A temple-promoting fast
Are Mormons more blessed than people of other faiths?
It would appear that in terms of their heart health, the answer is yes. They have a whole lot less heart disease than anyone else, a blessing that's being attributed to their lifestyle.
Beyond their religious tenet of not smoking, they also fast one day every month. Researchers, unable to solely attribute the non-smoking habits to those healthier hearts, were interested in looking into a little deeper.
A recent study done in Utah discovered a connection. For those folks who followed the practice of skipping one day's worth of meals per month had a 40 percent lower chance of being diagnosed with atherosclerosis than those who didn't follow the practice.
Taking a look at the medical records of patients who had an X-ray taken between an eight-year period found only 61 percent of Mormons had heart disease. This beat the average for non-Mormons, which showed that 66 percent of them had been diagnosed with it.
That's when researchers pulled together a survey to see what particular habit underlies this healthier statistic. Surveying 515 people, it was the fasting to which they were able to attribute the reduced risk. The difference was 59 percent lower heart disease diagnosis for the fasting adherents compared to 67 percent for non-adherents.
But you don't have to convert to Mormonism to reap the same benefit. First of all, not everyone in the survey was of the Mormon faith. Regardless of faith, researchers found that anyone who practiced a monthly fast benefited from this restorative, cleansing ritual.
Before you consider fasting, have a talk with your doctor. There are some medical conditions that can preclude your participation. Also, realize that anytime your body is forced into starvation mode—even for a short time—can slow down your metabolism. This can actually cause a temporary disruption in your normal detoxification systems, which require nutrients from food to do their work. Note also that the period of time we're talking about here is just one day, no more than 36 hours maximum (which would equate to two nights and a day when you add up all the hours).
If you do fast, I recommend you make your fasting day a day of rest. Clear your calendar. Relax, take it easy, be good to yourself. You could treat yourself to a massage, attend to your spiritual needs, or catch up with friends—it's a great time to write letters (or e-letters). And make sure you get enough fluid in the form of filtered water or non-caffeinated herbal teas. But remember, a day of fasting takes planning. Let the others in your life know what you're up to. Who knows, maybe you'll inspire them to come along for the ride.
