Fasting is a certain period of time during which you’re depriving yourself of certain food indulgences. While fasting does not mean complete starvation of oneself, it does, however, limit you to eating only certain types of food, making your body detoxify. Aside from your body, fasting is quite beneficial for spiritual and mental health as well because it promotes better concentration, relieves inflammation and aids cognitive function. If you’ve been wondering whether fasting can help you stay more mindful, check out what we’ve found out.
Improved brain function
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When fasting, your number of brain cells increases. If you decide to do short-term fasting, that will induce profound neuronal autophagy. In this way, cells recycle waste material, downregulate wasteful processes, and repair themselves. Fasting increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor a protein that interacts with the parts of the brain that regulate memory, learning, and higher cognitive function. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor keeps existing neurons in life while also encouraging the development of new neurons and the development of neuro-synaptic connectivity. Alzheimer’s, memory loss, and cognitive impairment have all been linked to low levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, so fasting is one of the ways to avoid having to deal with some of these brain issues. What’s more, if you decide to start fasting, you can enhance learning and memory, and elevate the ability to focus and concentrate.
Boosts metabolism and aids weight loss
Thanks to short-term fasting, you can boost your metabolism because the digestive system will rest and recover in the period of fasting. Furthermore, you’ll promote weight loss much better with fasting than with some typical dieting that includes restricting calories. With fasting, your body will burn fat by using it as fuel instead of using sugar for energy. This will in return preserve muscle tissue and burn fat that you may have spent ages trying to get rid of.
Fasting cleanses you spiritually
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By denying your body the basic physical need for food, you’re moving the focus away from your body and starting to lean more towards faith and spirituality. With healthy fasting, you’re restoring spiritual clarity and shifting all your energy towards prayer and meditation, rather than on satisfying your physical needs. What’s more, you’re not supposed to look at fasting like something that you’re denying yourself but rather see it as a better managing of your needs where you won’t just cave and eat whatever your heart desires. Some of the appetite suppressors such as healthy diet drops can also contribute to you managing your desire for food much better and help you on the way to complete cleansing.
Improved body-mind connection
By cleansing your body, you’re creating peace of mind and contentment, you manage stress better and offer your body a full spectrum of energy and vibrancy. If you combine fasting and meditation in your life, you’ll promote a sense of wellbeing. Fasting will increase focus and awareness in meditation because when you empty your body of toxins, you can create a higher sense of spiritual purpose. Meditation and sense of tranquillity are achieved much better when the stomach is empty rather than when you pile food inside and create a jumbled bunch of thoughts. Without food, your mental focus will be intensified allowing you to meditate with more ease because you won’t have a hard digesting process to distract you. Your physical body will feel lighter enabling you to reach a heightened state of spiritual contemplation.
Better willpower
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Every decision you make regarding the foods you refuse to eat makes your willpower strong. Sometimes food cravings can be very strong and they can easily make us leave all of the persuasions we’ve been sticking to in the previous period. However, if you manage to resist all the temptations, your willpower will significantly grow. This can further help you control some more serious addictions if you ever encounter them.
Final thoughts
Fasting will benefit your body in many ways. Aside from allowing you to connect to your inner self more deeply, it will also promote weight loss, and build your willpower. Feel free to try out this healthy practice and see how many wonderful benefits it brings you.
