Fasting is not only done by people of certain religions. In fact, everybody can fast. There are some ways for fasting. The first is that you do not need to fast all day long. You may for example, have regular breakfast then do not eat or drink anything until evening but fresh water. The second is by choose two or three days in a week to fast during the day or night. Third is by fasting once every two days.
You may ask doctor or nutritionist to get some advice about your fasting program. It is better to have medical check before you decide to start. Then you can use medical report as a guidance of your fasting program.
Consistency is another important thing if you choose fasting as diet strategy. To keep you on track, you should have daily schedule or reminder attached on your wall, be it at home or office. Create digital reminder in your smartphone as well. People with lots of things to do had better to choose the latter.
There are particular condition where fasting is not recommended. First, check your weight as well as physical appearance. You should not fast if you are very skinny. Perhaps you were diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia in the past. If you are in such condition, do not fast. The second one is people who are suffered from serious diseases like cancer, tumors, blood pressure problem, and bleeding ulcers. If you have diabetes, fasting is still allowed. Simply make sure that you have consulted to doctor first. The next category is pregnant and nursing women. Fasting., especially if it is done excessively, endangers your babies.
Here are some ways for safe fasting based on several practitioners. Choose what the most suitable for you.
- Start Slowly: Most of the practitioners always begin with this simple step. But not that simple if we put it into perspective. If you are about to build a new habit, then you should have the willing to do it gradually.
If you start your new habit by employing too much time or frequency, then it would likely be tedious as soon as you get exhausted. Begin your fasting by reducing your calorie or carb intake first, for instance. If you get used to eating low calorie and carb foods, it means you may be ready for fasting. It is because those two substances make people full after eating.
After that, you may continue your progress by fast one day a week, then one week in a month. The duration can be adjusted to your ability and health. Do not be in a rush because you want instant result. - Adapt Biblical Methods: An alternative comes from the prophet Daniel. He employed water fast for three weeks. After that, he can eat anything he wanted, including wine and meat. However, water is essential for health. If you choose water fast, make sure that you had enough water intake in the beginning of the day. You can modify it by not eating during the day and only drink. Having juice is a great idea as the substitute of solid food.
Another option is the so-called total fast, that is, having no foods and water for a month. If possible, forty days. Islamic faith requires 30-days of fasting during ramadhan month. You may eat from dusk to dawn. It is not wrong if you employ islamic way of fasting even though you are not a moslem. Dates are recommended food because they are rich in fibers, sugar, and vitamins. - Take a rest: Fasting means managing your time more efficiently and effectively. It is pivotal to include rest in your daily activity. It can be done in various ways. The simplest way is of course by sleeping. It is recommended to have six-hours of sleep in a day. If sleeping is not affordable for your current condition, just take a brief nap while listening to relaxation music.
One thing to remember, having time to rest your body and mind is a must if you fast. If you are in absolute stressful condition, it is not recommended to do full-day fasting. You need water to calm your nerve. - Some Menu Suggestions: It has been previously stated that you have to include water and juice during your fasting time. Natural fresh juice is recommended. However, not all fruits can be consumed as juice. Fruits like watermelon, apple, orange, grape, dragon fruit, pineapples, strawberry, and lemon are the most commonly chosen for diet goers. Other fruits and vegetables like tomato, fresh carrot, beet, cabbages, and celery. You can also take canned juice. Just make sure that it has no excessive artificial additive ingredients.
Juice contains natural sugar which is good as energy supplement. That is why you do not need additional sugary food to enhance energy intake. Juice is useful as green detoxifiers because it can eliminates unwanted substance from your body.
Avocado is also good for fasting people. Its smooth texture will calm down your digestive system. This green fruit is rich with non-saturated fat as well as useful vitamins. You can modify it by adding chocolate milk or non-fat milk. It is so tasty and makes your tummy full. Although expert diet practitioners do not suggest milk, it is better for starters to have a moderate amount of milk.
When is the best time to have juice? Most people have it in the afternoon. However, morning is the best time to have fruit juice. Before you start your fasting day, drink fruit juice. Its function as detoxifier performs best in the morning. In the afternoon or dawn, have a glass of green juice. It will restore your energy.
You can also make natural food supplement. All you need are some water, lemon juice, pure maple syrup, and (optional) cayenne pepper. Mix those ingredients in sufficient amount (as you wish) then drink it before sleeping. Cayenne pepper is optional because some people may be allergic to it.
If you like soup, go on with broth. It is gravy made with potatoes, carrots, and celery. For seasoning, add carrots, celery, turnip, beats, cabbages, parsley, onion, and garlic. Diet experts do not suggest salt. But if you are a beginner, it is okay to add some salt then gradually reduce the composition.
If you are not doing full-day fast, green or herb tea is suggested to be taken in the afternoon. You can add some honey, but no sugar. Now we can see that it is likely about minimizing sugar intake.
That was all the tips for safe fasting. Do not forget to fast regularly so that your body will gradually build default setting of fasting habit.**