Fasting - it does a body good.

[eoe]

Click me for the full text (http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/3/16)



Background
No study to date has focused on the impact of Greek Orthodox Christian fasting on serum lipoproteins and obesity yet.
Methods
120 Greek adults were followed longitudinally for one year. Sixty fasted regularly in all fasting periods (fasters) and 60 did not fast at all (controls). The three major fasting periods under study were: Christmas (40 days), Lent (48 days) and Assumption (August, 15 days). A total of 6 measurements were made during one year including pre- and end-fasting blood collection, serum lipoprotein analyses and anthropometric measurements.
Results
Statistically significant end-fasting total and LDL cholesterol differences were found in fasters. Fasters compared to controls presented 12.5% lower end-total cholesterol (p < 0.001), 15.9% lower end-LDL cholesterol (p < 0.001) and 1.5% lower end-BMI (p < 0.001). The end- LDL/HDL ratio was lower in fasters (6.5%, p < 0.05) while the change in end- HDL cholesterol in fasters (4.6% decline) was not significant. Similar results were found when the pre- and end-fasting values of fasters were compared. No change was found in control subjects.

[prodromos]

Fasting without prayer is dieting.

I'm not generally in favour of these studies because they tend towards a secular view of fasting and ignore the spiritual, which is the real purpose of fasting.

Sorry for being a wet blanket :P

John

[eoe]

It is ok. For those of us that live on the *top* side of the planet we can appreciate the good news of lower cholesterol!^_^


(Still can't figure out how you guys don't fall off.....)

[Akathist]

Good point about the need to remember the spiritual side of fasting.

Yet, I think it is good for us to realize that our faith is also physical * and that the Church, being our spiritual hospital does give prescriptions that are good for our bodies as well as our souls.

*meaning that we do not seperate the natural from the spiritual. As in this: My Priest told me that it is my responsiblity to care for my physical health. That doing so is part of working on my spiritual health.

(Still can't figure out how you guys don't fall off.....) It helps that so many of us are overweight (self included. But moon boots also come in handy at times)

[Torah613]

Very good point on the spiritual side of fasting.

As an aside, a vegan diet (Which is essentially a fasting diet) contains 0 cholesterol. I've never been healthier than when I'm totally vegan to tell you the truth. My arthritis is better, my bloodsugar normalizes, heck even my allergies are better. Not that I'm trying to convince anyone to give up a meat eating lifestyle, it was an excellent choice for me.

But again, that is my diet, not my fast.

Joe Zollars