Thank you to Dr Eric Berg DC for letting us share this video.
Can Fasting Help Improve Your Eyesight?
When we think of fasting, we often think of weight loss or religious practices. But did you know that fasting can actually help improve your eyesight? While many people are unaware of the benefits of fasting for eyesight, research has shown that abstaining from food and drink can have a positive effect on vision health.
Let’s take a look at the best 8 benefits of fasting for better eyesight.
1. Increased Antioxidant Levels in the Body:
Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of vision problems, such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Fasting has been found to increase antioxidant levels in the body, which helps combat oxidative stress and protect your eyes from damage.
2. Reduced Inflammation:
Inflammation is one of the leading causes of vision problems, such as glaucoma and dry eye syndrome. Fasting has been found to reduce inflammation in the body and help protect against these conditions.
3. Improved Blood Circulation:
Poor blood circulation can lead to vision problems, such as blurred vision or difficulty seeing in low light conditions. Fasting can help improve blood circulation and ensure that your eyes get enough oxygen and nutrients for optimal performance.
4. Strengthened Eye Muscles:
Fasting has been found to strengthen eye muscles, which helps with focusing and tracking movement more easily. This makes it easier to read small text or follow objects moving quickly across the field of view.
5. Increased Melatonin Levels:
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps regulate sleep patterns and may have anti-aging properties when it comes to vision health. Fasting has been found to increase melatonin levels in the body, which helps protect against age-related vision decline and improves overall eye health.
6. Improved Metabolism:
Our metabolism plays an important role in how our bodies process nutrients from food, which affects our overall health, including our eyesight. Studies have shown that fasting can help improve metabolism by reducing inflammation throughout the body, which leads to better nutrient absorption for improved vision health.
7. Enhanced Detoxification Processes:
Toxins in our environment can build up over time, leading to chronic illnesses, including those impacting our vision health. Fasting enhances detoxification processes within our bodies, helping us rid ourselves of toxins that could potentially cause harm.
8. Reduced Visual Fatigue:
Visual fatigue occurs when our eyes become strained from too much screen time or not enough rest, resulting in blurred or double vision, headaches, neck pain, redness, or even watery eyes. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting can reduce visual fatigue symptoms by giving our bodies a break from long periods without food or rest.
Fasting For Better Eyesight FAQ’s
How do you fast properly?
Fasting done properly can be a powerful way to cleanse the system and jump start your physical health journey. But it does come with some important considerations that need to be taken into account before beginning any kind of fast.
To fast properly, there are a few key steps that you should follow:
- Start Slow – Keep fasting periods short.
- Hydrate – Staying hydrated during a fast is essential and can help reduce any side effects from hunger such as headaches or fatigue.
- Go for walks or meditate – light exercise such as short walks or light jogs are encouraged while maintaining adequate hydration levels.
- Stop fasting if you feel unwell – It’s always important not only to listen to our own bodies but also healthcare professionals regarding any type of new practice,including intermittent fasting.
- Add in Healthy Fats and Protein – If you’re trying for longer fasts (say 48+ hours), adding healthy fats and proteins along with calorie free liquids throughout the fast helps give your body extra fuel and nutrients so that it doesn’t start breaking down muscle mass for energy (which happens after about 48 hours).
- Get Enough Sleep – Making sure you get enough rest while intermittent fasting is super important.
- Eat nutritiously after breaking your fast – Eating nutrient dense foods following a prolonged fast helps replenish lost nutrients while avoiding overeating which could offset any benefits derived from abstaining from food intake altogether in earlier phases.
What happens to your body when you fast for 16 hours?
When you fast for 16 hours, your body can go through a variety of changes. The most noticeable thing is that it will start to use fat for energy, and fatty acids called ketones, will be realeased into the bloodstream. This protects memory and learning functionality.
On top of this, there are numerous health benefits associated with fasting such as improved mental clarity and focus, better sleep quality and an increase in longevity. Your metabolism also kicks into high gear during long fasts because it has more time to rest and repair itself when not digesting food constantly.
