Some religions apply fasting as worship under different conditions, but the point is not to eat and drink up to several hours a day. Modern lifestyles also apply fasting as a way to diet. Muslims adhere to fasting for 30 days from dawn to evening each year in the month of Ramadan. Here are the benefits of fasting in Ramadan that you need to know.

Ramadan popup market in Kauman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Long Term Training Results

Fasting in Islam is the result of practice since we were little children. This is different from those who suddenly fasted for a diet. In our childhood we learned to fast as hard as we could. When we were in elementary school, we practiced to fast for half a day. The cycle continues every year so that the body adjusts itself. That is why pregnant women can also fast with the permission of a doctor. Meanwhile, fasting because extreme diets are very dangerous for the body and can lead to death.

The Body Can Adjust

Actually the body has an extraordinary way of adapting, as long as it is done with long-term training. It would be dangerous if the body was suddenly forced to fast. When we are fasting, our body stops getting food as the source of our energy. Our body will take sugars and starches in our body to start gluconeogenesis process and produce the energy. In this stage, our liver converts non-carbohydrate materials like lactate, amino acids, and fats into glucose. Glucose is the primary source of energy for the body. It makes us drained but the process result will return our energy. Usually on the third day, our body will get the balance.

Repairing the System in the Body

Some medical journals write that fasting improves cardiovascular health and blood pressure, especially those susceptible to diabetes. Fasting is also reported to fight inflammation that has an effect on heart disease, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Research notes that fasting improves the function of animal brains. Although the study has not been carried out in humans, it has raised hopes for Alzhaimer and Parkinson's sufferers.

Also read: Ruwahan, A Javanese Tradition In Welcoming Ramadan

Improve The Appearance

If you do not carry out excessive celebrations when breaking the fast, fasting will automatically detoxify the body and reduce weight due to reduced calorie intake. A better blood composition and increased cell regeneration also nourishes the skin and keeps people young. Research reports that fasting can increase HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which plays an important role in growth, metabolism, weight loss and muscle strength.

Improve Mental Health

Trained fasting from childhood also trains patience. People who do not easily panic or emotion will be maintained mental health. Fasting also trains us to have a strong determination to complete what has been intended.

However, Islam is a religion that does not want to complicate its followers. There are a number of conditions that are allowed not to fast, namely:

1. Old people
2. People who are seriously ill
3. People who are traveling far away
4. Pregnant women

Therefore, always consult with a doctor if you doubt with your body condition.

Sources:
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/stages-of-fasting-what-happens-when-you-fast/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fasting-benefits#section5
https://doktersehat.com/manfaat-puasa-untuk-kesehatan/