Fasting as an Ancient Medical Practice

Plato Sculpture

Fasting has been widely used in the traditional medicine of various cultures around the world.

These traditions have developed specific methods for fasting as part of a holistic approach to promoting health and healing.

In Ayurvedic medicine in India, for example, periodic fasting is practiced to purify the body and allow the digestive system to rest and regenerate.

Colored reproduction of Mahatma Gandhi’s fasting

In Chinese medicine, fasting is considered a way to rebalance the body’s energy flow and an effective method to release stagnant Qi.

Qi Gong

Even from a medical perspective, from Hippocrates to the Salerno Medical School, fasting was considered an effective therapeutic practice for certain bodily ailments.

Plutarch said, “It is better to fast than to use medicines.”

Hippocrates refusing the donated food