Fasting

[Khandro]

Interesting study in today's Telegraph;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/10878625/Fasting-for-two-days-can-regenerate-entire-immune-system-study-finds.html
I recently fasted for 2 1/2 days, felt really fit, and lost around 4 pounds, but it seems to be an excellent regime in other ways. ^
Does anyone fast on a regular basis?

[Sqad]

\\\\Does anyone fast on a regular basis?\\\

Somebody must I suppose, but I don't.

Muslims fast during Ramadan.

"Boosting the immune system".....a meaningless phrase that slips off the tongue all too readily.

[Hopkirk]

Muslims fast during Ramadan?

Hardly! A lot of them gorge themselves once the sun goes down.
I remember seeing a fact once that meat imports to Egypt go up considerably during Ramadan, and it's probably similar in most muslim countries

[theshedman]

I agree with Hopkirk on this one. I worked in the middle east and all most seem to do is change eating in daylight hours to eating in the night.

[Hopkirk]

Yes Shedman, and they came to work next day too tired from their efforts and expected sympathy?

[Sqad]

OK......you are right....I mean that Muslims fast during the daytime during Ramadan.

[theshedman]

Yes and when they didn't get it they would try to take it out on us. Didn't work though as we used to get them doing fire drills and the like.

[Hopkirk]

... but out of 'respect' you weren't allowed to eat drink or smoke in public view either.

[theshedman]

Yes we would do as you say out of respect and the thought that one of them would call the religious police it we didn't lol. Back onto the original question, I had heard this said before that fasting a day a week can be good for you.

[Ric.ror]

This post prompted me to think (with the exception of a slice of peanut butter I've already had) I will have a fruit only fast day today.

Then I realised I have a bottle of cava and a pizza for tonight so there's no chance of that happening
Never mind

[Hopkirk]

Let's start tomorrow

[Buenchico]

I quite often skip food for a day or two. It's not deliberate fasting - I just don't get around to eating!

[anneasquith]

but you do have fluids chris. I hope ?

[Khandro]

I've just checked, and the length of daylight during Ramadan (in London, 1st of July for example) is 16 1/2 hrs, that's a long time to go without food and water. It must have some (beneficial?) effect on the body. A Muslim friend who practices Ramadan looses a noticeable amount of weight after it, so it certainly isn't in his case a matter of compensating after dark, and anyone who has gone without food for a long period will know that you cannot eat the same amount of food that you would have done in a normal 16 1/2 hrs in one large go.
Also; many people eat fish on Fridays, but isn't the custom from not eating 'meat' rather, or probably not eating anything at all.
Squad; Do you not believe that there is such a thing as an "immune system"? It may be a makeshift phrase, but some people definitely have immunity to certain diseases.

[Sqad]

Khandro.......LOL......yes.....we all have an immune system, but my moan is that, in my opinion, one cannot "boost" a normal immune system.

Certainly, if one's immune system is weakened by disease or by chemotherapy, for instance, then it can be boosted.....but not by bloody starving.

[Mosaic]

Catholics used to have to fast from midnight onwards if they wanted to go to communion the next day. You had to have nothing until after mass. One good incentive for attending dawn mass, and also responsible for lots of fainting in church. Knocked on the head (very sensibly) by the second vatican council.

[sandyRoe]

While this isn't exactly fasting does the 5:2 diet, where you eat normally for 5 days and go light on the other 2, have any merit?

[aelmpvw]

i occasionally go on a 24 hour liquid diet but i don't recommend it

[theshedman]

Hi Khandro, I know that the 16 1/2 hours you say is a long time but don't forget Ramadan changes every year so half the time like during the winter months in this country the fasting period of each day will be a lot shorter. In the middle east where the majority of Muslims live their day is much more even so the period is mostly half and half and they do seem to switch the time around so they stay up for most of the time it is dark.

[puzzled54]

ael - why do you do it then?

[DaisyNonna]

Is lack of food a reason for making some of them aggressive? Note the use of the word some.