Fasting can actually improve your health

Fasting can actually improve your health

By Tri Hafiningsih

JAKARTA (JP): Fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan can
improve your overall health, new research shows.

The research, which was presented early this week, showed that
an average of 12 percent reduction of caloric intake during the
month's fasting period can reduce the production of free radicals
and at the same time improve the anti-oxidant level in the body.

Free radical(s) is a popular term for an atom or group of
atoms with a single unpaired electron -- capable of damaging,
even killing human cells. It is formed during the body's normal
metabolism, as well as from radiation and pollution.

Anti-oxidant agents in the body, on the other hand, functions
as protection against free radical attacks. The inability to
produce enough anti-oxidant decreases the ability to fight
against infections or illnesses.

An internist and consultant for geriatrics, Siti Setiati, with
several of her colleagues at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital
in Central Jakarta concluded in their research that fasting
correlates with a significant improvement in health.

Siti based the research on earlier findings that 30 to 50
percent restriction of caloric intake of some tested animals
resulted in longer life. The same research conducted in 1998
showed food restriction also resulted in significant improvement
of anti-oxidant level, as well as decrease the production of free
radicals in the animals. The caloric reduction in white mice
improved their average life expectancy to 33 months compare to
the normal average expectancy of 23 months. The highest life
expectancy rate recorded for the species was 47 months.

Food restriction can also reduce the chances of being
afflicted by cancer, cataract, kidney failure, diabetes, or
hypertension. Similar experiments were conducted on protozoa,
fish, insects, and spiders. Experiments on monkeys is currently
in progress.

"We conducted our research out of curiosity whether such
findings applied to human beings," she told reporters.

However, Siti said caloric restriction could not be tested on
human beings.

"We can't tell people to reduce their normal diet by 30 or 50
percent. It's not ethical," she said.

Then, the team of researchers turned to the fasting ritual to
find respondents with caloric restriction requirements. The
restriction averaged only 12 percent to 15 percent, much less
than the 30 percent to 50 percent requirements resulting in
higher life expectancy in the tested animals. "At least we have
somewhere to start," Siti said.

During the fasting month of Ramadhan, Muslims have to abstain
from food and drink from dawn to sunset.

Siti said during the fasting period, people have different
diets compared to normal food consumption outside Ramadhan.

Earlier research shows that while fasting, a person has an
average of 12 percent to 15 percent reduction of caloric intake
compared to that of their normal diet.

For the latest research, the observations were recorded four
times: the seventh day before Ramadhan, after the first week and
the 17th day of the month, and at the second week after the
fasting month.

The results show that the production of free radicals
decreases significantly during the fasting period and they
increase again after the fasting month -- but still on lower
levels compared to that before fasting.

Similar observations on 42 elderly patients show that during
the fasting period their kidney function was better.

"There were no disturbances related to kidney functions of the
respondents, as long as the body has enough liquids," Siti said.

Other observations on fasting respondents showed similar
improvement in various indicators, such as total cholesterol
level, blood sugar responses of diabetics, and ability to prevent
disturbances in the blood's thrombosis that can lead to arterial
or venal coagulations, coronary diseases, and stroke.

Siti and her fellow doctors concluded that fasting could
improve health. "I really believe that," Siti said.

But can it grant you a longer life? "Nobody knows. But with
good health, you'd probably have a more useful and fruitful
life."