Speaker 1: For thousands of years, spiritual seekers have turned to the
Speaker 1: practice of fasting as a ritual of purification and enlightenment.
Speaker 1: Ancient healing traditions from around the world understood fasting as
Speaker 1: a profound method of holistic rejuvenation on physical, mental, and
Speaker 1: spiritual levels. Modern research is now confirming what our ancestors knew.
Speaker 1: Fasting recalibrates the body in ways that unleash incredible healing potential.
Speaker 1: Let us explore the science and philosophy behind this ancient
Speaker 1: healing art. Fasting provides deep rest for our digestive organs
Speaker 1: while freeing up vast amounts of energy normally required for digestion.
Speaker 1: Energy becomes available to trigger self healing and tissue regeneration
Speaker 1: throughout the body. As the digestive system rests, the liver
Speaker 1: performs a cleanse, Toxins and old cells get purged from tissues.
Speaker 1: Stem cell production ramps up as the body enters into
Speaker 1: a heightened state of repair. These effects emerge because fasting
Speaker 1: shifts the body into a fat burning state known as ketosis.
Speaker 1: Our ancestors evolve to thrive in nutritional cycles of feast
Speaker 1: and famine. Periodic fasting mimics this ancestral cycle of fasting
Speaker 1: and feeding. It activates beneficial genes and growth factors in
Speaker 1: our DNA that gets suppressed under normal modern eating patterns
Speaker 1: of constant food intake. Intermittent fasting serves as an ancient
Speaker 1: trick to reboot and regenerate the body from within. During fasting,
Speaker 1: several key changes happen. The hormone insulin drops significantly. This
Speaker 1: allows fat cells to mobilize stored fatty acids for energy.
Speaker 1: Blood levels of growth hormone increase by as much as
Speaker 1: five times. This facilitates fat burning and muscle maintenance. The
Speaker 1: body undergoes ketogenesis, shifting from burning glucose to burning fats
Speaker 1: and fatty acids in the form of ketone bodies. Ketones
Speaker 1: provide up to seventy percent of the brain's energy needs.
Speaker 1: During fasting, cellular repair processes increase, including autophagy, where cells
Speaker 1: digest and remove the waste material and proteins needing repair.
Speaker 1: This cleansing process promotes longevity and health. Gene expression favorably changes.
Speaker 1: Studies show fasting activates genes responsible for increased resistance to
Speaker 1: stress and disease. Fasting also reduces over expression of genes
Speaker 1: linked to aging and disease. Fasting supports healthy gut microbes
Speaker 1: with no incoming food for bacteria to ferment. Gut flora
Speaker 1: rebalances toward a more optimal community for health by giving
Speaker 1: digestion arrest, Fasting permits our self healing and restorative capacities
Speaker 1: to do their magic, bringing us back into balance the
Speaker 1: practice of fasting has been prescribed in spiritual texts and
Speaker 1: traditions worldwide since ancient times. Greek philosophers like Plato, Socrates, Aristotle,
Speaker 1: and Hippocrates all recommended fasting for health and higher states
Speaker 1: of awareness. The famous ancient Egyptian Ebba's Papyrus highlights fasting
Speaker 1: as a method of healing and rejuvenation. Iovadic medicine describes
Speaker 1: fasting as kindling the digestive fire and burning away impurities.
Speaker 1: Chinese Taoists used fasting to balance the organs and prolonged life.
Speaker 1: Indigenous cultures also appreciated fasting intuitively. Native Americans would fast
Speaker 1: before hunts, vision quests, and major life events. Inuit traditions
Speaker 1: included fasting during times of shortage. African tribal rituals involved
Speaker 1: fasting for initiation, rites and ceremonies. Australian aborigines would fast
Speaker 1: for days while traveling in the outback nature. It seems
Speaker 1: embedded fasting wisdom into the rituals of native peoples worldwide.
Speaker 1: The Catholic, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, jan and Orthodox religions later
Speaker 1: incorporated forms of fasting as spiritual purification, but our modern
Speaker 1: lifestyles may have abandoned this ancient wellness wisdom until now. Today,
Speaker 1: scientific research is confirming what our ancestors already knew. Fasting
Speaker 1: cleanses and renews us on multiple levels of body, mind,
Speaker 1: and soul. Fasting allows detoxification on a deep cellular level
Speaker 1: by providing depleted digestive organs a chance to rest. Toxins
Speaker 1: get released from adipose tissues as fat reserves get burned
Speaker 1: for fuel in the absence of new food entering the body.
Speaker 1: As the gut microflora rebalances, the production of beneficial scifhase increases,
Speaker 1: reducing inflammation while supporting the immune system with energy freed
Speaker 1: from digesting meals, the liver steps up its natural detoxification processes.
