For centuries, the tradition of fasting is being
followed in India. Our enlightened ancestors
and founders of Indian culture decided the days
of fasting keeping in mind the importance of the
day of the week, or the day of the year, and in
accordance with various festivals. They were
well aware that fasting on these specific days will
help people accumulate unique energies in their
bodies, will help in removing the toxins and keep
them healthy. Fasting has immense benefits in
physical as well as spiritual terms. But we must
know that, to attain these benefits it is necessary to
enhance our tolerance levels. Fasting is regarded
as an inseparable component of higher spiritual
practices precisely because of the great spiritual
benefits that fasting offers.
There are many types of fasts prescribed that help
fulfill our desires, but if pure-selfless emotions
also get associated with these fasts then immense
spiritual benefits are attained as well. There
are two kinds of fasting. First, which is called
‘vrat’, has specific vows and rules associated
with it. Every vrat has a different set of rules and
do’s and don’ts which are absolutely essential
to be followed. The second form is called
‘upavas’ which means renunciation of food and
contemplation of the Supreme Soul. The word
upavas means being near the Supreme Soul.
There are no binding rules and regulations in
upavas, so it is not a vrat. However, a vrat can be
like an upavas.
Many diseases of different kinds are spreading
all over the world these days. This is drawing
attention of researchers towards usefulness
of fasting as a cure. Many scientists all over
the world are now studying and researching
on benefits of fasting. Research studies have
brought forth the fact that a well-defined process
of fasting can be very helpful in attaining good
health. Fasting has been found to be beneficial
in weight-reduction, controlling high blood
pressure, reducing cholesterol, etc.
Obesity is fast becoming a curse today. A large
population is falling prey to diseases starting
from diabetes, cardiac problems, cancer etc.
to other diseases that manifest in older age. As
a result, importance of fasting for good health
is gaining worldwide attention. Prof. Mark
Mattson, Chief of Neuroscience Laboratory of
National Institute of Ageing and Professor of
Neuroscience in Johns Hopkins University in
USA has been conducting research on this topic
for many years. He has discovered that fasting
helps improve the working of many organs like
heart, muscles, intestines etc. and enhances the
working capacity of the brain.
According to Prof Mark, during fasting the energy
consumption by the body reduces and the brain
is able to fight better the diseases of the nervous
system that develop with advancing age. Fasting
increases memory and happiness, and it also
helps in controlling the growth of Alzheimer’s
and Parkinson’s diseases of the brain. Based on
a number of years of research Prof Mark has
concluded that if we fast for 2 days in a week
the capability of hippocampus area of brain increases, which has a direct effect on enhancing
our memory. Due to fasting, accumulation of
amyloid plaque around the neurons inside the
brain is prevented. Amyloid plaque is a type
of protein which is found around neurons in
the patients of Alzheimer’s disease. According
to Prof Mark, fasting strengthens the nervous
system which helps a person to fight various
problems like depression. Fasting also casts
a very positive effect on the entire extent of
activities that brain undertakes. Fasting provides well deserved rest to our
digestive system for a few hours. It increases
efficiency of metabolism of the body. If a
person’s digestive powers are weak, his body’s
capability to digest fatty substances reduces.
Fasting regulates the working of the digestive
system and it also improves various metabolic
processes inside the body. Research studies have
also shown that fasting cures allergy related
diseases and is very beneficial in curing diseases
of the intestines.
In Ayurveda, like vrat-upavas, there is another
special therapy named langhan, which is a process
to reduce toxins formed within the body and which
helps in their excretion. The word langhan means
to bring about a feeling of smallness or lightness
in the body. In langhan, as per the disease and
the state of a person, food intake is completely
stopped for a definite period of time. The purpose
behind this is to cleanse all the toxins generated in
the body during metabolism leading to increase in
the agni tatva (fire element). Some of the benefits
of vrat-upavas and langhan are – balanced
excretion of stools, urine and apan vayu from
the body, enhancement of freshness and energy
in the body, upgrading of all processes inside the
body, elimination of laziness and tiredness, and
attainment of a peaceful, cheerful mind. Specialists say that not everyone can do fasting.
For example, pregnant and lactating women,
malnourished persons, those suffering from heart
related diseases, diabetic people etc. should not
fast. During fasting a person has to pay special
attention to what he eats. For example, common
salt should not be eaten during fasting. Those
who cannot manage without salt may use rock
salt instead. Water, fruits, fruit juices, lemonade
etc. must be taken in liberal amounts during
fasting. Consumption of sugar or jaggery
Health experts now also believe that if fasting is
carried out properly, it is a very good way to keep
ourselves healthy. In the tinned, packed food
available freely today many chemicals are added
by their manufacturers which get accumulated in
the body as toxins. Fasting reduces cholesterol
and regulates sugar in the body, and helps removal
of toxins from organs like liver, pancreas etc.
Vrat-upavas also help improve our eating habits
and increase resistance to diseases.
is permitted but only in a limited quantity.
People who take aswad vrat (fasting on food
without taste) give up both sugar as well as salt.
Different forms of vrat have different rules to
be observed. In some, only fruit diet is allowed,
in some one meal is skipped, and then there are
some in which water is also not taken.
The kind of food we consume during fast has
its own specific effect on the body. If during
fasting someone eats rich deep fried dishes, or
eats throughout the day, or drinks insufficient
water then the results won’t be anywhere close
to expectations. It is necessary to take easily
digestible food and a balanced diet during
fasting. Foods and beverages that are harmful
to the body should not be taken. People who are
not careful about what they eat and drink during
fasting actually grow weak and unhealthy. Also,
we must fast within our capacity to bear hunger
and not be overzealous.
Fasting works if we are careful about
whatever we take in. And this applies not only
to the food for the physical body, but also
to the intakes for our mind, our emotional
being and our spiritual being too. The correct
food for our mind is good thoughts and these
are what we should take during fasting. We
should completely protect ourselves from
negative thinking. The right food for our
emotional being is benevolent emotions
and we need to reject harmful emotions like
anger, jealousy, malice, hatred etc. Finally,
good food for the spirit is worship, chanting
of mantras, meditation, etc.; and what is
unhealthy food is wrong company, which
should be avoided.
So, to get the best results during fasting we must
be careful about our food and also pay attention
to our lifestyle. If required, it is good to seek
advice of experts.
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