Opinion | The low-carb diet is no recent fad. Chinas version dates back over 2,000 years
The holy month of Ramadan will begin for Muslims around the world at different times this weekend, depending on their geographical location. The ninth month of the Islamic calendar starts when a crescent moon is sighted in the sky, and ends 29 to 30 days later when the next crescent appears.
The observance of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and barring a few medical and logistical exceptions, all able-bodied, adult Muslims are obliged to fast every day from sunrise to sunset for the duration of that month.
While most people know about the fasting requirement, many are not aware of the spiritual aspects of Ramadan, such as devoting oneself to prayers and recitations of the Qur’an, and not engaging in sinful behaviour.
There is an ancient practice in Taoism called bigu, or “grain avoidance”, which is a form of fasting that involves long-term abstinence from the “five grains”: various cultivars of rice, wheat and millet, hemp seeds, soybeans, and so on.The best milk substitute for you: soy, oat, hemp, quinoa and more
For most people today, bigu is practised more for health reasons than spiritual ones, However, there are adherents of Taoism who claim that long-term abstinence from food will heighten their spirituality. In the past, some even believed that fasting could eventually result in one’s immortality.
One of the earliest references to grain avoidance was in the ancient Chinese text Zhuangzi, one of the two foundational texts of Taoist philosophy.
In the chapter Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease, it was recorded that “far away on the hill of Gu Ye there dwelt a spirit-like man whose flesh and skin were as ice and snow; whose manner was elegant and delicate as that of a virgin; who did not eat any of the five grains, but inhaled the wind and drank the dew. He mounted on the clouds and rode on flying dragons, wandering and enjoying himself beyond the four seas.”
Disregarding the references to his frequent flying on clouds and dragons, it is obvious from the description of this man that by the time of the late Warring States period (479-221 BC), during which Zhuangzi was compiled, there had already been some awareness that not eating “any of the five grains” was beneficial for one’s physical and mental health.
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Long-term abstinence from the “five grains” is not so different to contemporary diets that are low in carbohydrates; both result in a leaner and healthier body. Instead of grains, long-term bigu practitioners feed on fruits, nuts and herbs with medicinal properties.There is another way of practising bigu in the short-term that is closer in essence to fasting. For a duration from a few days to weeks, a person would abstain from all solid foods at all times and drink only fluids. At the same time, he or she would meditate, do breathing exercises or practise some form of physical exercise such as qigong.
It is believed that by regularly practising this form of bigu, one’s physical, mental and spiritual well-being will be elevated.
Whether you are fasting for health or religious reasons, it is important to ascertain beforehand your medical condition before you begin your period of abstinence.
In my own way, I practise intermittent fasting by default – up to 16 hours daily – because I usually have a couple of cups of black coffee in the morning and nothing else. I do not know if it is doing me any good. I am still about 10kg (22lb) heavier than I ought to be for my height.
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