Speaker 1: The kidneys filter out more waste products from the blood,
Speaker 1: lowering burdens on these organs. Cellular waste products in tissues
Speaker 1: are better cleared thanks to autophagy. Even the skin may
Speaker 1: appear more glowing and radiant as inner purification occurs. Fasting
Speaker 1: gives your body a break to purge accumulated wastes, old cells, damage, proteins, pathogens,
Speaker 1: and toxins that can make you age prematurely when allowed
Speaker 1: to fester. Think of fasting as pressing the reset button
Speaker 1: for your body's natural systems of waste removal and renewal. Ketosis,
Speaker 1: where fat serves as the body's primary fuel source, lies
Speaker 1: at the heart of fasting's cleansing and healing effects. But
Speaker 1: ketosis is much more than just fat loss. It's a
Speaker 1: unique cleansing metabolism with profound health benefits. Unlike glucose, ketones
Speaker 1: produce far less the active oxygen species ROS and oxidative stress.
Speaker 1: Ketosis protects against brain aging and neurological disease by enhancing
Speaker 1: mitochondrial function. Ketones are a more efficient fuel than sugar,
Speaker 1: yielding more atp energy per unit. A ketogenic metabolism suppresses
Speaker 1: inflammation and shifts stem cells from adipogenesis to neurogenesis, regenerating
Speaker 1: the brain. Cancer cells cannot metabolize ketones due to mitochondrial defects,
Speaker 1: effectively starving tumors. Ketosis cleanses on multiple levels, from clearing
Speaker 1: waste products to eliminating cancer risk to stoking stem cell repair.
Speaker 1: No wonder our ancestors evolved to uptake this superfuel during
Speaker 1: periods of fasting. There are several evidence based intermittent fasting
Speaker 1: protocols shown to act activate cleansing ketosis. Sixteen to eight
Speaker 1: method fast for sixteen hours per day, eating only during
Speaker 1: an eight hour window. This aligns with the natural circadian rhythm,
Speaker 1: allowing digestion to rest overnight. Twenty four hour fasts, fast
Speaker 1: from dinner to dinner one to two times per week
Speaker 1: extends the overnight fast more deeply. Alternate day fasting fast
Speaker 1: every other day for twenty four to thirty six hours
Speaker 1: allows the body to enter deep ketosis. Water only fasts
Speaker 1: for two to twenty one days or longer requires more preparation,
Speaker 1: but provides deep cleansing. Periodic routine fasts, such as fasting
Speaker 1: one week per month or one week per season, allows
Speaker 1: the body to cleanse regularly. The key is to find
Speaker 1: an intermittent fasting routine that is sustainable long term, not
Speaker 1: just a quick fixed diet our ancest as fasted intuitively.
Speaker 1: We can reclaim this ancestral cycling between fasting and feeding
Speaker 1: by adopting intermittent fasting as a periodic cleansing. Ritual preparation
Speaker 1: is key to having a successful fasting experience. Here are
Speaker 1: some tips. Gradually taper down meals and food intake in
Speaker 1: the days before fasting. This eases the transition. Stay well
Speaker 1: hydrated with purified water, herbal tea, and mineral broths. Proper
Speaker 1: hydration supports detoxification. Get adequate rest and avoid strenuous exercise
Speaker 1: during a fast. Conserve your energy for healing, take time
Speaker 1: off work, and minimize stress if possible. Fasting requires deep
Speaker 1: breast supplement if needed with electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals. Support
Speaker 1: what your nutritional reserves. Break a prolonged fast gradually with
Speaker 1: gentle foods. Avoid heavy foods or over eating. Keep a
Speaker 1: positive mental attitude through self affirmations and spiritual practices. Intention matters.
Speaker 1: Proper preparation and support during a fast can make all
Speaker 1: the difference in having a rejuvenating experience when fasting. Understanding
Speaker 1: the stages and possible experiences during a fast allows you
Speaker 1: to be prepared. Twelve to twenty four hours, the switch
Speaker 1: to burning fat and glycogen stores begins. Mild hunger and
Speaker 1: food cravings are common. Two to three days the body
Speaker 1: enters full ketosis. Hunger and cravings usually decrease, possible irritability
Speaker 1: and headaches as electrolytes adjust. Three to five days. Heavy
Speaker 1: c phittosis suppresses appetite. Mental clarity improves as toxins clear. Purification.
Speaker 1: Symptoms may arise, like skin breakouts or mucoid plaque elimination.
Speaker 1: Temporary fatigue or light headedness can occur if detoxing too rapidly.
Speaker 1: One to three weeks. Deeper cleansing and renewal profound healing,
Speaker 1: but requires more support. Dizziness, arrhythmias, and profound weakness indicates
Speaker 1: the fast should be broken. Understanding the stages provides guidance
Speaker 1: on what to expect physically and spiritually during a fast.
Speaker 1: Supporting the process with rest, water, and mindfulness leads to revitalization.
Speaker 1: Those new to fasting should start with shorter fasts and
Speaker 1: work up gradually. It's equally important to break a fast properly.
Speaker 1: Here are some tips. Do not overeat when breaking a fast,
Speaker 1: even if ravenously hungry. Gradually reintroduce portions. Sip water or
Speaker 1: non sugar tea first, then start with gentle foods like fruits, vegetables, yogurt.
