Extensive Fasting Can Be Dangerous To Your Health

13 days ago

Have you heard of the word "Restrictive eating"? Others can also go on fasting, like some religious beliefs and others for health or beauty reason. I am not against fasting because people who do them have their reasons for participating in them and I also go for some period without eating as well but there are cases were it can become extreme.

A case of someone fasting for health reasons was dated as far back in recent history as 1965 where Angus Barberi, a 27 year old man wanted to fast because he wanted to reduce his weight. This doesn't mean it was the first time it was recorded in history because fasting dated as far back as we can think off. The 27 year old man was tired of weight 456 lbs /207 Kg and wanted to do something about it. So, he went to see the doctor at the University Department of Medicine in the Royal Infirmary of Dundee and was willing to go for 40 days fasting but he was going to be monitored because he wasn't going to have any calorie. The fast reached 40 days on June 14, 1965 and he decided to continue a strict fasting diet.

From Lent fasting in Christians, Ramadan for Muslims, Fasting in Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other religion, fasting often occur in different ways and for different reasons. In recent times were people fast for their health so as to lose weight, Intermittent fasting is introduced where people cycle between period of fasting and unrestricted eating.

Research has been able to look at the benefit of fasting, and it has been seen that during fasting, the body shifts from using carbohydrate to using fat as source of energy in what is known as ketosis. A process that lowers triglycerides, reducing blood sugar and insulin levels but elevated ketone in the body can lead to a condition known as Diabetic Ketoacidosis which is life threatening for people with type 1 diabetes. Fasting in the short term can make us irritable and anxious, that feeling you get when you just begin the fasting and you want to end it like immediately but in the long term, it can lead to improved mood and well-being as it boosts serotonin.

Although fasting has been proven to be good when done properly helping a person to shed weight but when they stop and go back to it, there is a reversal and the pounds will likely return. People with weak immune system can have complications if they engage in elongated fasting. We have had different waves of diet including ones like the Jenny Craig diet and the keto diet.

Back to Angus, after leaving the hospital, he decided to continue on fasting with zero calorie but instead survive on black coffee, Black tea, and Sparkling water throughout the period of his fast so he could lose weight. He was monitored by doctors so as to help him maintain nutrition and prevent deficiencies. Although he wasn't getting calories into his body, he was getting nutrients in his body. Overtime, he experienced mood improvement and he was always visited the hospital for checkup.

In the process of fasting, his body went into ketosis but his doctor's assistance helped him to remain fine. If you want to fast for a very long time without the supervision of medical practitioners, you need to know a few things. For instance someone practicing true Breatharianism according to scientist would experience deterioration because without food, the body begins to use stored energy from glycogen and then begins to break down muscles and fat and when this runs out, it will lead to a drop in heart rate, blood pressure and temperature. If this continues for longer, the person will start to feel confused, hallucinate, and slip into unconsciousness.

If the person decides to go without water, then within about 2 weeks, the body begins to run into dehydration leading to toxin buildup which would lead to organ failure like kidney failure, followed by heart problems. This can further escalate, leading to seizure, brain damage, and death.