Dubai: In the Islamic world, Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, when millions of people practice fasting from food and drink, shifting their focus to self-reflection and spiritual growth.
But more recently, the trend of “intermittent fasting” has been greatly promoted by health gurus, celebrities and influential people as an effective weight loss tool and method of detoxifying the body.
However, these benefits have long been studied, among other things, as Muslims have fasted from dawn to dusk in Ramadan for centuries.
So what happens to the human body after 30 days of restricted feeding?
Dr. Lina Sibib, a nutritionist at Medcare Hospital in Dubai, said refraining from eating and drinking regularly for a month has been shown to promote various healing processes in the body and improve function.
A new study from King’s College London’s Institute of Psychology, Psychology and Neuroscience shows that fasting produces new “hippocampal” neurons that enhance brain function, improve long-term memory, and prevent neurodegenerative disorders. I am.
“Both fasting and exercise promote the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in nerve cells,” says Shibib, who is involved in learning, memory, and the formation of new cells and is capable. Pointed out to have. To make neurons more stress tolerant.
“During fasting, neurons are in a state of’resource conservation and stress tolerance’,” she said.
“When a person feeds after a fast, neurons enter a’growth’mode, producing more protein, growing, and forming new connections,” Chibib told Arab News.
As a result, according to researchers, these cycles of metabolic challenges and subsequent recovery periods may improve brain neuroplasticity, learning, memory, concentration, sharpness, and stress tolerance.
“Researchers have also found that (these hippocampal neurons) slow the progression of cognitive decline, thus (potentially) slowing or preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,” says Chibib. I did.
In other parts of the body, health professionals have also seen subtle changes in organ function.
For example, one study reported lower blood sugar levels and increased insulin sensitivity in people who fasted during the month of Ramadan.
“When we fast, our bodies lose access to glucose as usual, and our cells need to find other ways to generate energy,” Chibib said.
Fasting essentially removes toxins from our body, she explained, and when it is practiced regularly, it is usually caused when a regular supply of food is available. He added that it can encourage cells to engage in processes that do not.
In fact, the organs that cause detoxification, such as the liver and kidneys, can be completely regenerated without the constant influx of additional toxins.
This important cell-cleaning process, known as “autophagy,” takes place when the body does not need to digest food and promotes its own immune defenses.
Fat, on the other hand, is one of the most stubborn toxins in the body, making weight loss a difficult process for millions of people around the world.
According to Dr. Pankai Shah, an endocrine and metabolite at Mayork Clinic, fat becomes a toxin only when it is stored in a toxic location, overwhelming the body’s ability to store in fat cells.
For example, fat stored in the liver can lead to fatty liver, increasing the risk of diabetes in the same way that fat stored in muscle fibers and pancreas leads to the same prognosis.
“If you lose total fat on an empty stomach, it’s because your dietary fat has been replaced by healthier fat,” said Shah, who mentioned the necessary reduction in calorie intake.
Achieving weight loss during Ramadan reveals improvements in liver, muscle, insulin secretion, and insulin action, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In fact, a review from the University of Sydney at the Charles Perkins Center in Australia found 70 studies that reduced body fat content (as a percentage of body weight) in overweight and overweight people during the Ramadan period. Was shown. obesity.
Fasting is considered to be especially useful for those who want to lose weight or who usually fail, as it stimulates metabolism and balances hunger and satiety hormones.
But beyond the physical changes and benefits of fasting, ancient practices are considered to bring attention and aid in spiritual and spiritual fulfillment.
“Many benefits felt in Ramadan may be related to physical changes in fasting, but more family time, meditation, prayer, and extra gratitude often seen during religious periods. It’s also related to my feelings, “Shah said.
..
