Fasting And It Relevance.

Over the years fasting as become an urge part of human existence. They are alot of purpose of fasting ranging from spirituality to personal discipline. Most time I personally can go for hours without earning. Alot of people also go into fasting because they have no food to eat at a particular moment.

According to Wikipedia fasting is the will full refrainnent from eating for a period of time. Nothing is wrong staying away from food and looking at it health wise, it is beneficial to stay without eating for some time.

Why do we have to stay without food? Because it helps our organs detox themselves. It gives them time to properly digest food. It helps to ensure we eat at the right time, to talk of few.

I must say this, never term fasting as malnutrition. Malnutrition is not thesame as fasting. Malnutrition is the lack of nutrients in the body. Most times people who fast without good caution enter into malnutrition especially when they don't eat properly. Excessive fasting can leads to malnutrition.

Let's quickly look deeply on fasting. Generally, fasting is of two types;

1) Short Fasting which is normally between 12-14hours. It is mostly between your last meal and your next meal the next day which is mostly between 6pm to 8am and sometimes between 9pm to 10am except for cases where that is not possible and it shouldn't be every time.

Remember, exceptions shouldn't become norm or else you are on the edge of being overweight because the digestion time of your last meal is important.

2) Long Fasting which ranges from 16-24hours and anything more than 36hours. It is consistent of going without food for days. E.g fasting 12am - 6pm everyday for a period of time like two weeks, one month. When you go for long fasting there is usually a reduction in digestive enzymes being produced by our pancreas gland and intestines.

This is one reason people who do long fasting without proper meal to break always end up having ulcers and digestive issues. That is why those with ulcers have pain during fasting because of the excessive secretion of hydrochloric acid by the body during fasting.

Long fasting has alot of side effects which is caused by reduction in the production of digestive ey and juices to digest and break down the food which can make your food sit for a long time in the stomach and it takes longer hours for digestion when we fast. Few of the effect are;

1) Diarrhea

2) Passing of undigested food

3) Gas pains in the stomach

4) Bloating

5) Nausea and Vomiting

My Fasting Tips

1) I advise we should do more of short fasting more regularly so that your body get used to the process rather than fast for 36hours straight in a week and another 36hours the following week. You will damage your organs .

2) Start fasting gradually and frequently like twice a week. Eat your last meal by 7pm and your next meal by 12noon the following day.

3) If you are fasting for weight loss, it shouldn't be for too long.

4) Break your fast properly.

Possible Solutions On How To Break A Fast.

a) Drink water first at least a glass. One of the reason for constipation, bloating and hard stools is eating food first before drinking water after fasting. What we don't know is that our stomach needs hydration first before jumping in food that our organ is not even ready for.

b) Alternatively, you can take Lipton tea, green tea, coconut water, lemon water without milk, ginger and honey tea. One thing is that you need liquid first before solids when breaking a fast.

c) But not anyhow liquid. It is not advisable to take coke, soda or any soft drinks that are acidic. Anything acidic will cause damage to your stomach lining which can cause ulcer, constipation and other stomach dysfunction.

d) Avoid acidic foods or fruits. Eating not too ripe orano, lemons, lime, grape is very dangerous. Eat water soluble fruits like cucumber, watermelon, cabbage, carrots, apple which are very mild.

e) Avoid rushing of food when breaking a fast. It can cause indigestion, constipation and bloating issues. Eat properly, eat slowly and in fragments. Don't eat everything at once.

d) Never break fast with junks. Eat wholesome meals. Don't eat meat pie, egg rolls, spirit because of CO2 in the drink and too sugary for your system.

What should we now eat?

Eggs

Vegetables

Fruits

They gradually introduce low carbohydrate like rice, yam, unripe plantain

High fibre foods like fish, veggies etc.make sure you eat something that can be easily digested.

Thanks for reading.