DEFINITION

Fasting is defined as “complete voluntary abstinence from taking any kind of food for particular time,in order to give rest to digestive system”.It helps to get rid of flesh tainted with toxic filth.It is one of the hygienic practices,which gives rest for digestive system and radical cure of diseases.It is one of the cheapest and important modes of treatment

CLASSIFICATION

1. According to duration

• short duration-2-5 days mainly with water and fruits
• intermittent -1-2  days with satvika diet
• long duration-more than 10 days

2.Depending upon the purpose of fasting

• political
• religious
• therpeutic

3.Depending on the method of fasting

• dry fasting-without drinking water
• water fasting-for acute diseases
• juice fasting-acidic-in obesity and respiratory disease & alkaline – in kidney disorder diabetes
• fruit fasting-weak person
• mono diet fasting-only one type of diet in meal

4.Depending on condition

• fasting in healthy
• fasting in acutely ill
• fasting in chronically ill

PURPOSE OF FASTING

A man who treats his stomach unfairly,by injudicious eating,i.e eating without hunger,by over eating etc man becomes sick.He can be cured of his illness by fasting or eating in less quantity.Highest level of vital economy is achieved by fasting.

EFFECTS OF FASTING

According to Chandogya upanishad ,life is made of water ,so one can fast on water alone,but not too long a time.Sunlight ,air and ether help to sustain life during fast.Body gets rid of the flesh tainted with toxic filth.The person feels weak as the body is in the process of eliminating foreign mater.It is temporary weakness

FASTING IN ACUTE DISEASES

One should fast till the disease subsides and person has sense of lightness.One should break the fast in proper way and help to re establish the health

FASTING IN CHRONIC DISEASES

Long fasts  are contra indicated.Short fasts are recommended with proper interval.When patient is not fasting,positive foods will not deposit foreign matter in the body should be taken sufficiently.As the life force is weak due to unhygienic living,occasional short fasts will be ideal to remove the accumulated morbid matter.Latent disease will be alleviated by right dieting and occasional fasting.In case of chronic disease where there is no hunger ,person may fast from 3-5 days.If there is no return days of hunger,patient should take positive diet for few days and then again fast

METHOD OF FASTING

Fasting is considered not from the last meal,but after the meal has been digested.One should drink water when ever he feels hungry.Daily from sunrise the faster should be without food for 6 hours or more , until natural hunger is experienced and then take light meal with positive food.If one takes 2 meals per day,it is ideal.

Chronically ill patients are unfit for fasting.They can be provided with highly positive drink,not more than four times per day.Even fasting daily for few days in a month can also be indicated.One should drink water when ever he feels thirsty.

FASTING IN DESTRUCTIVE DISEASES

Fast every day for few hours,Take less food which is light and positive in nature,Fresh fruits,vegetables,raw and uncooked food are indicated.Avoid milk,flesh and other heavy foods

ACUTE EFFECTS OF FASTING ON THE BODY

1. Formation of gas-disintegration of old putrid matter leads to gas formation
2. Temperature increases in first few days
3. cotton mouth-combination of morbid elements takes place and filth is expelled through mouth ,leads to coating of tongue which is called as cotton mouth
4. By third and fourth day mucous membrane of intestine starts eliminating morbid matter ,indicated by fetid breath and coated tongue
5. bilious vomiting produced due to hepatomegaly
6. offensive perspiration  again due to expulsion of morbid matter
7. breaking down of tissues produce increased worne out cells and other morbid matter

PREPATION

It is safe to prepare system for the fast through low protein diet,rich in positive minerals or raw food diet.For prolonged fast supplement in the form of dilute acid,acid fruit juices which have neutralizing effect on toxins and elimination effect.They are splendid tonics ,antiseptics and life elements

BREAKING THE FAST

Small quantity of light food,which can be digested easily like dilute fruit juices,tender coconut water,vegetable soups and thin butter milk should be taken.Later when digestive power increases,heavy foods can be consumed.After recovery always consume positive food in the quantity

 

PREPARED BY:DR SAJNA HAMZA A

DEFINITION

Vitamins are organic compounds,required to the body in small amounts,so categorized under micro nutrients.Also classified under protective and regulatory food.They do not yield energy,but help the body to utilize other nutrients

CLASSIFICATION

• Fat soluble – Vitamin A,D,E &K
• water soluble – Vitamin B & C

VITAMIN A

• It acts as a regulator of cell and tissue growth and differentiation
• it is a group of unsaturated nutritional organic compounds that includes retinol,retinal and several pro vitamin A carotenoids
• it is important for growth and development for the maintenance of the immune system
• for good vision
• immunity-susceptibility to infection and lowered immune response is found in  deficiency of vitamin A
• Vitamin A is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of retinal ,which combines with protein opsin to form rhodopsin,the light-absorbing molecule necessary for both low light and color vision
• it also functions in a very different role as retinoic acid,which is an important hormone like growth factor for epithelial and other cells
• Vitamin A covers both vitamin and pro vitamins
• Vitamin A retinol is from animal source
• Pro vitamin of vitamin A is beta-carotene.It is converted into retinol by intestinal mucosa

SOURCES

• Animal origin- Liver,eggs,butter,cheese,whole milk,fish and meat
• Plant origin – green leafy vegetables,spinach,yellow fruits,papaya,mango,pumpkin,roots like carrot
• Artificially fortified foods-milk, vanaspathi,margarine

STORAGE

Stored in the liver in the form of retinol palmitate.The store is sufficient to meet the needs for 6-9 months

DEFICIENCY

Predominantly ocular manifestations,less commonly extra ocular manifestations also found

XEROPHTHALMIA

it includes all ocular manifestations of Vitamin A deficiency from night blindness to keratomalacia

1. Night blindness
2. Conjunctival xerosis
3. Bitots spots
4. Corneal xerosis
5. keratomalacia

Night blindness:

It is beginning stage of Vitamin A deficiency with inability to see in the dim light

Conjuctival xerosis:

First clinical sign of Vitamin A deficiency ,conjunctiva is dry and non wettable. Instead of smooth and shining conjunctiva appears muddy and wrinkled

Bitots spots:

Triangular pearly white or yellowish foamy spots on bulbar conjunctiva on either side of cornea ,usually bilateral is known as bitots spot

Corneal xerosis:

Serious condition,cornea appears dull,dry,non wettable and eventually opaque.Severe deficiency leads to corneal ulceration.It may heal with scars which are opaque

Keratomlacia:

Liquefaction of cornea takes place ,cornea may become soft & may burst open.The process is rapid ,eye collapses and vision is lost

EXTRA OCULAR MANIFESTATIONS

They consist of follicular hyperkeratosis, anorexia and growth retardation

MEASURES FOR PREVENTION

1. Improvement of diet ,regular and sufficient intake of vitamin  rich food
2. By preventing contributory factors Ex.PEM,respiratory infection,diarrhea,measles
3. Prophylactic dose of vitamins A-single massive dose of retinol palmitate orally,to all preschool children(1-6 yrs)once in 6 months is advocated, 1-6 yr -2,00,000 IU of retinol  palmitte, 6 months -1 yrs -1,00,000 IU of retinol palmitate

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