Fasting to Heal Autoimmune Disease
In addition, fasting is a practice rooted in evolutionary biology, since throughout evolutionary history, human bodies have adapted to periods of feast and famine. Matron and colleagues articulate this with, “Because animals, including humans, evolved in environments where food was relatively scarce, they developed numerous adaptations that enabled them to function at a high level, both physically and cognitively, when in a food-deprived/fasted state” (2).
In contrast, contemporary human populations fall victim to the erroneous socioculturally constructed notion that three square meals a day begets health. However, ad libitum eating patterns and food overconsumption predictably lead to metabolic derangements such as insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and endothelial dysfunction, especially when coupled to a sedentary lifestyle (2). These metabolic morbidities are the precursor to many of the long latency, degenerative diseases of modern society, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
Fasting: A Long-Neglected Facet of the Human Condition
For millennia, fasting has been one of the anchoring rituals in a variety of spiritual denominations. For example, all the major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism espouse religious doctrines that prescribe fasting on designated calendar days (1)In addition, fasting is a practice rooted in evolutionary biology, since throughout evolutionary history, human bodies have adapted to periods of feast and famine. Matron and colleagues articulate this with, “Because animals, including humans, evolved in environments where food was relatively scarce, they developed numerous adaptations that enabled them to function at a high level, both physically and cognitively, when in a food-deprived/fasted state” (2).
In contrast, contemporary human populations fall victim to the erroneous socioculturally constructed notion that three square meals a day begets health. However, ad libitum eating patterns and food overconsumption predictably lead to metabolic derangements such as insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and endothelial dysfunction, especially when coupled to a sedentary lifestyle (2). These metabolic morbidities are the precursor to many of the long latency, degenerative diseases of modern society, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
No comments:
Post a Comment