What Are The Benefits Of A Fasting Cleanse?

Fasting may defined as abstinence from all food and drink except water for a specific time, usually for a therapeutic or spiritual purpose. It's also possible to do cleanses using only juices, teas or other fluids, although technically that is more of an elimination diet than a true fast. Fasting provides numerous health benefits. However, it's not for everyone, so consult with a health care practitioner who's trained in therapeutic fasting for personalized advice and guidance.

Enhances Immunity

Fasting will increase elimination of wastes and enhance the reparative processes of the body. It gives the body a physiological rest so that it can focus on healing, repairing and strengthening its cells, tissues and organs. The immune system is significantly effected during a fast, which enables the body to efficiently detoxify and fight illness or imbalances. According to Drs. Trevor Salloum and Alan Goldhamer, a naturopathic physician and chiropractor, respectively, and contributors to the "Textbook of Natural Medicine," fasting effects many cells involved with immunity, including macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and immunoglobulins, each of which are involved with a different aspect of the body's highly complex immune system. Basically, fasting promotes the body's natural ability to heal itself. This can be useful in treating ailments and preventing future illness.

Combats Disease

Because it enhances detoxification and self-repair, fasting is used to treat numerous health conditions. Drs. Salloum and Goldhamer report that that fasting can be helpful for conditions including, but not limited to, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, mental illness, skin disease, cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, chemical poisoning, arthritis and allergies. With heart disease, for instance, fasting can help lower blood pressure, balance triglyceride and cholesterol levels and alleviate congestive heart failure. Autoimmune diseases that respond to fasting include glomerulonephritis, rosacea, systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic urticaria and colitis. For arthritis, fasting has anti-inflammatory effects and can decrease pain and stiffness. Fasting is also utilized to treat obesity and can help an individual lose weight, although it must be combined with counseling and other lifestyle modifications to ensure long-term effectiveness. While fasting is not a panacea, its wide range of therapeutic effects likely account for its long history of medicinal use.

Increases Appreciation

Eliminating food, even for a short period of time, often grants an individual a new level of awareness of their own habits and emotions tied up in foods and eating. People's emotional and social connections to food are deep-seated, and it's helpful to recognize and understand them. Fasting provides a good opportunity to do this. Also, after long periods of consuming foods that are rich, salty and sweetened, as well as depending on caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, other recreational drugs and other stimulants, people lose their sensitivity to the more subtle tastes and the vital qualities of unprocessed foods. Fasting, followed with careful re-introduction of healthy foods, enables an individual to break prior negative eating habits while gaining a new level of appreciation for the smells, tastes and textures of various foods. This has positive effects on digestive health, overall outlook and general wellness.