Most religions recommend going without food for a certain period of time, which actually works in favor of health as well.
Most religions recommend going without food for a certain period of time, which actually works in favor of health as well.
Most of the world’s population fasts in April. Christians and Muslims, adherents of the largest and second largest religions, observe prolonged fasts during the religious penance periods of Lent and Ramadan, respectively. It is also a time of repentance, renunciation and spiritual discipline.
During holy times, most people give up eating their favorite foods or abstain from indulgences other than sex, alcohol, and smoking – “popular sins”. This period ranges from one month to 40 days.
Non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and cancer are all lifestyle disorders and the primary mode of treatment prescribed is lifestyle management. It is a science that “works to incorporate healthy lifestyle-based habits into the daily routine of a person”.
lifestyle management
Eating healthy, maintaining moderation in diet, abstaining from habit-forming behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption, regular physical activity and stress management are various components of lifestyle management.
Hindus have various fasting practices throughout the year, popularly known as Vrat, Viradham or Upvaas, depending on the lunar calendar. The degree of fasting can vary – from skipping meals on a day to eating only once a day, or for specified days, usually 48 days (mandalam period for Sabarimala pilgrims).
Sometimes, fasting depends on a vegetarian diet similar to the Mediterranean diet during certain months such as the Tamil month of Purattasi.
Selective avoidance of salt over a few days (a salt-free diet) is a commonly observed practice. Salt is essential for life, but is injurious to health in excess.
Sikhism also has various periods of fasting, and langars, or community kitchens, in gurdwaras serve simple and healthy vegetarian food, although Sikhs are not prohibited from eating non-vegetarian food. Many other religions have their own fasting rules adapted to their region, customs and beliefs.
cleaning effect
There is ample scientific evidence to prove that the simple act of fasting improves metabolism, lowers blood sugar and blood pressure levels and cleanses the body of toxins that would otherwise cause intractable and irreversible inflammation at the cellular level. can become.
The next important aspect of lifestyle management is to incorporate physical activity.
Religious practices often lead to physical activity that becomes apparent when we closely follow rituals and practices of worship – for example, parikrama, an integral practice of worship in religions such as Buddhism.
Places of worship such as large temples and churches with their spacious courtyard provide ample opportunities and space to walk and also provide a conducive environment for socialization and promotion of arts and culture.
The daily prayer of Muslims by offering prayers, kneeling and prostrate, or the practice of Namaskar by Hindus contributes to physical activity and ensures flexibility of the joints. Similarly, Hindu practices such as Thoppukarnam or the practice of performing multiple counts of squats with arms bent to reach the ears are the oldest known version of the high-intensity intermittent training technique and a sure-shot method for weight loss.
Therefore, these lifestyle habits that promote good health in the name of religion came into being long before evidence-based medicine was known and followed.
We physicians do not shy away from boasting that medicine is our religion, but it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a healthy dose of medicine in religion as well.
Whatever religion we follow, the essence of any religion is to make man healthy. Health is defined as a state of complete physical and mental well-being, leading to the promotion of tolerance, love, and peaceful coexistence.
It is unfortunate that religion divides humanity and spreads hatred contrary to its intention.
The true essence of religion is lost over time, leaving behind empty rituals.
(Author Dean, Government Omandurar Medical<क्यूआर> College, Chennai)
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