MIRACLES OF FASTING 

Fasting - the practice of abstaining from food and liquids for a pre-determined time period - has been a fundamental part of human society for generations, while still being exercised today in many contemporary cultures. Despite being chiefly affiliated with faith, fasting offers a variety of health benefits, as I will discuss in this article whilst highlighting examples of how this practice can improve our minds and bodies.

Undoubtedly, the most evident of the advantages of fasting is its aptitude for weight loss. Our bodies quickly turn to their hoarded fat as an energy source when no food is consumed, and intermittent fasting - involving periods of abstaining followed by designated times of eating - has been pinpointed as a proactive method for reducing weight; with studies actively indicating that participants on a regular diet control plan conversely to those assigned an intermittent fasting routine. This is referenced in The International Journal of Obesity.

Meanwhile, fasting also helps to secure heart health. Studies reveal that fasting can improve insulin sensitivity and diminish a user's blood-pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels. Abstinence on alternating days, for example, has been found to optimise cardiovascular functioning as it reduces oxidative tension and counteracts inflammation.

Our brains also reap the rewards of fasting techniques. In this state of abstention, our bodies are compelled to employ ketones instead of glucose for energy; with thought processes being enhanced - beyond other things - by an improvement in the production of brain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF). This in turn strengthens memory retention for those with moderate stages of dementia, as explored in the publication of The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

Furthermore, abstention has many characteristics that can produce improved psychological well-being. Fasting naturally stimulates endorphins in the body, enabling an individual to take time-out from everyday activities and focus on their own personal thoughts and sensations. This is particularly salient in Ramadan, where adherents use this period of abstention to passionately connect to their spiritual side and reflect on the specifics of what they want from life.

Remarkably, fasting has even been linked to longevity; with researches implicating a calorie reduction akin to abstinence as a tactic for increasing animal life-span. Undeniably, there are still areas of deficiency that need to be filtered through human studies - though investigations of fasting have highlighted it as a possible instrument for putting-back the clock on ageing; with one study in the journal of Cell Stem Cells finding that abstention can actually regenerate stem cells - essential for the repair and rejuvenation of tissue - which can help to combat age-related-features.

Finally, fasting is a highly effective way to promote physical and mental health. It has been indicated as a helpful technique for reducing weight, safeguarding heart-health, bettering brain-functioning, and even reversing the signs of ageing.