Beware of health misinformation!

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Remember the good old days when most of the time only confirmed and reliable health information used to reach you. Your source of this information was through academic journals, books, newspapers, brochures, booklets, pamphlets, or your doctor's and health organizations.  But the growing social media platforms has created hurdles in the reach of genuine information to the masses. Instead what reaches them is health misinformation through social media posts created by people who have no knowledge about health. These are quacks operating. And social media helps spread this misinformation like fire. This is dangerous. It is playing with the lives of people.  Read here: Politicians vs doctors: believe whom? Most of this information is false and not accurate. It can be misleading. Sadly, even governments assist in spread of this misinformation. Most politicians these days are illiterate and shameless who boast about past and have no vision for the present or the future. Moreover, s...
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Water fasting: What it is and reasons for fasting!

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 Fasting is voluntary refraining from eating and/or drinking. It is the state acquired after overnight not eating or after a meal is completely digested and absorbed. Usually after 8-12 hours of a meal, this state is reached. 

Reasons for fasting:

1. Medical reasons: Prior to a procedure, surgery, or GA. Prior to some blood or imaging diagnostic tests also fasting is preferred. 

2. Religious reasons

3. Weight loss. 

4. As a form of political and such protests. It is called hunger strike or fasting undo death. 

The claims that it cleanses the body of toxins in unscientific and lacks evidence. It is quackery. There are no health benefits of fasting. 

Fasting ( Source: Harvard Health)


Types of fasting

1. Fasting can be for particular food items

2. It can be short duration, prolonged or intermittent

3. Water fasting-Except water, everything else is withheld. 

Water fasting

It is not eating food but in fluids only taking water. Those who believe in it do it for spiritual, religious reasons or to lose weight. They feel it aids in their health and mitigation of health issues. 

Though the duration varies, health experts warn against such fasting for more than 3 days. But the young generation is swept by pseudo fads such as water fasting, intermittent fasting, meditation, and such unscientific and unproven ways of happiness and weight loss. 

Ideally for weight loss, people should take healthy less-carbohydrate, less-fat, less sugary foods and exercise more. 

Fasting could be detrimental if prolonged, in elderly, and those with health issues. Better would be a low-calorie diet or intermittent fasting. The latter includes 5:2 fasting in which normal calories are consumed for 5 days a week and for 2 days only a quarter of the calories are eaten. But not much proper studies are available in this direction. 


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