Fasting benefits and its importance in naturopathy

Fasting benefits and its importance in naturopathy

by Sanjay B

Now a days, man is affected by various physical and mental ailments. Whenever we fall sick, we rush to a doctor and gulp down different medicines in trying to get relief and continue to have food. We are taught to eat at regular times whether we are hungry or not so we stuff ourselves. This leads to auto intoxication and polluted blood stream which are the root causes of all our major physical troubles. Actually, you cannot be a walking germ-factory and expect to live healthy!
Have you ever wondered what would happen if we did not take drugs for every sneeze, for every headache, for every cut and wound and instead give our body a chance to heal itself??? Most people are not really living, they just exist. hey are so full of toxic poisons that life is an effort. Believe – it is only you who can put an end to all your miseries and lead a healthy peaceful life and we will help you to achieve this with ‘Fasting Therapy’.

Fasting- in Sanskrit ‘Upvasam‘ literally means staying near (God). Fasting is a great remedy. Dr. Herbert M. Shelton, who administered cure through fasting to thousands of patients, says – it is an art and science of living. Fasting has been practised in India since the time ancient by its sages for their spiritual upliftment and by different religions to worship the God. Fasting is as old as Man.

Fasting is much more than simply not eating, it is for overall well-being. It affects psychological and emotional aspects too. Fasting is defined as ‘Total abstinence from all kinds of food for definite period of time’. There are various types of fasting, according to the purpose and the duration. Here we are concerned with therapeutic fasting.

When should one fast

The correct answer is whenever necessary. Fasting is a ‘natural instinct’. Let the ‘body intelligence’ guide you for complete rest and cleansing of your system.

How many days

Let the development determine the length of fast. Initially, short fasts of 24-36 hours is advisable. It can be extended up to 3-4 days. Long fast from 7-10 days, extended up to 40 days or more can be practised under expert’s guidance.

Rules and Regulations of fasting

  • Patients positive mental and emotional attitude is necessary.
  • Complete rest – physical, mental and sensory is essential. All activities should be reduced to minimum.
  • Sufficient amount of clean filtered water should be taken during fast.
  • Sunbath is advisable.
  • Patient is advised to take enema during fast.
  • Crisis   like   headache, weakness, nausea should be handled with care.
  • Long fasting should be done under expert’s guidance.

Breaking the fast

The ideal moment to break the fast when ‘true hunger’ returns with symptoms like clear tongue, breath becomes sweet, clean taste in mouth, clear urine, glowing face with sparkling eyes, freshness with full energy. There are signs that body has completed its cleansing and ready to resume eating.

Fasting should be broken gradually. After water fast, start with fruits and vegetable juices, salads, sprouts and then one can switch on to normal cooked diet. Fasting in itself is not a cure but it enables the body organs and recuperative forces to turn their full energies upon the problem to be corrected. This is the great secret power within.

Benefits of Fasting

  • Fasting helps the vital energy to remove the toxic matter from blood and purify the system.
  • Give complete physical, physiological, mental and sensory rest.
  • Improves and strengthens immune system.
  • Repairs and rejuvenates the whole system.
  • Prevents damaging changes in vital organs and improve their functional efficiency.
  • Fasting awakens the mind, develops inner tranquillity.

Indication

Obesity, fever, constipation, skin disorders, asthma, headache, common cold, hypertension, sinusitis, gastric ulcer, stress, menstrual disorders, arthritis, anaemia.

Contra-Indications

Kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus, weak patients with low blood pressure, Epilepsy, schizophrenia, pregnancy, lactation, protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) during antibiotic course.

Misconceptions about Fasting

1. Weight loss

Losing weight is only one part of the picture but it can be and certainly important to maintain or restore good health.

2.    Starvation

People think food is the only source of energy for our body. If they fast, they will starve their body but fasting and starvation are two completely different concepts. As long as the body supports itself on the stored reserves within its tissue and body functions are running smoothly, it is fasting.

When these stored reserves are used up or have dropped to a dangerously low level, it becomes starvation

3.    Weakness

We are creatures of habit. If we miss our meal, we feel giddiness, weakness during fasting. The fact is it just appears during cleansing process of body while fasting when cleansing is completed body gains a new vigour and vitality.

You pay a dear price every time you make a ‘garbage can’ of your stomach. Do not be a slave to food. Keep clean inside and fasting is one and only method of cleansing. Nobody can do it for you, it is a personal matter. It costs you nothing but a strong positive will power. There are no short cuts to health. You cannot buy it, you have to built it through your good health habits.

Fasting is a royal road to internal purity. So what are you waiting for? Make it a habit to take a complete juice fast for 24-36 hours. Eat natural, unpoisoned food, use your common sense. Eat with intelligence and enjoy the glorious health with fasting therapy.

He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well

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