Many people take a break during the Holy Week in order to do something for their faith or for themselves. For some, they do some fasting to refresh their souls and spirits in order to get closer to God. If you are new to abstinence, here are some fasting tips for you in order to do it the healthy way.

• Read: Tips to Achieving a Healthy Body and Mind

Fasting Tips for the Holy Week

The Holy Week is a great opportunity for us to take some time off from our fast-paced lives and focus on ourselves. The time can be utilized to do some things that can promote our overall health and wellness, which covers both the spiritual and physical aspects. There’s prayer, meditation, or even going on a retreat to a secluded place to relish stillness with God.

Then there’s fasting.

Fasting can be abstinence from eating meat, indulgence, vices, use of gadgets and social media, or anything that you want to personally commit to doing. Some even intend to abstain from posting about politics and be quiet for a whole week.

• Read: Is Social Media Bad for Your Mental Health?

But the most famous form of fasting is abstinence from solid food. There are several forms of doing a fast, like having a soup fast or merely just subsisting with water.

For newbies who want to try fasting, here are some easy fasting tips for you.

Prayer and Meditation

One thing that fasting is not is dieting. That is why fasting is usually coupled with prayer and meditation. It is said that when we fast or abstain from feeding with food and other “worldly” things, we can maximize feeding our spirits more with the presence of God.

Doing a Detox

Albeit its spiritual aspect, fasting also has its physical benefits. In order to fully maximize the effects of fasting, you can incorporate a body cleanse or detox regimen.

Cleansing is about controlling the intake of food and drinks in order to take care of our bodies. That is why fasting from certain foods or drinks is said to be good for our health.

Body cleansing or a body detox involves decreasing our intake of things that are generally not good for our health. These food items are usually rich in fats, sugars, and sodium. You can do this kind of fast for a set period of time, such as the entire Holy Week.

But you have to make sure to replace these unhealthy food items with more fruits and vegetables to cleanse the body of toxins. You should also drink more water in order to flush out toxins more efficiently. Since you don’t have work, try to get more sleep and even do some light exercises.

Doing it Gradually

Dr. Sonny Viloria, an Integrative Medical Specialist from Biovitale Holistic Center, suggests that the best way to fast is to gradually reduce our food intake. Here is the schedule he suggests for the different dates.

• Day 1 to 3: Drink only liquids, soup, or some nuts.
• Day 4 to 6: Gradually increase your food intake.
• On the 7^th day, you can start consuming the same amount of food that we usually eat.

In doing this, Dr. Viloria says that we are allowing our bodily systems to adjust to our new eating habits. Moreover, it is important to remember that cleansing is not full abstinence of food and drink. You can still have fish, vegetables, and a little amount of rice, just don’t overeat or starve yourself.

Who Can Do the Fast?

Not everyone can be advised to do a food fast, even for cleansing. Health complications like severe diabetes or cancer are exceptions. Most senior citizens also cannot tolerate fasting. Instead of helping, fasting might actually be dangerous for them.

A person should be physically active and healthy since you can feel weak because of the lack of energy from the usual things that you eat.

The timing of the cleanse can also vary depending on your diet. If you eat a lot of meats and processed foods, it is advisable to do a cleanse every 3 months. However, if you are a vegan or vegetarian, the body cleanse can be done every 6 months.

You can start this Holy Week and may these fasting tips help you proceed in a safe and healthy way.

Monitor Your Vital Stats

Get your blood work done regularly so that you will have a record of your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar level while doing your cleansing. This can help show you how much your cleanse has made you healthier.

Obvious Effects of Fasting

Many people who do a cleanse or detox regularly say that they experience less bloating as well as improvement in sleep patterns and skin appearance. They also feel generally healthier.

All these positive effects happen because in cleansing the body, we remove the accumulated toxins that we get from unhealthy and processed food. We also make it easier for our bodies to fight bacteria and viruses.

Food Supplements

There are food supplements that can help you reap the full benefits of your fast. One of the things that you can take is Organique Acai Premium Blend. It is a powerful mix of antioxidants and vitamins that can help strengthen your body. Plus, it helps in the better absorption of vitamins and minerals from a healthy diet.

While on a fast, Organique Acai Premium Blend also helps give energy and sustains the health of vulnerable patients, such as senior citizens or those with heart problems.

It is safe, even for those taking prescription medicines. Only one shot of Organique Acai Premium Blend before breakfast is needed to start the day!

To know more about Organique Açaí Premium Blend, visit organique.com.ph or call hotline, 0969-1754233. It is available in all Mercury drugstores, S&R outlets and other major drugstores and supermarkets near you.

• Read: Best Way to Take Food Supplements