Fasting - A Superior Treatment Methodology

Literal meaning of Fasting or Upwas is being near to the supreme power. However, to understand what fasting (Upwas) is and how it actually benefits us - is described in brief and in easy words under following subtitles.

How do we receive energy?
Every process and action in our body requires energy. To gain energy we are dependent upon the food we eat. The food is digested and energy is released but to digest the food we have to expend previously gained energy; just like we have to spend some money out of our reserve fund to earn more money.

If we had been eating more than it was required by our body then the digested extra food is stored in the form of fat or glycogen in our body. The body uses up this reserved fat to release energy when in lack of food.

However, overeating leads to deposition of extra fat leading to obesity. Obesity affects the ability of various organs to function properly and brings on many diseases.

What is fasting?
Digestion of food requires a lot of energy; therefore forgoing food will save this energy which then shall be used up in repairing faults of our body.

Directing the energy saved from digestion process towards the internal cleaning and repairing our body is known as fasting. Somewhat similar situation is – when a person responsible for providing fresh food to family stops cooking and uses that time and energy in cleaning and repairing of the household then the family members will become dependent upon readymade food items.

While fasting one has to skip food and the body has to rely upon water and air. Under this situation body starts using up reserved fat to release energy. Eight to ten hours after beginning of the fast as the body starts breaking up reserved fat to release energy hunger pangs vanish. But yes, fasting therapy cannot be started or stopped all of a sudden. There is a defined process to begin and end the fast. Fasting therapy should be followed under the guidance of an experienced and skilled naturopath to gain complete benefit.

Fasting therapy is best learned from animals. Their life is not affected by the complications of a civilized society and they live according to the rules of the nature. Therefore, from the moment they don’t feel well they stop eating and the healing process begins automatically inside their bodies.

What are the benefits of fasting?
The most important benefit is that fasting therapy is helpful in treatment of almost all types of diseases and the body is able to detoxify itself along will getting rid of the disease. Fasting helps in losing unwanted fat and provides rest to all body organs especially to the organs involved in digestion; all organs, in the process, revitalize themselves. For this reason, fasting is known as a superior treatment methodology.

There is an extensive difference between fasting and starvation. Where fast ends starvation begins; a seasoned naturopath can understand the condition and helps in ending the fast through following a proper process.

Imagine a situation when income from all sources is stopped and it becomes impossible to sustain life, in such a situation a person will be forced sell some of his household things and certainly the least important items will be sold first. Similarly, when a person follows fasting therapy then unwanted stored fat is used up first. Fasting also involves drinking water at regular intervals therefore frequency of urinating also goes up, the process cleanses blood. Blood circulates in the body and collects toxins, kidney sieves out the waste and lets it out with urine. The process continues and the body is freed of toxins to become healthy and rejuvenated again. When fat deposits are used up then the body breaks down muscles to release required energy. Most often, Upwas or fast should end at this point along with the deep removal of most diseases.

Use of fasting therapy in cancer
Digestion of protein leads to formation of muscles in body. In other words protein is the basic construction material of the muscles and it is not possible to form muscles in absence of proteins. This is the reason a growing child as well as a body builder requires more protein whereas a fully grown adult needs lesser protein to repair the body.

This cannot be disputed that body muscles are formed only with the help of digested proteins and intake of less proteins than required results in loss of muscular body parts; because body then uses up muscles to fulfil its requirement of proteins.

On the other hand intake of protein more than it is needed by the body adds extra muscles in the body parts; protein intake beyond this prompts body to store unwanted protein in tissues and between cells. This condition is of protein poisoning, acid levels in the body also increase in this condition.

It is important to note that cancer involves formation of extra tissues in a muscular part of the body, which is also called tumour. Logically we should understand that muscles or tissues were formed only when there was deposition of extra protein in the body.

The first requirement to control and improve this situation is to reduce the protein levels in the body; overcoming cancer will also be possible after this. Fast therapy is nothing less than a blessing to cure cancer patients.

During the process of treating cancer it is important to follow fast therapy even after the reserved store of fat is exhausted. The therapy should continue until protein deposits in tissues and between cells is drained, following which superfluous tissues in muscular body parts or tumour is also broken down to be used up to release energy.

As a result, such patients would lose a lot of weight but this should not cause worry. After successful treatment of cancer and other grave diseases, patients have enough methods under naturopathy to help them regain healthy weight. It is mandatory to undergo enema during fast therapy.