The spiritual practice has many health benefits
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1 August onwards, Muslims all over the world will started fasting from sunrise to sundown for 30 days. MSN Life & Style looks at the health benefits people can gain from fasting.
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Fasting can help many people with weight loss, as the body dissolves the extra fat it stores for energy. As the stomach starts to shrink, so too does as person's hunger and the less a person eats, the more the body uses the fat storage. Even if you ate as much as you could after fasting, it won't add up to the calories that are missed during the day.
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Many people's diet improves during fasting month as they are more aware of eating nutritional food that will give them sustained energy and the right amount of vitamins and fuel that the body needs.
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One of the great advantages of fasting is that the body and organs benefit from the detox, as toxins can be flushed from the liver, skin, kidneys and various glands. The chemical found in stored fat and fatty acids are released during fasting and got rid of by these organs.
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Fasting can also provide emotional and mental stability. Being reminded to show restraint in all things can have a positive effect on someone's mental health.
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The cells in the body also benefit from fasting as they aren't exposed to as much oxidative stress which damages them. This gives them the chance to repair and also prevents more harm. Damaged DNA in the cells usually develops into cancer.
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Fasting has been found to lower bad cholesterol levels. The veins and arteries respond by breaking down the deposits and this is thought to be due to a lower fat intake and increased fibre. Recent research has also found that fasting from water can lower your risk of developing coronary artery disease and diabetes.
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The digestive system also benefits as fasting can alleviate stomach problems, inflammation and indigestion as the stomach, colon and intestines are given complete rest and can therefore repair.
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Fasting can also improve the quality of a person's sleep. The process of repair on the body and brain takes place while we sleep and a couple of hours during fasting can be more satisfying and refreshing than a full night of regular sleep. Fasting helps to reset a person's sleep cycle.
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The immune system is also strengthened due to the restorative process that the body goes through as energy is focused away from the digestive system and towards the metabolism and immune system. An example of this is when someone is ill they lose their appetite and that's because all energy is being directed towards the immune system so it's working at its optimum.
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There is a lot of evidence that suggests eating less and regulated fasting can contribute to a longer life. This is due to a slower metabolic rate, a stronger immune system, an increased production of hormones and due to an accumulation of the benefits previously mentioned. Increased production of anti-aging hormones are also released during fasting.
