The Fasts and Feasts of the Festive Season

How, when and who should fast.

Once the Navratra season begins, it’s nearly impossible to come across anyone in India who isn’t on a fast. This is especially true for the northern and central parts of the country. With the festivities almost upon us, now is a good time to examine the ritual of fasting from a health perspective.

Fasting entered the scientific discourse after the 2016 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Yoshinori Ohsumi for his “discoveries of the mechanisms for autophagy”. Autophagy, a mechanism through which the body consumes its own damaged tissues, can effectively be induced by fasting.

The History of Fasting
Fasting is no new phenomenon. Religious observances and fasting are closely interlinked in many cultures. Indian mythology is replete with stories about the spiritual benefits of fasting. In fact, this is true of several ancient religions. The Buddha in his bid to evolve fasted severely before discovering his path. Mahatma Gandhi fasted towards many ends; for spiritual evolution, health benefits and even political gain.

Folk wisdom through the ages has advocated fasting to reduce a fever or treat an ailment. Although naturopaths tend to wax eloquent about the benefits of fasting, it’s more than just the nature cure faddists who tout the practice–the popular detox diets are the new avatar of fasting for health.

Fasting Today
Although an age-old phenomenon, Intermittent Fasting (IF) has been widely adopted by the youth today. Nearly everyone in their 20s and 30s has tried some variant of IF. In this article, I demystify the different types and benefits of IF.

When it comes to fasting, there is no standard, one-size-fits-all prescription. Fasting regimens vary from the most extreme kind where no water or food is imbibed for a specified duration, to the other end of the spectrum where only the calorie intake is restricted.

The Benefits of Fasting
The principle behind fasting is to allow the body some time away from food, just as we need time away from work. The moral brigade emphasizes the need to control urges, and fasting seems to be an effective way to do that. But in the world of the ‘well-fed’, the prime motivation for fasting is weight reduction.

Fasting can offer many health benefits if undertaken sensibly. In general, people who resort to moderate fasting with some amount of fluid intake report feeling lighter and more energetic during and just after the fast. I must also add that those who switch to calorie-restricted diets report heightened feelings of psychological well-being.

Fasting has been also studied scientifically for its impact on longevity. Numerous studies have indicated that calorie control through fasting can increase life span.

A reliable study presented at the American Heart Association suggested that short breaks from food and eating seemed to lead to better heart health. The group of humans that was studied was on the simple regimen of a daylong fast undertaken once every month. The researchers, however, admit that other factors–such as the prohibition of smoking–may also have contributed to the lower rates of heart disease in this group.

The Recommended Type of Fasting
There are many detriments to fasting in an erratic fashion. It can slow down the metabolic rate of the body and also result in nutritional deficiencies.

If I had to make a prescription, then it would have to be in favour of supervised fasting. A qualified health professional should be consulted, who can help design a fasting plan best suited to you. It may be interesting to note that it is perfectly possible to overdo the calories even when one is on a time-restricted fast. The types of fasts that can be recommended safely are those that are calorie-restricted and are practiced periodically.

A Word of Caution
As mentioned earlier, sudden and severe fasting can lead to many health problems. These largely emanate from nutritional deficiencies and also from causing distress to the organs and metabolic systems of the body. For instance, an early manifestation of a fasting-related problem is the occurrence of headaches. Prolonged fasting has been known to cause anaemia, low blood sugar levels and irregular heartbeat.

Finally, fasting in any form is completely disallowed for pregnant women, diabetics, for those who are on medication, and those with serious ailments.

Feasting While Fasting
As I talk about fasting, restaurants that have taken a hit because of the pandemic are reopening to offer special Navratra thalis to break the fast during the festive season. In these troubled times, one hopes that the Navratra period will bring in some gaiety and good cheer.