Can fasting reverse skin ageing and improve skin quality?
Holistic skincare is about treating external skin with nutrients and healthy natural ingredients that nourish and heal. But it is also about other factors that affect your skin like eating, exercising, your mental and physical health.
Ramadan is a blessed month for all Muslims. It is a month of spiritual reflection and purification, self improvement, and devotion. Fasting in Ramadan also provides several health benefits including improved blood sugar, decreased inflammation and promoted youthful skin.
In this blog article, we will learn more about how fasting in Ramadan can positively affect our spirituality, personality and health; cleansing the soul and body to achieve a glowing, regenerated and youthful skin from inside out.
Blog Content
1. The spiritual significance of fasting: forming a positive personal character
2. The positive impact of fasting on mental and physical health
3. Fasting and skin rejuvenation
1. The spiritual significance of fasting: forming a positive personal character
Ramadan is a month-long training program for people to change their lives, habits and acquire valuable virtues such as: patience, compassion, discipline and giving. The act of abstaining from food and drink during the day is a reminder of the hardships that many people face in their daily life. Ramadan is a time to remember and help those who are less fortunate, it is also an opportunity to become more grateful to Allah’s blessings and more merciful towards the needy.
Another virtue taught by fasting in Ramadan is strengthening one’s will power and determination, those two values are considered fundamental to succeed in life. One who can tolerate the pain of hunger and thirst, will eventually develop self-control, determination and strong will.
2. The positive impact of fasting on mental and physical health
Mental Health
Throughout Ramadan, there is an emphasis on charity and thinking of those in need. Research has shown that such charitable actions can boost endorphins – our ‘feel good’ brain chemical. Being charitable can also help improve our self-esteem. Fasting can also improve anxiety and depression. Dr. Nada Elbashir, a consultant psychiatrist at Burjeel Hospital, Abudhabi confirmed that individuals that fast have experienced improvements in their symptoms of depression, anxiety and even stress thanks to the increase of the level of serotonin in the blood, a neurotransmitter that has been strongly linked to depression and anxiety once it is depleted. In addition to these mental health benefits, fasting has been shown to improve cognitive function and prevent age-related cognitive decline.
Physical Health
Apart from the spiritual and mental benefits, fasting has been shown to have many health benefits. Several studies have found that fasting may improve blood sugar control, decrease levels of inflammation, reduce cholesterol, all of which lower the risk factors for heart diseases. Research found that fasting may boost metabolism and help reduce body weight and fat. Most important of all is that fasting increases the levels of human growth hormone (HGH), an important protein that plays a role in skin health, healing and ageing.
3. Fasting and skin rejuvenation
Fasting can trigger autophagy, a “self-cleaning’ process that clears out old damaged cells and proteins to make room for new healthy ones. Moreover, while fasting, our body increases the level of antioxidants which helps in improving the overall skin health and reduces skin aging. The more antioxidants circulating in your body, the longer it takes for wrinkles to form. Fasting is one of the most effective ways to raise the human growth hormone (HGH), responsible for building up and repairing collagen. Fasting also reduces inflammation like acne, rosacea, dermatitis and psoriasis inside our body.
Skin health reflects gut health. Fasting is like taking an express train towards the solution of your skin problems.
Summary
There is no denying to the fact that a youthful and glowing skin makes you look more beautiful. In fact, there is more to a just a skincare routine, a healthy body and a sane mind are important contributors to maintain a youthful skin! Detoxing the body, improving gut health, uplifting spirituality and nurturing the emotional health through fasting can all contribute in achieving the best skin result.
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