What is a Fast?
A fast is an eating plan that switches between eating and not eating on a disciplined schedule. Intermittent fasting is this generation’s current craze, with one fasting period lasting from 12 to 18 hours. In some fasts, a person can have water, tea, coffee, or even tiny amounts of food in one fasting interval.
Fasting has been practiced for centuries, especially in numerous religions like Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam. Hippocrates, a Greek philosopher, believed that fasting helps the body heal itself.
With an archaic belief such as fasting lasting through the modern age, scientists concluded that fasting has multiple benefits for us.
Why Do We Fast?
Aside from religious teachings, the most apparent reason for fasting is unsurprising, weight loss. Research suggests that fasting has several benefits - it aids in regulating cholesterol levels, blood pressure, blood sugar, and sensitivity. Multiple improvements in other health issues are also observed when people fast.
Fasting Versus Dieting
Dieting involves changing the quality of the food we put in our bodies. Fasting, on the other hand, is simply not eating or drastically cutting back on the food we consume within a set amount of time.
Fasting and Hunger
Of course, when practicing fasting, a person will indeed feel hunger and the urge to satiate it. However, the longer a person follows through with fasting, the better they perform even when faced with hunger.
Fasting, while looking at it on the surface, has many benefits. However, like any other machine, the body also needs fuel and nourishment. If a person suffers from health conditions, it is advised that they should not fast. Children and teens should also be instructed not to practice fasting.
Time-Restricted Eating
Setting a schedule for fasting is one of its most important steps. Some people choose the 18/6 divide, where they will not be consuming anything within 18 hours and are only allowed to eat within the 6-hour time frame, while others choose the easier 16/8.
Fasting and Diabetes
Some studies suggest that fasting may also be beneficial to people suffering from diabetes because it helps control blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and it also aids in weight loss.
Breaking the fast with CBD.
During fasting, there are specific periods when a person is allowed to eat what they usually eat; this is called the “eating window.” Along with coffee, tea, and water, CBD is a new addition to things consumed on a person’s eating window.
Fasting is not an exact science and the things that constitute a fast need to be clearly defined. Some people who practice it may be too strict on themselves and enforce a personal rule of having no calorie consumption during their fasting period. Others may be a little more lenient and allow themselves a 50-calorie limit. CBD will not break fast, but oils that carry it may contain calories. Similarly, gummies and capsules also have calorie content. It is up to the person to decide if their CBD consumption would break their fast rules.
Scientifically, CBD may be allowed during fasting periods, provided that they are taken in tiny amounts. It interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, and it is a very helpful supplement while doing intermittent fasting. Taking CBD while fasting also helps curb the sensation of hunger and cravings. It would be highly beneficial for fasting people to push through outside their eating windows.
With CBD’s relaxing and stabilizing properties, it is instrumental for a person to balance their appetite and comfort during a fast and consequently would result in positive fast results.
Furthermore, CBD also contains healing properties can further healthy digestion. During a person's eating window, they will fancy the consumption of food with little to no irritation during the digestive process. According to research, CBD can alleviate inflammation and may be beneficial in treating conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS).
CBD Consumption Tips While Fasting.
There are some ways to integrate CBD while also practicing fasting:
- Consume products with calorie content during your eating window. - it is a no-brainer for a person that wants to avoid any negative thoughts that they are breaking their fast to do this. CBD products, such as CBD gummies, have added sugar and a higher calorie content, and they can better be enjoyed when consumed during a person's eating window.
- Try sublingual CBD oils - Taking a few drops of CBD Oil beneath the tongue during the fasting period is unlikely to break a fast. Sublingual consumption brings effective results quickly since there are numerous blood vessels under the tongue.
- Use CBD topically - CBD can also be used topically. The benefits are more specific, and this method won't break your fast. For instance, try CBD bath bombs for relaxation, topical CBD muscle balms or CBD moisturizers.
Final Thoughts.
Different cultures around the world use fasting for religious and health purposes. Intermittent fasting is among the most popular ways for health buffs to gain huge health benefits without forcing themselves with physical activities but instead just cutting their calorie consumption in a specific amount of time.
Discipline is needed for a person to be successful in fasting and any other endeavor. For some people, this concept is complementary to their lifestyle; for others, it might be a 180. With the aid of CBD, a person's fasting journey may easily be traversed by utilizing its multiple health benefits. Ultimately, it's all about finding an equilibrium between keeping yourself healthy and ensuring that you get the most benefits out of your fasting method.
A person should still remember that fasting has different effects on people. Before even considering fasting, they should consult their physician and construct a fasting plan that will suit them.
Sources:
Fasting: What You Should Know
Intermittent Fasting: What is it, and how does it work?
Taking CBD to Maximize your Intermittent Fasting Results
CBD Oil And Intermittent Fasting: Will It Break My Fast?
