Jain fasting being studied to evolve plans for soldiers

Ahmedabad: Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Delhi, is conducting a study to understand the effects of complete fasting on human body to evolve strategies for the soldiers working under extreme conditions where access to food is limited.

For conducting the study, "Affect of voluntary and complete fasting on metabolic homeostasis", a team of DIPAS officials are camping at the Jain temple in Sabarmati area here where they are observing and collecting samples from a group of 50 Jains (male and female) who are fasting during their holy week of "Paryushan".

"There are certain conditions faced by the soldiers while being posted in border areas or during an operation, where they might not have food for days together," Director of DIPAS, Dr G Ilavazhagan told news agencies.

"So in order to evolve a strategy for survival on limited or no food supply we are conducting a study by observing a group of 50 people from Jain community who are fasting during their holy week," he said adding that Jains observe total fast by just drinking water for upto eight days.

"We are continuously monitoring the physiological and metabolic changes in the fasting persons who do not take any solid food but consume mere water for 3 to 8 days," the DIPAS Director said.

Bureau Report

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