Jane DoeFasting has been a long prevalent ritual in the Indian society. While fasting is not new to India, this tradition is slowly gaining popularity all over the world. Fasting/selective eating has been fancied as a measure of diet control too. Fasting is done not only to offer devotion to a person or the God but also for the multiple health benefits it comes along with.
How Does Fasting Help?
One of the best revelation about fasting is that it is not harmful for the body. On contrary, total fast or fasting with selective food restrictions is a very beneficial for the human body. A person can maintain personal health by keeping food away for a day or two. However one must note that a total fast is not advisable beyond 2-3 days.
It is usually believed that people who fast might feel weak however truth is, when for short durations body is starved of food, it uses the energy stored in our body. The more physically active we are during a fast the higher are the chances of burning excessive calories too. Fasting is also an effective way of giving rest to our digestive system which works non stop inside our body.
Selective Fasting
In many cases fasting does not mean staying away from food completely. It could be a fast with few food restrictions. Some fasts allow consumption of fruits and milk which we also know as ‘Fal-Aahar’. In Fal aahar a person can consume some selected food items which are prepared with rock salt. These items are very healthy and nutritious.
Benefits of Rock Salt & Khajur (Date Palm)
Rock Salt or Sendha namak is seen to be the purest form of salt in Ayurveda. It is also beneficial in controlling various skin diseases. It is the salt which is also said to stabilize blood pressure. If we notice how the Muslims open their fast during Ramadan with a Date or Khajur, we would also see the same idea of consuming healthy food. Khajur helps in improving the digestive system and is a great energy booster. The merits of these food items are immense. There exists the same philosophy in all these fasts, which is to make people healthy and fit.
Fasting for Religious Purposes
Fasts are not only about keeping people fit, but these traditions were made with an aspect to bring people together. The month of Ramadan brings together the Muslim community as they fast and pray together and await the day of Eid. Similarly, in other communities, the women folk usually dedicate their fasts for their loved ones. Often we see a wife dedicating it to her husband or a mother dedicating it to her son. These instances blossom love, care and respect towards each other. These fasts are religiously important and are also seen as a mark of devotion to God. Let us not take the fast as a religious necessity, but also see the implicit messages that it has to provide us.
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