But it is good for everyone, says an expert
Blessen Tom (RNZ)
Auckland, December 25, 2023
Growing up in an Indian Hindu household, fasting was not an unusual occurrence for Murali Krishna Magesan.
“There are so many festivals that take place for different deities or various religious events and, as a part of that, fasting became a normal tradition,” he said.
Born in New Zealand, 28-year-old startup executive Magesan has been practising fasting since childhood.
“I was quite young, and I saw my family doing it naturally. They never compelled me to do it but when you see your brothers and sisters doing it, you just want to try it,” he said.
Refreshers
Fasting accrues divine blessings
Fasting during Ramadan purifies body and soul
Islamic faith brings meaning and purpose to existence
Canterbrians celebrate Dussera and Diwali in festive spirit
Citations differ but Good Friday denotes a day of Penance and Prayer
Varying practices
Fasting comes in various forms.
For some, they transition from a meat-based diet to a vegetarian diet. For others, it involves reducing the number of meals they have each day, while some opt for a liquid-based diet that refrains from ingesting anything solid.
According to Magesan, there are many reasons for people to fast.
“Some do it for religious and spiritual reasons, while others try it to focus on their health and well-being,” he said.
Fasting is prevalent in the Indian community. Hindus observe fasting related to the festivals of various deities, with the most recent being Navaratri.
Fasting in Christianity and Islam
Christians typically fast during Lent in March and April before Easter, as well as in December before Christmas. Muslims fast during Ramadan.
Forty-three-year-old Dileep Augustine has been observing Lent for more than two decades.
“It was part of growing up in a Christian household in South India,” he said.
Augustine is from Kerala, India, a state that has a sizeable Christian population.
“It was never a problem, rather it was something you look forward to every Easter and Christmas. During Lent, Christians give up things as a sign of sacrifice to test their self-discipline. It is a time of reflection and of asking for forgiveness,” he said.
Rizwan Mohammed, 34, started fasting when he was 11 years old.
“I’ve been fasting for Ramadan ever since,” Mohammed says.
He said that Muslims must fast during Ramadan and that the first few days are tedious.
During Ramadan, Muslims have an early morning meal before dawn, known as suhoor or sehri. They do not eat or drink anything including water until they break their fast after sunset, called Iftar.
The Cultural Connection
Sita Venkateswar, a sociocultural anthropologist at Massey University, believes that fasting is a fundamental part of Indian culture.
“But the prescription for fasting varies among different kinds of households and how urbanised they are, to what extent they live within extended families and how religious they are,” she said.
She noted that joint families or extended families, where individuals live with in-laws or grandparents, might be stricter about religious fasting than a standard nuclear family.
In general, fasting in the Indian community is a form of worship, she said.
“It normally follows the lunar calendar and, depending on the cycles of the moon, there are some cycles where you don’t eat certain things. There is a schedule in a month where you fast for the well-being of your husband, where you fast for the well-being of your children – you observe fasts for different purposes,” Venkateswar said.
However, fasting has recently transcended beyond religion and spirituality.
Fasting beyond Religions
Megan O’Mara, a registered nutritionist, highlights the benefits of fasting.
“It can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, enhance insulin sensitivity and improve blood sugar control,” she said.
But fasting is not suitable for everyone, she warned.
“For people who fast, especially if they do not eat until midday, they can end up overeating in the mid-afternoon window because their body is craving energy. If they are not prepared, they will reach for unhealthier foods,” she said.
O’Mara said that overeating can create problems associated with low energy, tiredness and brain fog and suggested fasting for short periods to reduce potential side effects.
“However, it depends on the individual,” she said.
Magesan agreed, saying that more people are fasting these days.
“Over the years, more people seem to be interested in fasting and when they see us practising it, they want to do it as well. It is cool to see people from different communities, faiths and backgrounds sharing this practice for different reasons,” he said.
Blessen Tom is a Journalist at Radio New Zealand. The above story and pictures have been published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
