Health Effects of Fasting

Many studies have shown that fasting improves metabolic health, body weight control, and improves the body's immune system, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and some cancers. But in a brief description of a study recently published in the United States, the world has been very interested in the publication of the results that keeping the stomach empty for more than eight hours is harmful for people of any age group.

Fasting has also been emphasized by various scriptures. In Hinduism, there is a practice of fasting during various yajnas, reciting prayers or on days or periods of special religious significance. Even in the Muslim community, there is a practice of fasting religious rituals for months and days during the day (up to 16 hours). Such practice is called Ramadan. As Ramadan is currently underway, the people of that sect are fasting.

The tradition of fasting has been practiced since ancient times in the form of various types of fasting. BBC television journalist Dr. Michael Mosley hosted the 'Eat Fast, Live Longer' series and is credited with publishing the book 'The Fast Diet' based on it. Even before her book became public, another journalist, Kate Harrison, covered the same subject She published the book 'The 5:2 Diet'. Because of this, there was a lot of discussion about fasting everywhere, including the western society. This method has been published in news and articles as an effective way to treat obesity, which is becoming an epidemic in the world, and its followers are increasing .

In 2016, Dr. Jason Fong published 'The Obesity Code'. This book gave simple and practical advice for controlling obesity and became an instant bestseller. In that book, he gave importance to the selection and quantity of food based on the body structure . It is also recommended to maintain a sufficient time interval between main meals. Recently, various models of fasting have been developed. There are four very popular methods in this regard.

The first method is 5:2 fasting, where two days a week you eat very low-calorie (water or other soft drinks, no more than 500 calories for women and no more than 600 calories for men) and regular meals (2,000 calories for women and no more than 2,400 calories for men) for the other five days. (not more) It is recommended to eat with a gap of eight hours between two meals . Another method is 6:1 fasting, which consists of eating regularly six days a week followed by one day (24 hours) of fasting. By modifying this method, the method of not eating anything for two days (48 hours) in a week is also in vogue. Another method is called 16:8 fasting, in which you eat regular meals at eight-hour intervals every day but skip one meal a day (16-hour difference).

When and how to eat is more important than what to eat in the current trend of fasting . For this reason, it is more appropriate to call this method a different way of eating than (traditional) fasting. According to some studies, intermittent fasting is as effective as low-calorie diets (for weight loss) currently in vogue in nutrition science. Apart from that, this method has been found to be useful in the treatment of some joint problems, swelling, asthma, and heart problems. Losing weight and being physically active can help prevent obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, respiratory and many types of cancer.

Yoshinori Asumi, a Japanese scientist, confirmed this through laboratory tests and established a separate standard in science. He studied how the process of converting proteins and other nutrients into energy by the body when the stomach is kept empty for a long time . In this process, the toxic elements that are developing in the body's micro-tissues, which could later turn into diseases that weaken the immune system, including cancer, infections, and chronic diseases. Discovered to use the protein or other nutrients in it as energy. His study was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2016 as the latest achievement in physiology and medicine.

A large population in the world has not been able to eat for a long time due to lack of food, and in recent times, it has become unhealthy (obesity or other nutrition-related diseases) due to not eating properly. During that time, some places began to develop practices to maintain basic health through the use of small amounts of food. In addition to this, the study and research chapter of new and traditional methods regarding the development of the body's immune system was started in physiology and medicine.

Fasting and dieting may be commonly understood in the same sense . But there is some difference between them. Fasting (generally for more than eight hours) means not eating anything, while dieting means consuming food in specified quantities and dishes depending on the condition of the body. In fasting, the human body converts the nutrition received from regular food into energy (glucose) and stores the energy that the body does not need immediately as fat, while in dieting (according to expert advice), food is selected and used after analyzing the condition of the body.

Western society also got a basis to believe about such a traditional treatment method established since ancient times in Eastern philosophy. People of all age groups from the youth there started following this method of treatment . This method started to be mentioned in medical science and other education courses. In that short period of time, fasting and dieting gained a lot of popularity .

This method is spreading more and more people are attracted to it, and a study published in the US recently has caused a wave around the world . An abstract of a study presented at the American College of Cardiologists (currently on-going from March 18 to 21, 2024 in Chicago) states that fasting for more than eight hours is harmful for people of all ages. A study published by analyzing data on more than 20,000 young people in the United States for a long time (from 2003 to 2018) found that 91 percent of people who fasted have a risk of heart disease (and may even die).

is the basis of this study. If it is to be believed, currently, fasting is very dangerous for patients with chronic diseases, heart diseases, and cancer. The detailed details of this study are yet to come. Although the detailed study has provided more information on many other things, initially, information such as Those that have been published are unbelievable to the common people. There is a lot of interest expressed on social media through the medium of communication about such news.

Based on the preliminary results of the first study conducted on the population of America, the methodical fasting cannot be called bad. Currently. This method, which is being established as a simple and affordable method to reduce obesity, which is increasing worldwide, cannot be denied now. It also has its own special importance in various religious communities including Hindu Muslims. Therefore, in this regard, it will be necessary to start adequate research in South East Asia and Nepal. Until then, such results may offend the traditional beliefs of the common people, and from the point of view of public health, people will not believe the fact that they are teaching that food should be used as medicine, so that medicine should not be used as food.

Sudarshan Poudel is a public health worker.