Fasting Proven Changing Structure of the Human Brain

Fasting Proven Changing Structure of the Human Brain


Record brain activity carried out simultaneously. So also with the activity of fasting. During one month, the bodies are invited to undergo a routine dawn, refraining from eating, drinking, and sex, then break in the evening and the other to practice Ramadan.

Fasting is a part of religious orders. Meanwhile, religion and spirituality is a form of brain-controlled human behavior. Chairman of the Centre for Neuroscience, Health, and Spirituality (C-NET) Doctoral Pasiak Taufiq said that fasting becomes a mental exercise relating to the nature of the brain, ie neuroplasticity. "Brain cells can regenerate and form a new structural relationship, either because of mental exercises constantly," said Taufik told Tempo.

Its lay language, he said, if someone does good works continuously, the structure of his brain will change. The time needed for nerve cells that convert at least 21 days. According to Taufik, fasting is a mental exercise that uses an intermediary exercises withstand physical needs (eating, drinking, sex).

In addition to forming new brain structures, Taufik explained that fasting relaxes the nervous system, especially the brain. But there are fundamental differences between the relaxation of the digestive system and nervous system. During fasting, the digestive system actually rested for about 14 hours, while in the brains of people are fasting it happens a lot of information management.

For example, he said, the brain can remember well when calm and relaxed. When sleeping, usually people dream of. Why? Because at this time the brain will only accept and manage the information that comes from within him. In the Quran, according to Taufik, there is the term an-nafs al-Muthmainah (peaceful soul) because it is in a quiet person can think well and have a keen sensitivity of the heart. "Peace makes us face the problems of non-reactive," he said.

Luqman al-Hakim had counseled his son, "O my son, when the stomach filled with food, then gelaplah mind, bisulah said tongue of wisdom (wisdom), and malaslah all limbs to worship."

The brain consists of trillions of cells that are connected to each other. In it can be stored 1 billion bits of memory or memory. This is equivalent to the information of the 500 complete sets of encyclopedias.
In the brain, there are cells called neuroglial cells. Brain function as a cleanser. When fasting, the cells are dead or diseased neurons will be 'eaten' by these neuroglial cells. Physicist Albert Einstein was known as someone who likes a fast. When donated his body, the scientists found the cells in the brain neuroglial Einstein 73 percent more than the average person.

A study conducted Rately John, a psychiatrist from Harvard University, United States, suggests that the regulation and calorie restriction increase brain performance. By means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Rately monitor the condition of their brains and are not fasting. The result, people who have shaum motor cortex activity increased consistently and significantly.

Taufik said that fasting is a form tazkiyatun nafs (desire to grow) and tarbiyatun will of god (educating the will). Therefore, since the intention of fasting, during fasting and behavioral rituals within the context of improving appetite, grow, and then manage the will-the will of man.