Fasting is a kind of abstinence. It is when someone does not eat or drink for some specified period of time. It is only the case if the person does so of his or her own will. Fasting is usually done for one of three reasons:
- Some people use fasting to lose weight, improve heart health, and boost thinking and memory
- In some cases, people use fasting as a religious ritual
- In some cases, people use fasting as a way of protest. This is usually called hunger strike
When it is done for religious reasons, certain groups of people are usually excluded:
- People who are ill, or who are recovering from a disease
- Pregnant women, or women with small children (who need to be breastfed)
- Children
- Old people
It may also be that the person only eats and drinks certain kinds of food. Most often, fasting is done for religious reasons. Depending on the tradition, fasting practices may forbid sexual intercourse, (or any sexual desire), masturbation, as well as refraining from eating certain types or groups of food (e.g. meat).
Fasting for religious and spiritual reasons has been a part of human custom since pre-history. It is mentioned in the Qur'an, in the Mahabharata, in the Upanishads, and in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testament. In Buddhism it is also taught as a way to getting Nirvana.
