Fasting Across Cultures
Ancient cultures have practiced fasting and intermittent fasting for thousands of years. They did it for health, and for spiritual reasons.
Many Hindus, for example, are used to fasting for a full day every week. During the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims are supposed to fast every day, from dawn to sunset. Fasting is also practiced by Jews during Yom Kippur. Research shows that even the bible has dozens of references about fasting. There is the famous story about Jesus Christ fasting for 40 days, and additional verses that show how important fasting was for Christians and Jews. (Matthew 9:14-17) (Luke 18:11-12) (Samuel 12:15-17)
The study and practice of Ayurveda, an ancient medicinal system with roots in Indian traditions, teaches in great detail why it is important to eat according to the cycles of the day. Ayurveda, which translates to “the science of life”, teaches that the power of our “agni” (translating to “digestive fire”), correlates to the position of the sun in the sky. This means that our digestion is strongest in the middle of the day, when the sun is high in the sky. In contrast, it is at its weakest in the early hours of the morning, and late hours of the night, when the sun is low in the horizon, or perhaps invisible to the eye.
You can test these theories on your own. Just notice how you feel different when you have a heavy meal late at night, versus having the same meal earlier in the evening. Late night dinners are more likely to cause indigestion and discomfort. On the other hand, earlier meals can start digesting before we fall asleep, allowing us to have a more restful night, more energy in the morning, and better mood throughout the next day.
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