Water. You know it’s good for you and that you should drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. But have you ever considered a 24 hour water fast?
Recent groundbreaking studies by the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute have found that periodic fasting is beneficial to health. Specifically the study shows that a 24 hour water fast can lower your risk of developing coronary artery disease and diabetes, as well as improve your blood cholesterol levels. During the 24 hour water fasting researchers also recorded increased levels of HGH (human growth hormone) which works to protect lean muscle and metabolic balance.
The article published on Science Daily reports:
The discovery expands upon a 2007 Intermountain Healthcare study that revealed an association between fasting and reduced risk of coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death among men and women in America. In the new research, fasting was also found to reduce other cardiac risk factors, such as triglycerides, weight, and blood sugar levels.
The evidence is validation to those of us who practice fasting and it seems to provide inspiration for the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute to conduct further studies on the subject. Since the study focused on water fasting, it may prompt some to ask if water fasting is preferable to juice fasting.
It has always been my opinion that a juice cleanse provides adequate nutrition while still getting the benefits of fasting. Juicing gives the sense of preparing a meal and is easier mentally to sustain. I recommend juicing for longer fasts. However a 24 hour water fast can provide numerous benefits as indicated here and you may want to try this yourself. Read more about water fasting vs juice fasting.