To cleanse your body, lose weight or for religious reasons, you can decide to fast. Naturopath Manon Borderie explains the effects of fasting in the body.
The young deprives the body of food and/or water for a given period of time. There are several types of fasts, including two main ones. “We have the water fastingin which we continue to drink while abstaining from food and the dry fasting, which deprives us of water and foodexplains Manon Borderie, naturopath. Fasting responds to a law, that of homeostasis. The body is a system which, in the absence of pollutants, such as endocrine disruptors, pesticides or even trans fats, returns to a state of equilibrium. This balance is achieved through a process of natural repair and regeneration from the body”, explains the specialist. When water fasting, purists recommend drinking only water. “In France, the most commonly practiced form of fasting is Buchinger type fasting. Green vegetable juices are allowed because they do not increase blood sugar levels. The evening, vegetable broth, without the vegetablesis also authorized. Fasting has several effects on the body:
► An increase in growth hormone production: Fasting induces an increase in the secretion of a particular hormone, growth hormone. “This hormone, growth hormone (GH), has the function of developing other cells in the body, but also of fight against cellular aging. The longer the fast, the more the hormonal level increases: 3 days of fasting are associated with hormonal increases of 300% and up to 1,250% after a week of fasting. The increase in the GH level then allows the rcell regeneration and repair“, explains the naturopath.
► Cellular cleansing : Autophagy is a process that is triggered during a fast. The body accumulates waste from different sources (food, heavy metals, pollutants, micro-plastics, etc.), which is transformed into cellular waste. During the fast, a membrane forms around these cellular wastes, which will then be digested and then recycled. “In fact, diseased tissues are broken down and recycled by cellular components. These transform them into younger cells and healthier tissues”, explains Madame Borderie.
► Energy gain: A sufficiently long fast allows you to clean the body of certain pollutants. “This is what we call the cleansing the body’s humors. All body fluids (humors), interstitial fluid, blood, lymph, etc. are cleaned. On a daily basis, our liquids become clogged because of our lifestyle, stress, pollution and pesticides.“. Thus, fasting allows a cleansing of the body, offering better cellular exchanges. Thus, our post-fasting energy circulates better, for a gain in shape and vitality.
► Weightloss : Weight loss should not be the goal of fasting. To lose weight healthily and sustainably, it is advisable to adopt a balanced and varied diet, combined with regular physical activity. On the other hand, “during fasting it is normal to lose weight“, indicates the naturopath, “but the weight naturally increases during the food reintroduction phase”. Fasting can help control weight, but is not recommended as part of a slimming diet.
► “Awakening of the soul”: By depriving our stomach of food, we focus on other types of food, such as spiritual food. “Fasters often claim that they find mental peace. We can do a total fast with digestive and muscular rest, during which we read, we rest, we meditate, or a fast with hiking to get the body moving. In any case, these forms of retreat and withdrawal invite mental appeasement and inner peace.
► Best neuronal transmission: Manon Borderie teaches us that fasting induces a increased brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein encoded by a gene acting on neurons. “Fasting increases the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses in the brain. Fasting therefore has effects on the brain, by improving neuroplasticity and memory. Fasting doubles or even triples the amount of BDNF, having a positive impact on the brain.
The ideal duration of fasting is 3 days minimum
The duration of the fast depends on each person but “it’s necessary minimum 3 days to begin the process of ketone body formation. These molecules produced by the liver begin to nourish the brain in place of dietary glucose. The ideal duration of fasting is therefore a minimum of three days.” Anyone can fast but fasting is contraindicated in children, pregnant women and the elderly. “It is always better to fcall on a professional to supervise the fast so that it is better experienced. Understanding how the body works allows you to achieve your goals. A consultation with a professional allows a better return to food, for a gentle exit from fasting so as not to rush the body, recommends our specialist. Fasting is not recommended for anyone suffering from or having suffered from eating disorder (hyperphagia, bulimia, anorexia).”
Thanks to Manon Borderie, naturopath in Lyon.