Fasting

When our ancestors couldn't find food and went for long periods of time without it, their bodies acted like a life preserver. Their bodies stored fat in anticipation of the inevitable periods of famine. The same system works today. When you try to "diet"... Full Answer

Fasting can have a variety of effects on the body. These include: modest but temporary weight loss: The pounds usually return once you go back to your normal diet improved heart health, though this area of research needs more study improvements in... Full Answer

When you starve yourself for more than 12 hours, your metabolic rate actually goes down by 40 percent. Your body senses a dietary disaster and quickly goes into storage mode, rather than burning mode. That's the primary reason why deprivation diets don't... Full Answer

Fasting is often used as a detoxification method. Fasting is defined as abstinence from all food and drink except water or juice for a specific period of time, usually for a therapeutic or religious purpose. Although therapeutic fasting is probably one... Full Answer

Fasting is a very common spiritual practice for many different belief systems and religions. However, it is not a very common weight loss method. In fact, many doctors do not recommend fasting for weight loss, except in exceptional or extreme cases. Full Answer

One thing that helps is to schedule your fast while your kitchen is under construction so that any temptation to cheat is thwarted by the mere absence of food. If major renovations are not an option, take a weekend at a spa where everyone else is fasting... Full Answer

Intestinal starvation is a condition that can occur as a result of fasting. Because the gastrointestinal tract is deprived of nutrients, mucus lining the tracts is depleted. This can cause infection and stop movement in the lower intestine. This is a... Full Answer

If not monitored properly, fasting can be very serious and at times life-threatening. Usually fasting is not recommended as a weight loss tool, but some cases of morbid obesity demand it. For an individual with diabetes, fasting can be life-threatening... Full Answer

Before you begin any fasting regimen for weight loss, you should speak with your doctor. Fasting is not usually a recommended treatment for weight loss, since it can create problems like decreased sodium, potassium, and calcium levels as well as... Full Answer

Sometimes fasting can become an obsession and lead to anorexia nervosa. Cases where a doctor actually recommends fasting as a weight loss treatment are few and far between, and it is usually only recommended for morbid obesity. When the doctor does... Full Answer