How to leave the post correctly

24 December marks the end of the Christmas fast, when Christians limit themselves to entertainment, bodily pleasures and food. Rationally organised fasting has a positive impact on health and longevity. Avoiding animal products with a high fat content reduces inflammation, triggers recovery processes and slows down aging, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer, and has a positive effect on cholesterol balance, blood pressure and body mass index. However, you should prepare for the end of the fast no less carefully than for its beginning.

It is dangerous for health to stop fasting abruptly. After all, during fasting, the body gets used to such "heavy" foods as meat, fish, lard, cheese, eggs, and begins to produce fewer enzymes to break them down. And if you immediately start eating a variety of high-calorie foods, everything can end in very serious problems. It will be a significant blow to the pancreas, liver and stomach.

To ensure that fasting does not harm your health, follow simple rules.

The main thing is no rush: return to a full-fledged diet very carefully and gradually. At first, combine lean food with regular food. Even familiar foods can cause an allergic reaction. To avoid heaviness in the intestines or stomach, remember: it is not only what we eat that matters, but also how much. A portion of a meat or fish dish should not exceed the size of your palm (150-200 g). Eat small portions, slowly, chew well.

Be sure to add flaxseed oil to your diet, which is rich in omega-3 amino acidsEat more fruits, vegetables and baked foods to help control blood cholesterol levels (the source of cholesterol is animal products - egg yolks, fatty meat, and fatty dairy products). Eat more fruit, vegetables, boiled and baked foods, and use oil and sour cream rather than mayonnaise or sauces to dress salads. Be very careful with fresh baked goods. Don't eat smoked meats, chips, sweets, sweet soda, salted nuts, and other things that can harm your body. Dairy products, on the other hand, help digestion.

Drink enough water. This will help the body meet the "forgotten" foods with minimal stress. Adequate fluid intake is one of the prerequisites for ensuring proper physical and mental activity. Try to start the day with a glass of plain water at room temperature. Also, drink one to two glasses of water half an hour before meals. This habit has a positive effect on the digestive system. The daily norm is 4% of fluid by weight. So an adult weighing 70-80 kg needs 2,800-3,500 ml of water. There are other sources of fluid, such as drinks and liquid foods. Coffee and tea are also healthy drinks, but they should not be consumed with food, as they can impair the absorption of certain substances (iron, calcium, etc.). Limit juices, sweet fizzy drinks and juice-like drinks. Mineral water is also not advisable as it may contain excessive amounts of certain minerals.

Eat plenty of fibre. A common cause of digestive disorders when breaking a fast is a sharp decrease in vegetable consumption with the simultaneous start of eating protein and fatty foods. To cleanse yourself of protein breakdown products, you need fibre, which is contained in vegetables, salads, and cereals.

Remember the important role of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins ensure the course of biochemical processes (metabolism, cell growth, energy supply to the body), improve the body's resistance to diseases, and stimulate tissue regeneration. Vitamins C, A, E and selenium are important antioxidants that fight free radicals and promote rejuvenation. Vitamin C gives elasticity to the walls of blood vessels and, together with vitamin K, protects against subcutaneous haemorrhages and myocardial infarctions. Minerals are part of all cells and tissues of the body, hormones and enzymes. They are essential for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous, muscular and other systems, and are involved in the synthesis of important compounds, metabolic processes, haematopoiesis, digestion, neutralisation of harmful metabolic products, and in the construction of body tissues.

The work of the stomach can be facilitated with the help of ready-made medicines enzymesThe body's own enzymes are reduced during fasting and cannot cope with heavy foods.

Give up strong alcoholic drinks. In the body alcohol is converted to ethanol and then dehydrated into acetaldehyde, which is a liver poison. If you want to drink alcohol, give preference to wine, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:2, and drink in small portions. Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach, do not mix different types of alcohol, do not drink cocktails and carbonated alcoholic beverages. If you are taking medications, do not mix them with alcohol. It is worth remembering that the less alcohol a person consumes, the better for their health.

In the end, you shouldn't focus on food. Try to move more and exercise. Doing something you love every day, even a simple walk, is the best way to spend your free time, not sitting at the holiday table. When was the last time you went on an excursion?