual development.
Fasting is Medicine
Fasting is a therapeutic tool practised since millennia by different cultures and medical systems heterogeneously. Fasting is common practice for many traditional and cultural reasons. Many religious groups incorporate fasting into their rituals and fast on designated days of the week or calendar year. Evidence states that medically supervised fasting for 7–21 days is efficacious in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, chronic pain syndromes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. Naturopathy uses fasting as the first-line management in treating diseases.
Fasting Cures Type 2 Diabetes:
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 37 million Americans have diabetes, with around 90-95% having type 2 diabetes.
Doctors often advise people with Type 2 diabetes to lose weight, which can have beneficial effects on blood glucose and insulin sensitivity, as well as on the progression of the disease.
Nearly half of all participants who followed an intermittent calorie-restrictive diet for three months achieved diabetes remission and no longer had to take their diabetes medications, according to a small new study from researchers in China.
Just as remarkable, those individuals were able to maintain that remission and remain medication-free at the one-year mark, per the findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
“Type 2 diabetes is not necessarily a permanent, lifelong disease. Diabetes remission is possible if patients lose weight by changing their diet and exercise habits,” said Dongbo Liu, Ph.D., of Hunan Agricultural University in Changsha, China. “Our research shows an intermittent fasting, Chinese Medical Nutrition Therapy (CMNT), can lead to diabetes remission in people with type 2 diabetes, and these findings could have a major impact on the over 537 million adults worldwide who suffer from the disease.”
After the three months, about 86 percent of the participants (31 out of 36) in the intervention group, including those who took hypoglycemic drugs and insulin, reduced the amount of diabetes medications they were taking, according to researchers.
A 2017 study in the World Journal of Diabetes found that just two weeks of intermittent fasting led to significant weight loss (more than 3 lb., on average) as well as improvements in glucose levels. “It’s possible that intermittent fasting could lead to reduced insulin resistance,” says Kerry Mansell, co-author of that study and a professor in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
Benefits of Fasting
Weight loss: Fasting can help promote weight loss by reducing calorie intake and increasing metabolism.
Improves insulin sensitivity: Fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Reduces inflammation: Fasting has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, which is a risk factor for many chronic diseases.
Improves your immune system: Dry fasting for at least 72 hours allows the body to produce new white blood cells – preventing infections and strengthening your immune system. Abstaining from food and water means decreased blood glucose levels, leading to the regeneration of stem cells. This is because your body needs new cells when eating glucose and fat stores. Your immune system will instantly be new and clean.
Improved heart health: Fasting has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, including lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Improved brain function: Fasting has been shown to promote the growth of new nerve cells and improve cognitive function.
Longevity: Some studies suggest that fasting may help extend lifespan and reduce the risk of age-related diseases.
Lowers blood sugar: Fasting can reduce your blood sugar levels in 2-4 weeks of cutting down on food and beverages. Repeated fasting may keep body glucose under control and help promote improved concentration, better energy, and sustainable weight management.
Promotes healthy skin: your skin produces sebum – an oily substance that prevents moisture from escaping the face. Fasting ensures that your skin can actually breathe once the substance is no longer present. Many people find that their face is both smooth and plump after fasts.
How Fasting Works
Autophagy: Fasting induces autophagy, a process where cells degrade and recycle damaged components. This can help remove dysfunctional cells and reduce inflammation, potentially limiting cancer progression.
Insulin Sensitivity and Metabolism: Fasting improves insulin sensitivity and reduces circulating levels of glucose and insulin. High insulin levels can promote cancer cell growth, so reducing these levels might slow down tumor growth.
Growth Factor Reduction: Fasting lowers levels of growth factors like IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1), which are linked to cancer development and progression.
Cell Stress Response: Fasting triggers stress responses in cells, making cancer cells more susceptible to damage while sparing normal cells. This differential stress response might make cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy and radiation.
Types of Fasting
Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It is not a specific diet but rather a way of scheduling meals to optimize health benefits.
Water Fasting: Water fasting is a type of fasting in which an individual consumes only water and abstains from all other foods and drinks for a certain period of time.
Dry Fasting: Dry fasting is a type of fasting in which an individual abstains from both food and water for a certain period of time.
Vision Quest: Where a practitioner fasts without food and water in nature from 4 days upwards of 40 days.
Fasting Reverses Type-2 Diabetes
72 Hours Fast Recycles Cells
Autophagy is a cellular recycling process that helps cells function optimally by removing defective parts and repurposing them into new, usable cell parts. Fasting can trigger autophagy, and some studies suggest that fasting for 36–72 hours may be most effective.
During a 72-hour fast, autophagy levels increase, and the body may also start to produce ketone bodies to fuel the brain. Autophagy can help cells adapt to stressors like infections, nutrient deprivation, and DNA damage, which can help protect the body from diseases like cancer, metabolic syndromes, and neurodegenerative disorders. It can also help the body conserve energy that would normally be used to generate new cells.
Fasting Reduces Cancer Risk
Intermittent Fasting Slows Aging
In a new study researchers found an incredible revelation: Intermittent fasting boosts spermidine levels. This naturally occurring polyamine bolsters our cells with phenomenal resilience and survival rates. This increase is facilitated by a process known as autophagy.
In plain terms, autophagy is like a cellular cleanup crew, eliminating unrequired or dysfunctional cellular components.
However, any disruption to autophagy, much like a congested garbage chute in a residential building, often paves the way for aging and the onset of age-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart diseases, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases.
In our cells’ battle against aging, spermidine steps up as a valiant defender. As we age, our bodies produce less spermidine, which dwindles autophagic activity and heightens the risk of age-related diseases.
This theory was put through its paces using experimental models ranging from simple organisms like nematodes and yeasts to fruit flies, mice, and even human cell lines.
Across all these models, spermidine was a protective force. Intermittent fasting noticeably increased cellular spermidine levels, boosting autophagy, and excitingly, extending lifespan in these organisms.
The study is published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.
Why is Fasting important to Chesed Torah?
Fasting is considered an important practice in the Torah, the central text of Judaism, for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is that it is seen as a way to repent for sins and seek forgiveness from God. This is reflected in the observance of the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, where a day-long fast is prescribed as a way to atone for one's sins. Additionally, fasting is seen as a way to demonstrate devotion and commitment to God and to strengthen one's connection to the divine. Fasting is also believed to have health benefits, both physical and spiritual, and is seen as a way to purify the body and soul. Overall, fasting is an important practice in the Torah and is considered a way to enhance one's spiritual growth and connection to God.
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