What happens if you drink water while fasting?
Drinking water during a fast is absolutely allowed in almost all forms of fasting. It’s important to stay hydrated, especially if you’re going more than 16 hours without food. That said, it’s best to avoid drinking large amounts of water while actively fasting because this can interfere with the fat-burning benefits of not eating.
When our bodies enter a state of fasting they are still receiving energy from other sources such as stored glycogen and body fat stores. Drinking too much water can dilute our electrolytes and flush out essential minerals that help support natural fat burning processes, like sodium, potassium and magnesium.
To prevent this from happening experts generally advise only drinking when thirsty rather than chugging down several liters throughout the day – this way we can reap the maximum metabolic benefits without putting ourselves at risk for dehydration or mineral imbalance.
What is the best meal to eat after fasting?
After a fast, it’s important to break your fast with something nourishing, light, and delicious. You want a meal that will give your body the protein,nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to recover. A great meal choice is a soup made from cooked grains and peeled vegetables like carrots, celery, onions – anything you’d like to add. Soup provides hydration and electrolytes for replenishment after the long period of no food.
The veggies provide some fiber, adding proteins like chickpeas or lentils will give you an even more complete post-fasting meal. To amp up the flavor without added fat or salt try adding herbs and spices such as cilantro, turmeric or garlic. And if you’re still feeling hungry after your soup, go ahead and have a piece of fruit for dessert.
What does fasting do to the brain?
When it comes to fasting and its effects on the brain, there are many fascinating ways in which this practice can benefit our minds. The most obvious way is the positive impact that fasting has on cognitive performance. Slows neurodegeneration, and reduces brain damage and enhances functional recovery after stroke.
Studies have shown that when people abstain from food for a period of time, they demonstrate improved recall, better concentration and focus, increased creativity and problem-solving skills, and even enhanced mood states.
What is the healthiest intermittent fasting?
While intermittent fasting (IF) may have many health benefits, the “healthiest” method for IF is debatable and ultimately depends on an individual’s lifestyle, nutrition needs, and personal preference.
One of the most popular forms of IF is 16/8 fasting. This involves eating all your meals within an 8-hour window, followed by a 16-hour fast. For example, you could eat between 12pm – 8pm with no food outside those hours.
Additionally, some people practice alternate day fasting where they fast every other day or every two days – this can also be done in different ways depending on how much of a calorie deficit you are trying to reach.
Ultimately what’s important when considering utilizing IF as part of your routine is to make sure that it fits your healthy lifestyle and isn’t something that causes more stress or anxiety than it helps reduce. You should always consult with a medical professional before beginning any type of dieting protocol such as IF to ensure optimal health outcomes.
How often should you be fasting?
How often you should be fasting depends entirely on your lifestyle and goals. On one hand, there are those who fast to lose weight and control their appetite. In these cases, short-term fasts of 16-24 hour duration are recommended every few days or once a week for significant weight loss benefits.
On the other hand, if your goal is to improve overall health and wellness through increased energy levels and better mental clarity, longer fasts may be in order. From ancient origins dating back centuries ago to modern day studies in the science of longevity, multiple days of fasting have been associated with various healing benefits such as reduced inflammation and improved metabolic functioning.
Some people recommend occasional 3-5 day water fasts for this purpose but shorter intermittent fasting periods may have similar effects without the extra burden on your body during prolonged bouts without food.
Final Thoughts
Fasting offers numerous benefits for improving eyesight, ranging from increased antioxidant levels in the body to reduced inflammation and improved metabolism. While there are several types of fasting available – including intermittent fasting, water fasts, juice fasts, etc. It’s important to be mindful when implementing them into your lifestyle, so as not to harm yourself while attempting to gain positive results.
Additionally, certain individuals should avoid fasting altogether due to certain medical conditions or medications they may be taking. If you’re interested in trying out fasting for better eyesight, always consult with a healthcare professional first!
Thank you for reading and good luck with your fasting!