Speaker 1: Slowly progress from lighter to heavier foods. Avoid heavy animal proteins,
Speaker 1: processed foods, or sugar at first. Chew food extremely well
Speaker 1: and eat slowly. The shrunken stomach needs time. Fasting has
Speaker 1: long been used for spiritual growth due to shifts in
Speaker 1: awareness that occur as the body detoxifies. Clarity of mind
Speaker 1: improves as toxic overloads reduce. With energy less focused on digestion,
Speaker 1: consciousness can turn within, bringing heightened intuition. As cravings fade,
Speaker 1: attachments loosen their grip. Freed from in senses become more
Speaker 1: attuned to subtle energies, one achieves mastery over the body
Speaker 1: instead of vice versa. Fasting develops will power and the
Speaker 1: sense of spirit over flesh. Fasting often mirrors an internal
Speaker 1: process of shedding old layers to reveal one's deeper self.
Speaker 1: The pure state that emerges is believed to be more
Speaker 1: receptive to spiritual truths. For this reason, many religions prescribe
Speaker 1: fasting before rituals, rites or holy days. The hunger reminds
Speaker 1: devotees of their faith while purifying mind and body to
Speaker 1: receive divine energy. Pilgrimages, vision quests, and meditative retreats often
Speaker 1: incorporated fasting for this reason. Silence, solitude, and detachment allow
Speaker 1: inner realms to open up. Toxins accumulate in our bodies
Speaker 1: from food, water, air, medications, alcohol, and environmental exposures. Our
Speaker 1: detoxification systems can become overburdened. Fasting gives these systems a
Speaker 1: break so they can catch up on the backlog. The liver, kidneys, skin, lungs,
Speaker 1: and colon all increase elimination of wastes that may have
Speaker 1: built up in tissues for years. As the body uses
Speaker 1: stored nutrients, chemicals like pesticides or medications that were lodged
Speaker 1: in fat cells get liberated with gut rest inflammation subsides,
Speaker 1: and microbial balance improves. Signs you may be detoxifying include headaches, fatigue,
Speaker 1: muscle aches, skin eruptions, runny nose, coughing, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting,
Speaker 1: bad breath, and discolored tongue coating. These symptoms usually pass
Speaker 1: in a few days. Staying hydrated, resting in opening elimination
Speaker 1: channels can help. Consult a doctor if they concern you.
Speaker 1: Fasting is safe for most people, but side effects can
Speaker 1: include hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar causes shakiness, weakness, confusion. Consuming
Speaker 1: herbal tea, mineral supplements, or a small snack can help.
Speaker 1: Electrolyte imbalance, headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, supplement with mineral broth electrolytes, dehydration,
Speaker 1: dry mouth, dizziness, Drink more pure water, orthostatic hypotension, dizziness
Speaker 1: upon standing. Rise slowly and stabilize yourself. Gallstone pain Stones
Speaker 1: can get flushed out and cause biliary colic. Seek medical
Speaker 1: care if severe. Most side effects are avoidable with proper
Speaker 1: fasting guidance and preparation. Those new to fasting should see
Speaker 1: dart slowly and only progress with care. While most people
Speaker 1: can safely fast, there are some exceptions. Malnourished or underweight people,
Speaker 1: children under twelve, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with gout
Speaker 1: or high uric acid, individuals with eating disorders, people with
Speaker 1: advanced diabetes or blood sugar issues, those on medication. Consult
Speaker 1: your doctor. People with liver or kidney disease, low blood pressure,
Speaker 1: ulcerative colitis or chrome's disease. People with health conditions should
Speaker 1: get medical guidance before fasting. Start cautiously and only if
Speaker 1: your body responds well. Fasting should become a lifelong habit,
Speaker 1: integrated into your lifestyle to enjoy the full benefits. Here
Speaker 1: are tips. Find a fasting routine that works sustainably for
Speaker 1: your schedule. Please don't overdo it. Keep fasts occasional, no
Speaker 1: more than two to three times per week for daytime fasts.
Speaker 1: Plan fasting periods around times of rest and relaxation. Stay
Speaker 1: occupied with light activities, reflection or meditation during fasts. Break
Speaker 1: fasts gently without overeating or eating junk foods. Hydrate well,
Speaker 1: and supplement if needed. Track fasting in a journal. Note
Speaker 1: mental and physical changes. Combine fasting with grounding activities like
Speaker 1: time in nature, massage, and sauna. By making fasting a
Speaker 1: regular ritual, you honor your body's ancient wisdom while benefiting
Speaker 1: from this ancestral wellness practice. In conclusion, fast offers a
Speaker 1: holistic path to healing and wholeness. Physically, it activates cleansing
Speaker 1: mechanisms for cellular renewal and regeneration. Mentally, it brings clarity
Speaker 1: and heightened awareness. Emotionally, it releases attachments and compulsions. Spiritually,
Speaker 1: it cultivates self realization and unity with the sacred. Fasting
Speaker 1: illuminates the way to mastery of body, mind, and soul.
Speaker 1: It is a practice handed down through generations because it
Speaker 1: works if done correctly. Fasting allows us to reclaim our
Speaker 1: vitality and maximize our human potential. Listen to your body's wisdom.
Speaker 1: Your innate capacity to heal will guide you if you
Speaker 1: create space through fasting. May your path of intermittent fasting
Speaker 1: be one of rejuvenation and renewal.